House Made Hospitality has appointed Alex Wong as the first Executive Chef of Hinchcliff House, the heritage‑listed, four‑level dining and drinking precinct in Circular Quay. Wong now oversees all five venues — Apollonia, Lana, Grana, Grana Privato and Bar Mammoni — cementing his role as the creative force behind the building’s culinary direction.
From chef of Lana to precinct leader
Wong has been a key figure at Hinchcliff House since it opened in 2021, spearheading Lana — a playful Italian restaurant with Asian influences and a focus on fresh, seasonal seafood. His promotion marks the first time a single chef has led the entire precinct, bringing cohesion and inventive crossovers across five distinct venues.
“I’ve always seen Lana as my playground — a place to test ideas, change things up, push flavour into unexpected places,” Wong says. “Now I get to stretch that energy across the whole building. There’s something special about being able to draw a thread through each bar and restaurant without losing what makes each one distinct.”
New menus bring creativity across five venues
The creative touch is clear at Apollonia, the Sicilian‑inspired cocktail bar in the basement. Wong has infused the food with southern Italian accents while keeping drinks front and centre. The menu features bar snacks like the Bao‑Loney Sando — a fried bao bun with mortadella and Calabrian chilli tomato ketchup, described by Wong as “part Lana, part Grana, all Apollonia” — and the ‘tira‑mi‑spoon’, a single spoonful of Grana’s signature tiramisu.
Upstairs at Lana, the menu has shifted from set‑menu-only to a flexible à la carte format. Favourites include roasted Bannockburn chicken with pippies, kombu and white pepper, and a Takeda wagyu sando with horseradish and caviar. “And yes, the Mapo rigatoni ragu is still on the menu — ‘I tried taking it off,’ he says, ‘but people kept asking for it.’”
At Grana, under Head Chef Andrea Sonnante, Wong maintains hearty, seasonal Italian classics. “Grana’s a beast,” he says. “It works because it’s generous and familiar, but there’s room to keep refining. We’ve introduced a rotating daily specials menu and are leaning more into seasonality and old‑school Italian favourites.”
Grana Privato, the private top‑floor dining space, channels Grana’s Italian heart, while the events menu adds a hint of Lana’s playful spirit. Bar Mammoni continues to serve fresh, hand-rolled pasta to grab and go, alongside weekly $10 lunch specials. Wong and Head Chef Daniel Rico are introducing new cakes and breakfast options.
Leadership role marks a first for the precinct
Previously Executive Chef at Lana and Martinez, Wong now focuses entirely on Hinchcliff House, passing Martinez’s kitchen to new leadership as it shifts to a casual rooftop bar format.
“This is the first time we’ve had one chef overseeing the entire Hinchcliff House offering,” says Justin Newton, Director of House Made Hospitality. “Alex brings experience, imagination and cohesion to the food, but more than that, he brings leadership. Four years on, each venue has found its rhythm — and Alex stepping into this role feels like the natural next step in the precinct’s evolution.”
Wong adds: “This is something I haven’t done before — and that’s what excites me most. I get to help shape five very different restaurants and bars, support the team, and keep pushing forward without losing what makes them great. There’s already so much energy in this building — I just want to build on that.”
