28 October 2026
I rise to congratulate two outstanding restaurants in my electorate of Dunstan, Esmay in Hackney and arkhe in Norwood, on each being awarded a Michelin star in the inaugural Michelin Guide South Australia. On 14 October at the Adelaide Convention Centre, Australia received its very first Michelin stars. More than a century after the guide was first published in France and after years in which it never came to this country, it was South Australia that brought it here. Only 11 restaurants across the state received a star that night, and two of them are in the eastern suburbs. I am incredibly proud of that achievement. That says a great deal about the talent, passion and hard work in our local hospitality community.
I want to start with Esmay. Esmay began life as a travelling pop-up, moving around the country before finding a permanent home in the historic Hackney hotel, a building that has served our community for well over a century. Executive chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone, together with her husband, chef Matt Stone, chose to put down roots here, and we are very grateful they did. Alanna has spent more than 25 years in the industry. She ran the pass at Saint Peter in Sydney and earned a Chef Hat of her own at ARC Dining in Brisbane.
Through all of it, she has built her cooking around a deep respect for the people who grow our food. At Esmay that means close and lasting relationships with South Australian farmers and producers—something a travelling restaurant could never quite have. It is food that tells the story of where it comes from and that is exactly what makes this state so special. Alanna was also the only female chef to receive a star at this year's ceremony. That is a remarkable achievement and I hope it inspires many young women who are thinking about making a career in the kitchen. She described the honour as something she never thought possible. I want her to know that her community is enormously proud of her and the whole Esmay team.
arkhe on The Parade at Norwood is a very different restaurant but it shares the same commitment to excellence. Executive chef and owner, Jake Kellie, opened arkhe in 2021 as Adelaide's first open-flame restaurant, and from the beginning it has been something genuinely original. Before coming to Adelaide, Jake was head chef at Burnt Ends in Singapore, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and he could have opened his own venue almost anywhere in the world, but he chose a heritage-listed sandstone building in Norwood because of the quality of South Australian produce and the warmth of our community.
At the heart of arkhe is a 3½ tonne woodfired oven and nearly everything on the menu is touched by fire. Diners sit around the open kitchen and watch the team at work. arkhe has already been ranked among the best steak restaurants in the world, and anyone who has walked along The Parade on a Friday night knows the energy it brings to the strip. This recognition is thoroughly deserved. It is worth remembering that Jake's journey started at the age of 16 when he began cooking and studying at TAFE. That is a story that every young apprentice in our state should hear. Some of the finest chefs in the world started exactly where they are now.
These awards matter far beyond the two restaurants themselves. A Michelin star puts a venue, a suburb and a state on the map for food lovers around the world. People plan entire trips around the Michelin Guide. That means more visitors to our main streets, more customers noticing neighbouring cafes, bars and shops, and more opportunities for local growers, fishers, winemakers and suppliers whose produce ends up on these plates. It also matters for the people who work in hospitality. Behind every star is a team of chefs, apprentices, front-of-house staff, dishwashers and managers, many of them young people building a career. This recognition tells them that world-class work is being done right here and that they do not need to leave South Australia to be part of it.
Our eastern suburbs have always had a proud food culture shaped by generations of families, migrants, migrant communities and small business owners who open cafes, delis and restaurants along The Parade, Magill Road and beyond. Esmay and arkhe are part of that tradition and their success reflects well on everyone who has built it.
Bringing the Michelin Guide to South Australia was a bold decision and the results speak for themselves. Our state has taken its place among the great food destinations of the world and our eastern suburbs are at the centre of that story. So, to Alanna, Matt and the team at Esmay, and to Jake and the team at arkhe, congratulations. Thank you for everything you contribute to our community, to our local economy and to the reputation of South Australia.
