Brisbane’s most exciting new address, The Calile Hotel, has secured one of Australia’s hottest chef talents to launch the city’s most talked about new dining venue. Executive Chef Kitak Lee has joined the hotel after heading two-hatted The Table at Kuro Kisumé in Melbourne. He will add his creative flair to the new menu and cocktail list at The Calile Hotel’s Lobby Bar, which will open its doors in September. The hotel and bar will become a key part of the James Street lifestyle precinct, celebrating Brisbane’s sublime subtropical climate as Australia’s first urban resort.
Lobby Bar’s relaxed, sophisticated air will be reflected in a thoughtful, contemporary menu offering breakfast, evening dining and everything in between. A considered wine list featuring Australia’s best will also salute the great viticulture regions of the world. The wine list will be complemented by a locally curated cocktail list and house-made sodas made from locally-sourced fruits.
Lee draws on his classical European training and South Korean upbringing to dream up an innovative menu that is in keeping with the hotel’s ethos of relaxed sophistication. Lee arrives at The Calile Hotel with an impressive pedigree. Before running The Table at Kuro Kisume in Melbourne, Lee held sous chef roles at Sydney’s Momofuku Seiobo, as well as Potts Point Japanese-inspired dinner, Cho Cho San and Sydney icon, Bilson’s. He is also behind Seoul of Sydney, a chefs’ collective pushing to bring Korean cuisine to the forefront of the local dining scene.
“The Calile Hotel’s Lobby Bar menus will draw on the best elements of old-world hospitality, interpreted in a contemporary way,” he said. “In a sense we are finding a new take on classic hotel menus for the modern era. They will reflect the Queensland lifestyle, with light, fresh, local ingredients including Queensland fruits and excellent Australian wines presented exceptionally well. Essentially, we are The Calile, we are not trying to be anything else.”
