Hotel Restaurants & Atelier by Sofitel

Hotel restaurants O'Connor Black Angus beef tartare with confit egg yolk, one of the dishes helping to put Atelier on a winning streak. — *O’Connor Black Angus beef tartare with confit egg yolk: a dish helping to put Atelier on a winning streak.*

In French, an atelier is “an artist’s workshop or studio”. At Sydney’s Atelier restaurant, I’m hardly surprised then when the first plate put in front of me is as pretty as a picture created by an artist’s hand.

With glistening yellowfin tuna cru decorated with pearls of pink finger lime and dainty purple flowers, my entrée is an example of the artistry bringing accolades to Atelier.

Hotel restaurants are undergoing a renaissance, and the French-inspired restaurant on level three of the Sofitel Darling Harbour is on a roll, with an award of two chef’s hats in the Australian Good Food Guide.

French-based hospitality group Accor has been investing heavily in reinvigorating its food and beverage offering across its network, with a key focus on luxury and lifestyle hotels. This year, five of its Sofitel and MGallery hotels in Australia were honoured with chef’s hats in recognition of their culinary talent, creativity, and dedication to excellence.

Atelier by Sofitel

We dined at Atelier by Sofitel a few weeks after its win in the Australian Good Food Guide awards and it was a joy to see such an effort being made to source local produce and to deliver it with flair and precision.

As well as the tuna from Ulladulla on the New South Wales South Coast, we started with Tuross Lake oysters that were some of the best we’ve had in a long time – and that’s saying something as we love oysters and enjoy them nearly every week. The oysters were big and creamy for Sydney rocks and were served with a perfectly balanced Chardonnay vinaigrette.

The lamb in my main dish came from Gundagai while Maurie’s duck breast came from further afield (Macedon, Victoria) – both flavoursome, elegant dishes that paired beautifully with a glass of Yangarra Estate ‘Noir’ GMS (not GSM). It was years since I’d enjoyed a wine from this historic South Australian vineyard and such a treat to be reacquainted with it.

Tuross Lake oysters: Atelier's menu is focused on local flavours. — *Tuross Lake oysters: Atelier’s menu is focused on local flavours.*

Just as the entrée was pretty, Atelier’s dessert was even prettier, our shared dish of poached rhubarb with ginger cream presented like a flower with a quenelle of strawberry sorbet at its centre. The artist at work again.

Atelier deserves praise for its wine list which features a comprehensive selection of Australian and French wines, many of them available by the glass. There are some lovely New South Wales wines on the list, which is great to see as they are often overlooked.

My glass of ‘La Comtesse’ Chardonnay from De Beaurepaire Wines in Rylstone, NSW, was elegant and lively, perhaps like the Comtesse Marie-Louise de Beaurepaire herself. An ancestor of the vineyard owners, her image appears on the bottle label.

Atelier was awarded 2 goblets in the 2024 Australian Wine List of the Year Awards, judged on criteria such as the variety of wines on offer, how well the list suits the restaurant concept, how much is available by the glass, and the quality of wine by the glass. The restaurant uses the Coravin wine system for a special selection of Cellar wines by the glass.

Atelier's poached rhubarb with ginger cream and strawberry sorbet. — *Atelier’s poached rhubarb with ginger cream and strawberry sorbet.*

Atelier’s awards highlight a strategic and intentional shift by Accor to elevate its food and beverage offerings, in response to an increasing demand from travellers seeking authentic regional flavours and unique gastronomic experiences.

David Fraser, vice president operations for Sofitel, MGallery and Emblem hotels in the Pacific, says hotels are no longer just places to rest, but have become destinations in their own right. Last year’s relaunch of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth is an example of this evolution, with the hotel now offering four bars and restaurants that bring back old-school glamour while incorporating the latest trends in food and drinks.

As guests increasingly seek authentic, region-specific culinary experiences, hotel restaurants are proving that travel is as much about the flavours as it is about the destinations. Accor properties rewarded with one chef’s hat in the Australian Good Food Guide include the Newmarket Restaurant in The William Inglis Hotel; No.1 Sublime Pt in the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains; Garcon Bleu in the Sofitel Adelaide; and Luma Restaurant in The Playford Adelaide.