Franca: The definition of versatility

Part of the Rivage Hospitality Group, this Restaurant offers the diner a diversity of options

The modern world of Hospitality has required restaurants and groups to be far more agile and pivot within the prevailing marketplace to meet the ever changing needs of diners, whose needs have irrevocably altered in the post COVID world. Difficult financial times has also meant offering up innovative options at varied price points, widening and growing your demographic, whilst staying true to the integrity of your brand. In Sydney, Franca has been driving that change, and it is hard not to respect how well they have done that.

Firstly to do that, you need the right people in place, and Executive Chef of the Group José Saulog who also oversees Parlar, Amorica and the lasted addition Pelicano, has the vision to set the culinary tone across the Group. From a reviewer’s perspective, the appointment of Luke Davenport at Franca as Head Chef was a game changer in executing the philosophy of the Chef de Cuisine. It’s not hard to notice the mutual respect and sharing of concepts between that pair that has given Franca a vitality that diners are gravitating towards.

At the medium and higher end of their menu and beverage offering, they are more than delivering on those expectations, whilst impressively applying those same exacting standards to astonishingly well-priced options like the bottomless brunch options on weekends. Similarly, if you just want to enjoy a very civilised cocktail hour, then their 5 @ 5 Happy Hour will see you sitting pretty with a $5 Martini (no, that’s not a typo!) and $12 Negroni’s. You can always add the Franca Burger and Chicken liver parfait if you get peckish at just $12 each.

Having been Chief Judge with an International Food Guide, one of my challenges was convincing new reviewers on the team not to be seduced by just chasing the wow moments, instead of realising that consistency was way more important. Why, because diners need the certainty that standards are maintained over a series of visits. Franca under José Saulog and Luke Davenport fits that criteria like a glove. Dining behaviours are unlikely to revert back to the more traditional model, so versality is the key to thriving in this new paradigm, and Franca is one of the Restaurants leading that change.

By Dane Richards