Rockpool pair fly south to Pure South

Pure South head chef Ashley Davis has got his culinary band back together with the arrival of two chefs who worked with him at Helene Darroze at London's Connaught hotel. Amandine Segut and Pierre Bourdois worked under Davis when the French fine-diner gained a second Michelin star in 2010, and for the past 18 months they have been at Neil Perry's Rockpool in Sydney. Davis persuaded them to move south and join his brigade at Southgate.

''It's great for our team and has really raised the bar for what we can do on the menu.'' Working together in London gave the trio an innate understanding of each other's skills, says Davis. ''They are bringing their European perspective to the staff, and having them help the apprentices is priceless.'' While he's mindful of awards and hats, Davis says he wants the restaurant, which showcases Tasmanian produce, to be full and buzzy. ''My goal is to be cooking good food and making people happy.''