Piccolo: Melbourne restaurant bites

■ Coffee roaster Industry Beans on the corner of Rose and Fitzroy streets, Fitzroy, celebrates its first birthday on Friday with free coffee all day, and brew classes at 10am, noon and 2pm. Coincidentally, KereKere at 207 City Road, South Melbourne, is also giving away free coffees on Friday to mark its seventh anniversary.

■ The three women behind Collingwood's Fox Hotel, Clodagh Harris, Bridie Harrop and Tracey Walsh, are taking over South Melbourne's Montague Hotel. They hope to reopen in May as the Fox Hotel at the Montague, serving seafood and craft beer.

■ Rumour file: with Phaidon Press publishing Ferran Adria's mighty seven-volume set of El Bulli recipes this month, the legendary chef is tipped to be including Australia on his tour schedule. Stay tuned.

■ Tansy Good, whose Carlton North restaurant Tansy's The Age Food Guide 1987-88 described as "the model of a small restaurant", has returned to her old stomping ground, making simple lunches, along with vacuum-packed dinners to heat at home, at Skinner & Hackett butcher (400 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North) from Wednesday to Saturday.

■ Restaurateur Rinaldo Di Stasio, of St Kilda's Cafe Di Stasio, is being honoured tonight at a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra. The event brings together the 2013 Restaurant and Caterers' Association lifetime achievement winners from each state. "Ronnie is one of the true greats of our industry and considered the Godfather of Melbourne restaurateurs," says association president Matteo Pignatelli.

■ Apprentice chef Ashlee Carter from Voyager Estate in Margaret River, has won first prize in the 15th annual Fonterra Proud to be a Chef competition, which recognises promising apprentice chefs. Carter will receive a paid international culinary placement.

■ Siriporn (Pla) Liamthong and Dave Holtum have sold their share in city Thai cafe Mr Nice Guy to business partners Bon Faisingha and Sandra Phungmanee to refocus their energies on their original Carlton cafe, Middle Fish. The couple also hope to start a curry paste business.

■ The Swinburne strip of Glenferrie Road is abuzz with rumours of a fourth Huxtaburger outlet opening but Daniel Wilson is keeping his lips firmly zipped.

■ Chef Jacques Heraudeau has died after a long illness. He was 70. The Frenchman opened South Melbourne restaurant La Madrague in 1978 and operated it with his wife Annie for 25 years. Former Age Good Food Guide editor Rita Erlich says Heraudeau made an important contribution to the Melbourne food scene.