Sydney chef and restaurateur Hamish Ingham has joined Solotel as group executive chef, as the hospitality operator seeks to strengthen its senior food and beverage team.
With more than 33 years of industry experience, some of Ingham’s recent ventures include Redbird Chinese in Redfern and Tequila Daisy in Barangaroo, which he owned and held the role of executive chef.
Joshua Hillary, Solotel’s group food and beverage director, commented on the appointment: “We are so thrilled to have someone of Hamish’s calibre overseeing the food across our venues of pubs, bars and restaurants. This is a big play for us in terms of evolving our venue offerings and completes our team of industry-leading talent.”
Embarking on a new chapter, Ingham spoke about his ambitions for new role: “I was incredibly lucky to be mentored by legends like Kylie Kwong and Damien Pignolet early in my career and that has instilled in me a love for mentoring chefs.
“Running my own restaurants took up so much of my time and so I’m really looking forward to being able to do more of that in this group executive chef role with Solotel.”
While working with Kylie Kwong, Ingham held one of his first head chef roles, at Surry Hills restaurant Billy Kwong. Developing a deep love of Chinese cuisine, Ingham went on to open modern Asian diner Bar H with his partner Rebecca Lines, where he won the Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year Award.
After the success of Bar H, the pair went on to launch a series of successful new venues, including The Woods Restaurant & Grain Bar and Banskii Vermouth Bar & Bistro, which later became Tequila Daisy.
While Ingham says he is at a point in his career where giving back to a new generation of chefs is at the forefront, Hillary is confident that having somebody of his calibre within the company will help to elevate the kitchen talent within the group.
“We have a fantastic culture around mentoring and people development at Solotel. Hamish has worked alongside some of this country’s culinary greats and is committed to sharing his knowledge and passion amongst the existing team,” added Hillary.
“Having someone of Hamish’s calibre in the executive chef role will ensure that we continue to attract the right talent for existing and new roles as they come to market.”
Ingham’s appointment, which has already commenced, aims to drive a sharp new focus on the food offering across Solotel’s portfolio of pubs, bars and restaurants, including the Kings Cross Hotel, The Clock, The Abercrombie and more.
“Having a casual meal in a pub is a fundamental part of Australian culture and I’d be a fool to mess too much with the classics. That said, the little things – different ways of plating, better olive oil, really great dressings and salads – can often make a classic, incredible, and that’s where I see my restaurant experience coming into play,” said Ingham.
Speaking about the ways in which he hopes Ingham will evolve the offering at Solotel’s venues, Hillary added: “Hamish brings with him over 30 years’ experience and a produce-first approach to the offering across the portfolio, helping us to ensure that our venues are known for our commitment to food.
“As a team we have an unwavering focus on our guests, and Hamish’s appointment helps us sharpen that focus.”
Rounding out the senior food and beverage team at Solotel, led by Hillary, Ingham joins Master of Wine Annette Lacey as group beverage manager, group beverage manager Reece Griffiths, group chef Aaron Fallins and group guest experience manager Matthew Stewart.