Jee Whan Lee has been named as the new executive chef at Parkroyal Melbourne Airport’s restaurant, Airo.
Lee will also manage the site’s Airo caf and the hotel’s 24 hour in-room dining operation.
Airo offers a modern Australian menu with a French influence, and under Lee’s guidance will focus strongly on fresh, locally sourced produce.
“I am very excited to be working with the exceptional team of chefs at Parkroyal Melbourne Airport,” he said. “Melbourne is leading Australia in food trends and it’s a very exciting time to be in the industry. Our menu is extensive and we cater to various tastes, many of our customers are corporates who are just in Melbourne overnight, however possess extensive food knowledge due to their travelling and eating out often. We aim to exceed their expectations and be more than a hotel restaurant.”
Highlights from the Airo menu include butter poached Hervey Bay scallop with truffled leek, cauliflower cream, crispy black pudding, wild mushrooms, fleurons and jus noisette; and Huon Tasmanian salmon, steamed zucchini blossom filled with trout and scallop mousse.
Airo also offers a selection of artisan cheeses as well as a dessert menu including the warm valrhona chocolate and amaretto cake with brulee banana, lychee cremeux, strawberry gel, chocolate malto and praline ice cream; and gianduja chocolate marquise with chocolate soil, avocado gel, hazelnut and citrus microwave cake, maple and walnut ice cream and Cointreau cremeux.
