About Us

Monique, 37, Tony, 35 have been chefs since completing their apprenticeships in 1995 and 1998 at one of the culinary institutions of Sydney, Bayswater Brasserie. They have also worked with two of the industry’s leading Chefs, Neil Perry and Kylie Kwong. While their formative years as chefs took place in the fast–paced kitchens of Bayswater Brasserie, Rockpool and Wok-Pool, It seems fitting that both of them have returned to the calmer location of Monique's childhood. Monique says that "growing up in the Hawkesbury she experienced a sense of freedom and inspiration” that was complementary to her parents' philosophy towards work and life. "My parents always talked about following your dreams and your passions."

Tony is originally from the North Island of New Zealand. He also grew up in a rural setting and as he says he "was fed on a diet of weetbix, mashed potato and rissole sandwiches". He moved to Sydney when he was 10 years old and could not believe the variety of food available there. His Step dad introduced him to restaurants and his first experience of a fine-dining restaurant was in Kings Cross at an Italian restaurant that he has never forgotten. He remarks "that the food was so highly flavoured that he was overwhelmed and that he wanted to savour every bite".

In 1997 while working for Perry, Monique was given a sign that she needed to make a change from her hard working life style. "There was a turning point in my cheffing career when my dad died where I reflected quite deeply on his life and I could see some parallels in how I was leading mine. I read a book by the Dalai Lama and his words helped me put my life into perspective." It was at that point that the pair decided to pack up and travel overseas. The couple travelled through Asia and North America with their eyes, minds and hearts open, ready to experience the world around them. They both found the experience inspiring. Monique says "to walk into a village, whether it be in Nepal or Guatemala, and be swept up in their joyous approach to cooking was amazing. It didn't matter if the cooking was happening out in the street, in a market or in their homes with the wood stove and the most basic of ingredients and equipment." In these moments, both of them realized that their passion for food and people was still very much alight within.

While in Canada, Monique and Tony began a 10 day yoga retreat at an ashram. The pair worked in the kitchen where they experienced again a completely new side of cheffing to their former experiences. They were working in a self-sustaining ashram with an organic vegetable garden that had been there for thirty years. The philosophy of the ashram kitchen was that if it wasn’t grown within a two mile radius, you didn’t eat it. Monique and Tony found this approach incredibly motivating and after the 10 day retreat they remained there for another two years. The experience allowed both of them to view cheffiing in a new light. Their time spent in the ashram kitchen and the positive effects they could feel and see in their bodies and minds were more than evidence that this was a much healthier way to live and eat.

Monique and Tony brought the ashram’s philosophy towards locally grown ingredients home with them to the Hawkesbury.

"We noticed that this region is very rich in fresh produce and that no one was really tapping into that source with awareness," says Monique. This abundance of produce was amplified when they went to the growers’ Markets at Flemington. Monique and Tony knew that the Hawkesbury was the perfect place to embark on their new adventure. There was nothing fresh and exciting in the terms of restaurants in the Hawkesbury and they knew that they could really be a force for change in the restaurant scene. Lochiel House was awarded two chefs hats and "Best Regional Restaurant" in 2010  and has continually regained their one chef’s hat in the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD’S Good Food Guide since 2003.

Monique says "eight years on, we are both still alive with passion and interest for what we do here. By having this restaurant we have realised even more that we must hang on and cherish our agricultural land and the farmers that continually feed us".