Greg Malouf

“Why didn’t anyone think of this before? Middle Eastern food has always been delicious, but for the most part it goes on unchanged from generation to generation. … Greg Malouf, an Australian of Lebanese ancestry, has cast a new eye on every Middle Eastern dish he cooks. … The food is transformed, but somehow it retains the integrity of the original recipe. Everything comes to the table looking like a piece of art, and it ends up tasting even better than it looks. … Every restaurant in Morocco offers pastila, layers of thin pastry stuffed with pigeon. Mr. Malouf substitutes rabbit for the pigeon, and devises as flaky and tasty a pastry as has ever emerged from an oven. The result is one of the most magnificent dishes I’ve eaten. I’ve dreamt about it ever since.”

Stan Sesser, Personal Journal

The Asian Wall Street Journal, February 18, 2005

Greg Malouf has inspired a generation of young chefs and transformed the Melbourne restaurant scene with the flavours of his heritage. His dishes capture the essence of the Middle East, all presented with exciting contemporary flair.

Greg was born in Melbourne, Australia of Lebanese parents and after serving his formal apprenticeship in several of Melbourne's finest restaurants, he went on to work in France, Italy, Austria and Hong Kong. Drawing on his cultural heritage, his European training and extensive travels, Greg has forged a unique style of cooking that has become known around Australia as ‘Modern Middle Eastern’.

In 1991 Greg set up O'Connell's restaurant in one of Melbourne's best–known hotels. The restaurant won numerous industry awards, while Greg himself earned the respect and admiration of his peers and national and international recognition for his innovative food. Since 2001 he has been executive chef at Melbourne’s Mo Mo restaurant, and under his direction the restaurant has won awards and critical acclaim from local and international critics alike.

Greg offers a wide range of services through his company ‘Malouf’s Mezza’. These include:

restaurant consultancy and menu design
corporate events including cooking demonstrations and special dinners
kitchen design consultancy.
Greg travels widely around Australia and abroad for master-classes and guest-chef appearances in leading hotels of the world. He also consults to restaurants in New Zealand and South East Asia.

He has recently released a range of Middle Eastern spices under the Malouf’s Spice Mezza label.

With his former wife, Lucy Malouf, Greg has co-authored four award-winning food books, Arabesque (1999), Moorish (2001), Saha (2005) and, most recently, Turquoise (2007). Each has been widely-acclaimed and praised for showcasing the traditional ingredients and dishes of the region while also offering a window on Greg’s unique modern Middle Eastern cuisine.