Lola Famiglia
Nel and Michelle
THE TALE BEHIND THE DUOMeet Chef Michelle Forbes.
With pedigree from the kitchens of The Ritz Carlton & Cafe Sydney to Rockpool and the Subiaco Hotel in Perth. Her food is spirited and balanced in flavour and craft.
Fun Fact: Michelle is obsessed with rugby league, a Cronulla girl through and through.
Meet Marinela (Nel). Nel's taste of travels through the Mediterranean have sharpened her sommelier palate to craft an effortless list of local superstar producers and intriguing international performers. She is generous and reflective of sense of place.
Fun Fact: Nel played on the professional tennis circuit for many years and is always happy to share hot tips, hit her up!
Our team
Meet Lucille, our beautiful Frenchie from Duras, 1 drive hour from Bordeaux.
Lucille grew up surrounded by vineyards, cheese and saucisson. She has been with us for 2 years.
She is our weapon, jack of all trades.
You might see her serving your table, behind the camera taking photos of dishes or in the kitchen with our head chef Hayden.
Lucille just took a trip home in July and she’s gifted us her recommendations on wine bars, restaurants and her favourite bottle she sipped on.
Wine Bar of the Holiday : Chai et Rasade in Duras
Most-Loved Restaurant : Les Négociants in Bordeaux
Favourite Bottle Shared with Friends: Chateau Molhiere Rouge Les Marechaux
Meet Lena, our ray of sunshine from Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Lena has been in Australia for 7 years starting off in Sydney and slowly made her way to our
beautiful town Dunsborough.
You’ll find Lena serving your tables, greeting you at the door or
taking reservations over the phone.
Fun fact about Lenny - she has a degree in acting!
Lena has just taken a trip back home to visit her loved ones, here’s what she said.
On my trip to Argentina, one of my favorite memories was going with friends to a trendy little restaurant called Tintorería Yafuso. Once a dry cleaner, it now has just 14 seats, and our lunch there was unique — we brought along our favorite chardonnay and spent three hours savoring delicious Japanese dishes.
When we finally left with our bellies full, we decided to find a coffee. We walked into a nearby cafe and we stumbled upon someone reading coffee grounds in the corner of the cafe. Of course I invited my friends and we all had our fortunes told.
Argentina is deeply special to me, not only because it’s my home country, but because of the traditions — discovering a new bakery each day, eating medialunas, and gathering for barbecues with my dad, the ultimate grill master.
For me, food has always been more than a meal, it’s the reason we come together, any time of day.