Hamish Hames is well know to Ocean Grovers from his days at the popular restaurant Bolzano.
These days Hamish is busy preparing for his next adventure, having taking over from the restaurant at Bellarine Estate.
He promises “rustic French provincial cuisine” at the restaurant, which will be called Bouchon at Bellarine.
“After I sold Bolzano, it’s always hard to back to working for other people,” he said.
“I wanted to do something different that didn’t have to keep up with trends – it’s timeless.”
Bouchon at Bellarine will open some time in October after Hamish puts the finishing touches on the establishment.
“It will be reminescent of lazy afternoons at a French restaurant,” he said.
Hamish has teamed with Scotchman’s Hill, Terindah Estate and Bennett’s Lane to offer a free shuttle bus that will meet each ferry from Melbourne to Portarlington.
The recent boom from the Bellarine Peninsula’s wineries has meant visitors are keen to explore the area and not just head straight to the beach.
“We’re growing a lot of produce in the garden ourselves that we’ll use on the menu,” Hamish said.
