From Bangkok to Woolloomooloo, the 40 seater restaurant is serving up a selection of sculptural mosaic forms that transform the kitchen into a stage.
Viand is not the usual punny moniker we’ve come to appreciate with Thai dining in Sydney, and there’s a reason for that. Chef & Restaurateur Annita Potter very deliberately chose a name without Thai connotations. The reason? Potter envisions Viand becoming a food concept of its own. Not bound to any one cuisine but instead growing and melding into other cuisines and assortments.
“Viand is an archaic word for assortment of foods, which for me is a perfect description for what I believe Thai food is”. – Annita Potter, Chef & Restauranteur
The Perth-born protégé of David Thompson, who has cooked her way through some of the best kitchens in the world, has finally found a home in Sydney. From London to Singapore, Hong Kong to Sydney, Potter has left an impressive mark on the industry. Amongst her most impressive accolades is leading the opening of globally acclaimed Long Chim in Singapore, and then Sydney.
Potter has spent nearly two decades cooking in and running other chefs’ kitchens across the globe. But now, the time has finally come for her to open her own restaurant, right here in Sydney. If Darlinghurst is your hood, Viand might sound familiar. This is where the Viand concept was tested with a hugely successful pop-up version ‘Viand Club’ in late 2020.
As someone partnered with a glass artist, Potter has a very keen sense of the importance of design. The interior places the kitchen and its creations at centre stage, inviting diners to immerse themselves in the dynamic spirit and artistry that fuels their food. Diners can watch as performing woks combine complex flavours, and searing colours to create tantalising smells.
Upstairs will be an artists’ collective named Ellipsis Gallery run by her partner, Mark Wotherspoon. The first-floor space will showcase contemporary visual artists, performance artists, poetry, and more.
As well as her elevated Thai cuisine, Potter wants Viand to stand out from other restaurants in a role that the multifunctional spaces play with all senses. Celebrating premium wine and a unique tea and tisane selection, the drinks list assists in creating the artistic theatre of the dining experience by specifically complementing the cuisine.
Book your table here.