Matt Stone Takes Over Me-Gal at Taronga Zoo, Opens 15 December

Chef and author Matt Stone will lead Me-Gal at Taronga Zoo when the relaunched venue opens on Tuesday 15 December, bringing his waste-reduction, produce-first cooking to one of Sydney's most photographed harbourfront sites.

Stone is working alongside Trippas White Group, the catering and events operator that runs food and beverage across the zoo's sites. The Mosman restaurant sits by the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, with views across Sydney Harbour to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

The model is straightforward: an à la carte menu plus a shared chef's menu, built on seasonal Australian ingredients and a kitchen that prepares things from scratch. Stone's toolkit includes preservation techniques — fermentation, pickling and dehydration — which let a kitchen stretch peak-season produce further and cut what gets thrown away. The menu will evolve with the seasons and draw directly on Australian growers and producers.

"I cook produce-first. Find the best Australian ingredients, respect the people who grow them, and let them do the talking," says Stone.

What does the food say about the venue's economics?

Stone frames the offer as generous rather than fussy. "We wanted the food to be worthy of that view, without getting in its way," he says. "Good food should feel generous, not intimidating. Come for a long lunch, stay for the afternoon."

He also notes there aren't many places in Sydney where diners can sit surrounded by nature and look straight across to the Opera House. That pairing — bushland setting and postcard view — is the venue's core asset, and the pitch leans on long-lunch dwell time rather than quick turns.

The sourcing angle fits the zoo's own positioning. Nick Boyle, executive director of Taronga Zoo, says conservation and sustainability sit at the organisation's core.

"Matt's philosophy is closely aligned with these values. His commitment to ethical sourcing, reducing food waste, celebrating local producers and creating menus that tread lightly on the environment reflects the approach we strive to take across our organisation," says Boyle.

He adds that Stone's approach will help build a dining experience that showcases Australian produce while encouraging a deeper connection with nature.

Who else is behind the relaunch?

Paul Romanella, Trippas White Group's retail and events executive general manager, calls Stone one of Australia's most exciting culinary talents, with a distinctive approach to Australian cuisine and a genuine commitment to sustainability.

"Partnering with Matt marks an exciting new chapter for Me-Gal, with a simple ambition: to create one of Sydney's great dining destinations, set against one of the world's most spectacular backdrops," says Romanella.

The physical space has been reimagined by Kat Thompson of design studio Five Foot One. The name Me-Gal — chosen with guidance from Traditional Custodians — references the saltwater and ocean surrounding this part of Mosman, and the design reflects that meeting of land and water through earthy tones and natural textures, with the sky and harbour folded into the room itself.

For Stone, the December opening caps a positioning play: a zoo venue that behaves like a destination restaurant, with seasonality and low-waste kitchen practice doing the differentiation. The 15 December launch will show whether a produce-first menu can carry a heritage tourist site into Sydney's fine-dining conversation.