SET ON THE BANKS of the Molonglo River, a 15-minute drive from Canberra, is the fifth-generation, family-owned farm Pialligo Estate. Tucked among the vineyards you’ll find an olive grove, orchard, market garden, award-winning Smokehouse and a hatted restaurant, Pavilion Dining. Here, you can delight in organic produce transformed into exquisite meals.
After years of training as a chef at some of Australia’s most prestigious restaurants, Mark Glenn has found a change of pace as executive chef at Pialligo Estate. “I spent quite a few years working for Dinner by Heston [in London] and after that, I became head chef of Cumulus Inc [in Melbourne],” he says.
Working at Pialligo Estate has given Mark access to the magic ingredient he believes sets the restaurant apart: its 22-hectare farm. “We have the ability to work truly seasonally and the menus are a reflection of the garden team’s hard work. It’s pretty exceptional to be able to walk outside and pick something that really still tastes alive.”
Seasonal dishes define the menu at Pialligo Estate. “There are some dishes that will only be on the menu for a couple of days because of how much is produced,” says Mark. “We are also guided by the weather and how that affects what comes out of the garden.”
The team’s passion paid off when Pavilion Dining was awarded a chef’s hat in. “It was super exciting,” Mark says. “We’re so lucky to have such a wonderful team, and it was a great recognition of all the hard work everyone puts in.”
