ABOUT
ABOUT
TASMANIAN
One hour south of Hobart, Lilly Trewartha’s childhood was characterised by outdoor activities, fresh produce, and a deep connection to the land. At her family home in Gordon, Tasmania, a productive fruit and vegetable garden translated to lovingly home-grown meals at the dinner table, and regular local fishing trips bore their own edible rewards.
A pull towards the kitchen was inevitable.
Guided by a desire to be immersed in the world and all of its flavours, Lilly was drawn to travel from an early age. Though she spent a number of years exploring Japan, Europe, the Arctic Circle and the Australian mainland, Lutruwita/ Tasmania continued to pull her home, and - in 2020 - it finally did.
A passionate advocate for her island home, Lilly’s connections to Tasmania are evident not only in the way that she cooks, but in the way that she interacts with the natural environment. Born and raised on the banks of Tasmania’s D’Entrecasteaux Channel, she later formalised her love for the water and ocean life by completing her Divemaster certification and working as a dive instructor on Lord Howe Island. Lilly continues to spend much of her time in and on the water, boating, swimming and diving for food.
CHEF
Lilly’s early interest in the kitchen environment took her to southern Tasmania’s Peppermint Bay as a kitchen hand in her teenage years. Later, while teaching scuba diving off the coast of New South Wales, her passion for cooking was reignited by a pedigreed chef living and working on Lord Howe Island, and - returning to Lutruwita/Tasmania - began her formal training.
Lilly commenced her apprenticeship under David Moyle at The Stackings at Peppermint Bay, before completing her qualifications at Luke Burgess’ groundbreaking Hobart restaurant, Garagistes. It was at Garagistes, a venue lauded for its produce-driven menus and simple technique, where Lilly’s cooking philosophy began to come into its own. Her subsequent tenure at Hobart’s Franklin - as well as stages at a number of renowned restaurants, including Attica, Faviken, and Chambre Séparée -continued to hone that approach.
Following a year working as Manager at northern Norway’s Holmen Husky Lodge, Lilly was invited by Will Gleave - formerly Head Chef at Garagistes - to help open his new London restaurant as Sous Chef. Lilly’s almost two years at Peg - a Japanese-inspired yakitori venue - was another pivotal influence in the way that she continues to cook today.
Lilly was due to commence her first Head Chef residency at another Will Gleave venue when the Covid epidemic forced her to return home. The epidemic’s impact on the hospitality industry provided the mental space to dream about next steps, and eventually led Lilly and old friend Luke Burgess to the first iteration of Izakaya Temporary, an approachable pop-up serving delicious Japanese-inspired food made with Tasmanian ingredients. The response to Izakaya Temporary’s debut saw it grow from an intended four-day restaurant takeover to a six-month sold-out residency.
Via subsequent stints at iconic dining destinations including Lucinda, Dier Makr (Hobart) and Harvest (Byron Bay), Lilly stepped into full-time freelance work, launching Izakaya Temporary as a solo endeavour, offering private chef experiences in homes and accommodation properties, and sharing her cooking philosophy in special pop-up events at some of Australia’s best restaurants, including Ogee, Trophy Room, Pitzi, Aløft, Rosie in my Midnight Dreams (Hobart), Bar Heather (Byron Bay, New South Wales), The Summertown Aristologist (Adelaide Hills, SA), The Salty Mangrove (Ocean Shores, New South Wales), Brico (Melbourne, Victoria), and No. 7 Healesville (Yarra Valley, Victoria).
SUSTAINABILITY ADVOCATE
Lilly attributes her strong sustainability values to her time spent growing up in the pristine environment of Lutruwita/Tasmania, and her parents’ enduring love and care for the land. Applying these values to her work, Lilly champions the protection of the environment in everything that she does. As much as possible, she works exclusively with small-scale farmers - many of whom she knows personally - who share the same ethos, and prioritises the minimisation of waste in her cooking.
A sustainability advocate in her personal and professional lives, Lilly’s menus demonstrate minimal intervention to respect and showcase the hyperlocal produce for which she has such a deep appreciation.