Geoff Jansz to open Mittagong restaurant

Twenty-three years after he closed his Picton restaurant to pursue a career as a television chef, Geoff Jansz will pick up where he left off and open a new restaurant in the country.

The chef confirmed a May 1 opening for Geoff Jansz's Farm Table Restaurant, which will slide into the Fitzroy Inn in Mittagong.

"My friends think I'm crazy, but I'm crazy keen to get back behind the stoves," the 57-year-old says.

Back in the 1980s the Bondi pharmacist threw in his job to open his own restaurant, Aviemore in Picton.

He was asked to do a screen test at the ABC, which set him on a new career hosting his own programs and regular slots on shows such as Burke's Backyard. Jansz says his latest venture will lean heavily on the produce from his nearby farm.

"The time between picking and pounding things like lemongrass is critical, and we have that advantage," he says.

He's keen to reinvent some classics on his menu. So look out for wagyu meatloaf.