Chef Paul Wilson Melbourne-bound for new Latino project

Award-winning chef Paul Wilson is heading back to Melbourne after almost 18 months in Sydney to work on a new project, a nuevo Latino bar-eatery tipped to open in Brunswick East next autumn.

With his year-long contract consulting to Icebergs at Bondi Beach winding up, a Bali Icebergs spin-off uncertain and another consultancy with Hotel Harry in Sydney's Surry Hills hit by renovation delays, it seemed a good time for Wilson to return to Melbourne.

He's teamed up with Feast of Merit's Alby Tomassi on the new project, which is inspired by a recent trip to the LA Street Food Fest at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena. He and Tomassi travel to South America in January on a fact-finding trip.

Wilson says they're considering a pisco bar and food truck outside and a dining room with full table service and bookings inside. While it is a consulting role, Wilson will be in the kitchen for the first three months and will work with Tomassi as an ongoing collaborator.

The menu will draw on ideas from Wilson's newly published cookbook, Cantina: Recipes from a Mexican Kitchen (Hardie Grant Books, $49.95).

The British-born chef, who fell for Latin flavours about four years ago while working for the Newmarket Hotel, will offer a taste of what's to come at Stokehouse City this Sunday, when he presents the Super Sabroso Sunday lunch featuring Mexican street food dishes and Latin-influenced drinks from the book. Lunch is $80. Bookings at booksforcooks.com.au