Founders John-Paul Fiechtner and Sally Humble leave restaurant Lume

South Melbourne fine diner Lume hasn't has the quietest first year. Labelled as the most ambitious opening of 2015, it caused a stir even before doors swung open – first owing to the owners' announcement that they intended the restaurant to be counted among the world's best, and then later for its bold avant-garde tasting menu.

This week comes the announcement that two of its three founders – co-head chef John-Paul Fiechtner and sommelier Sally Humble – have left the seven-month-old restaurant, leaving chef Shaun Quade helming the business.

In their statements, both sides have wished each other well, Quade explaining that Fiechtner was always going to leave after the initial set-up, but that Humble's departure was unexpected. A new sommelier has not yet been hired.

Fiechtner and Humble, meanwhile, have announced plans to move to Singapore to work on a project of their own.

Regrets about the matching Lume logo tattoos five of the staff acquired might be at a high, but the restaurant has also had wins in recent months. In November, it implemented the sometimes controversial pre-pay booking system, which has cut down no-shows to 2 per cent.

And while there were plans afoot late last year to ditch the more informal menu available in the bar, Lume instead backflipped and introduced a (relatively) cheaper chef's selection menu at $95 to keep the regular crowd coming. The tighter menu (shorter than the $140, 15-course main event of the dining room) might include five small snacks, a shared seafood dish of raw and smoked oysters, prawns and fish chased by the likes of a whole lamb shoulder. Bar snacks are still available, a la carte.

Joining bartender ​Nick Tesar on the cans is new recruit Orlando Marzo – the former Dinner by Heston and EDV bartender with a thing for gadgets. A roto-vaporator (a machine that allows for small batch distillation) has just been installed along with a freeze drying machine. The latter will be used to make cocktails which Quade hopes will become a stand-alone attraction.