Just Open: Chiswick at the Gallery

Aria chef Matt Moran and business partner Peter Sullivan are bringing Woollahra's Chiswick restaurant to The Art Gallery of NSW.

The 125-seat Chiswick at the Gallery is located at the eastern end of the gallery's entrance court with views across The Royal Botanic Gardens. The Woollahra restaurant, with its picture-perfect kitchen garden, will continue to operate.

"The gallery has always had amazing exhibitions and art but lacked great food. I want people to actually come there for lunch and then go and look at the art," Moran says.

The opening menu features pumpkin ravioli with broccolini, lemon, and raisins ($19), pan-fried salmon fillet with fennel, quinoa, and dandelion ($30), slow-roasted lamb to share from the Moran family farm with smoked eggplant, chickpea, and mint salsa ($66), and watermelon, strawberries, and strawberry ice-cream ($16).

Laura Baratto has been appointed as head chef. Barrato has worked for the last eight years in both the Chiswick and Aria kitchens.

"Laura is a phenomenal young chef," he says. "She was big help to me on my last cookbook, Kitchen Garden, and is a passionate Italian who just loves fresh produce. I have the upmost respect for her."

The restaurant fit-out is similar to its Woollahra sibling with communal seating at a long, centrepiece bench (although there's also standard tables and chairs if you feel like proper sit-down).

"It's got more of a Scandinavian feel to it [than the Woollahra Chiswick]," says Moran. "And the chairs are a bit more comfortable."

The next step in his plan for the site is a vegie patch in the grounds of the botanic gardens.

"The Chiswick concept is all about great produce and a beautiful garden," says Moran.

"They're [Botanic Gardens management] a little bit hesitant because they're worried about the homeless pinching my carrots," he says. "I'm more than happy for them to steal my carrots, though. If homeless guys want to steal fresh vegetables, bloody good luck to them."

Moran - who is also responsible for The Opera House catering - says he has no more national landmark kitchens on the horizon.

"I don't think are any left are there?" he laughs. "The Barangaroo restaurant is the next big thing for me which opens on March 2016. Something might pop up in between but I'm very content with everything that's happening at the moment."

Chiswick at the Gallery opens Saturday October 25, Art Gallery of NSW, The Domain, 9225 1819