Craft Meets Heritage: Working with Chef Alex Wong at Lana Dining
When you step into Hinchcliff House in Circular Quay, you’re entering more than just a restaurant. You’re surrounded by over 150 years of stories—of wool merchants, shipyards, chapels, and community care. It’s a place where history is etched into sandstone walls and even the gilded sheep statue still presides over the northern parapet.
This layered heritage provides the perfect backdrop for Chef Alex Wong, whose cuisine at Lana Dining reflects a respect for tradition and a curiosity to push it forward.
A New Voice in Sydney Dining
With a reputation as one of Sydney’s most innovative chefs, Alex Wong has carved out a singular path in the city’s food scene. His career has spanned celebrated kitchens such as Ajo, Allegra Dining, Flour Eggs Water, and Osteria di Russo & Russo, where he honed his distinctive approach: classic Italian flavours reimagined with unexpected influences.
Since launching Lana in 2021 under House Made Hospitality, Alex has consistently been recognised for his work:
Gourmet Traveller Best New Talent finalist (2022)
Gourmet Traveller Best New Restaurant shortlist for Lana (2022)
NSW Chef of the Year finalist, SMH Good Food Guide (2023)
SMH Good Food Guide Hat for Lana (2023 & 2024)
SMH Good Food Guide Hat for Martinez (2024)
Today, as Executive Chef of Lana and House Made Hospitality’s latest venue, Martinez, Alex continues to showcase why he’s regarded as a rising star in Australia’s culinary landscape.
A Heritage Home for Culinary Innovation
Hinchcliff House is an icon in its own right. Originally commissioned by wool broker Andrew Hinchcliff in the 1870s, the building has seen life as a wool store, a hostel for homeless men, a chapel, and even an international language school.
Its preserved features—gabled roofs, original pulley systems, catheads, and historic stonemasonry—are relics of a time when Circular Quay was the bustling centre of Australia’s shipping trade.
Today, Hinchcliff House houses four levels of experiences—Lana, Grana, Grana Privato, Apollonia, and Bar Mammoni—all breathing new life into this storied space.
Takeda 10: Honouring Wagyu Mastery
In the pursuit of excellence, chefs like Alex are particular about their ingredients. That’s why Takeda 10 Wagyu has become a cornerstone of Lana’s new winter menu.
Takeda 10 isn’t simply beef—it is the culmination of over fifty years of Wagyu breeding excellence, inspired by Mr. Shogo Takeda, the pioneering Japanese Wagyu master who introduced Japanese Black cattle to Hokkaido in 1954.
Mr. Takeda’s work laid the foundation for the global Wagyu industry. His visits to Pardoo Station between 2016 and 2018 helped blend traditional Japanese methods with Australian innovation, resulting in an extraordinary product that meets the uncompromising standards of the world’s best chefs.
At Wrights The Butchers, we are proud to be the exclusive supplier of Takeda 10, a pure-blood Wagyu known for its extraordinary marbling, refined sweetness, and delicate texture. Each cut is a testament to Mr. Takeda’s legacy and the meticulous craft behind it.
Supplying Sydney’s Finest
For Alex Wong, sourcing premium ingredients like Takeda 10 is a natural extension of his philosophy: quality, care, and respect for the story behind every dish.
We’re honoured to support Alex and the talented team at Lana Dining, helping bring their vision to life in a venue as rich in heritage as the food itself.
