Boronia Kitchen chef-restaurateur Simon Sandall will lead the hospitality offering at Powerhouse Parramatta, which opens its landmark $950 million facility with a waterfront restaurant, cinema bar and cafe-wine bar on Saturday, November 7.

The UK-born chef said the appointment was the highlight of his 41-year career in hospitality: “I sometimes questioned – not in a bad way – why I was here in Australia, and when I got this I realised why. It’s a massive personal milestone.”

Sandall is no stranger to big-name venues. Before opening his Gladesville restaurant Boronia Kitchen in 2018, he worked for celebrity chef Matt Moran – first as the head chef at hatted Circular Quay restaurant Aria; then as group executive chef, overseeing popular venues such as Chiswick and Opera Bar.

At Boronia Kitchen, Sandall’s contemporary Australian menu and considered-but-casual service caught the attention of Australia’s most popular food-blogger, Nagi Maehashi of RecipeTin Eats and Good Food contributor, who described the restaurant as “exactly the sort of place I’d want if I ever, one day, have my own restaurant”.

“It’s incredible, she’s a massive advocate of Boronia Kitchen,” Sandall said. “What I love about Nagi is that you know if she likes something and you know if she doesn’t.”

The restaurant at Powerhouse Parramatta is more than double the capacity of Boronia Kitchen, with an indoor-outdoor dining area capable of seating about 290 people. It features a minimal industrial aesthetic, similar to the rest of the museum, with concrete floors, aluminium accents and a series of stools and tables fabricated from cork and stainless steel, designed by Adam Goodrum in Sydney.

Sandall said he was approached with the opportunity to become the Powerhouse Parramatta retail food and beverage operator while consulting on the museum’s catering facilities. Sandall established Aria Catering and has run his own catering business, Catering by Simon Sandall, alongside Boronia Kitchen since 2022.

“A couple of people reached out and said, you know, you should have a crack at it,” he said. Sandall was intrigued – according to the NSW government, Powerhouse Parramatta is the most significant infrastructure project since the Sydney Opera House, where Sandall got his first kitchen job when he landed in Sydney, back in 1995.

“I’m getting goosebumps now, talking about it,” Sandall said. “For me, it’s the excitement of what western Sydney is becoming.”

When it opens, Powerhouse Parramatta will have an extensive food program, including farmers’ markets, demonstration kitchens and apartments for international chef residencies. The museum hired renowned chef-restaurateur Kylie Kwong as an associate for its food department in 2024, and her work with western Sydney chefs and food businesses further cemented its focus on local cuisine, showcasing underrepresented voices in hospitality.

While the name of the restaurant remains under wraps for now, Sandall said its menu will be similar in style to Boronia Kitchen’s: quality produce, presented simply, with diverse culinary influence and broad appeal. A lot of cooking will be done on a wood-fired grill, and Sandall has started collaborating with Powerhouse horticulturalists as they develop the on-site working garden, requesting finger lime, warrigal green and yuzu plants.

“It will be an extension of Boronia Kitchen because that’s me, you know, that’s the food I like to eat and cook, but it will probably be a little bit more culturally diverse,” he said.

“It’s going to be highly punchy, full of flavour and fresh.”

Boronia Kitchen will not be affected by the appointment. Further information on the cafe and bars to come.