Case Studies / Kitchen by Mike
Rosebery • 2012 - 2015
The canteen that changed the way Australians eat.
In 2012, Sydney dining was dominated by exclusivity — fine dining, reservations, and formality. The vision was to create the opposite: a generous, democratic place where food was seasonal, wholesome, and accessible.
Approach
In a vast semi-industrial warehouse in Rosebery, I launched Australia’s first canteen-style, produce-driven restaurant. Guests queued with trays to choose from seasonal salads piled high, wood-fired meats and fish, and my sourdough bread — all served simply, without pretension, and eaten communally.
At its heart was generosity, simplicity, authenticity, and sustainable wholefoods — values that mirror my personality and cooking ethos. Within a year, I added the Physic Garden — inspired by my mother-in-law’s medicinal herb garden — the first of its kind in a restaurant.
Divided into five traditional healing categories (from ginger and turmeric for musculoskeletal health to lemon verbena for neurology), it underpinned the philosophy behind my second book, Real Food by Mike.
Outcome
From day one, KBM drew 1,000 people a day for breakfast and lunch, breaking all conventions and earning cult status. It became a refreshing antidote to fine dining and has since inspired countless imitations — but Kitchen by Mike remains the original.
It embedded the idea that food could be joyful, seasonal, nourishing, and scalable — setting the foundation for KBM to grow into airports, galleries, cultural institutions, and beyond.
