Sepia wows critics in New York

Some of the most influential food writers in America have described Sydney's current Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year as "technically amazing," "strikingly original" and "a wonderful combination of Japanese aesthetics and Aussie playfulness". And they didn't even have to travel to Sydney to taste it.

Among the media heavyweights to experience Sydney three-hatter Sepia were The New York Times' Florence Fabricant and Jeff Gordinier, as well as a dozen writers and editors from The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, People, Town and Country, Bon Appetit and Saveur.

They were guests of US star chef Eric Ripert at his four-star New York, restaurant Le Bernardin, who invited the Sepia team to transform his elegant upstairs Salon into a full replica of the Sussex street fine-diner, for one seven-course lunch only.

The invitation came after Ripert dined (and filmed) at Sepia a tour last year, hosted under the auspices of Tourism Australia's tourism campaign, Restaurant Australia.

"Martin's cooking is very unique and his food is so unbelievable," Ripert enthused, "I just wanted to give him the chance to showcase it."