Former Restaurant Balzac and The Square chef Ryan Smith has joined the kitchen crew at Cupitt’s Estate as Executive Chef.
He returns to the NSW South Coast after significant time spent in Sydney and London, including a stint at Rick Stein’s Bannisters, and will now lead the kitchen at the Milton-based winery and restaurant.
His arrival comes as the region continues to draw chefs out of major cities, with dining numbers on the South Coast up 15–16 per cent in January and February compared to the previous year, reflecting growing demand for locally driven dining.
Smith’s background spans Sydney restaurants including Banc and Restaurant Balzac, as well as London’s Michelin-starred scene at The Square. He has also cooked at events for the British Royal Family and held a Head Chef role within the Bill Granger restaurant group in the UK.
He has longstanding ties to the region, with family in the area, and was a regular at Cupitt’s Estate before joining the team.
Smith says his focus at Cupitt’s Estate will centre on local produce and the surrounding region.
“Regional dining works when you embrace what’s around you. For us, that’s the local seafood and produce and the people farming and growing it. The closer you can get ingredients to the plate, the better the result.”
At Cupitt’s, his approach centres on a produce-led style of cooking, with an emphasis on seafood and seasonal ingredients sourced from the surrounding region.
South Coast on the rise
The Milton and Ulladulla area has built a growing reputation for dining, with venues like Milkhaus, Bay Yuki and Nomah shaping a local scene that’s increasingly being driven by chefs stepping away from city kitchens.
Libby Cupitt, Strategic Partnerships Manager at Cupitt’s and Director of Destination Sydney Surrounds South, says, “The South Coast dining scene has evolved significantly in recent years and we see Cupitt’s Estate as playing a key role in that continued growth. The regional food scene here is stronger than ever.
“There’s great producers, passionate chefs and a real appreciation from diners for quality local food matched to great wine.”
Smith’s cooking at Cupitt’s will also be shaped by the winery setting, with a focus on how dishes sit alongside the estate’s wines rather than competing with them.
“You’ve got to think about flavours that marry well with the wines,” he says. “It’s another dimension for the menu, and it opens up opportunities for special events like wine-paired dinners and seasonal menus built around the estate’s wines.”
Seafood remains a key focus in his cooking. He advocates for letting the fish speak for itself with mere assistance from its garnishes.
“With fish, you can create lighter dishes with lots of garnishes and layers of flavour. It’s something I’ve always loved working with. Take yellowfin tuna, which is known as a local hero in Ulladulla, we pair it with seasonal ruby grapefruit, passionfruit and fresh herbs from the garden. It’s about keeping it bright, seasonal and letting the fish speak.”
The kitchen is also looking to incorporate more produce grown on-site, including herbs, fruit and ingredients from the estate’s kitchen garden.
“I’m excited to work closely with our Gardener Gav to grow even more for our upcoming dishes and expand the kitchen garden. We’ve already been talking about growing more micro herbs and bringing more produce like our basil and figs from the property onto the menu.”
Cupitt’s Estate sits between Milton and Ulladulla on the South Coast, combining a winery, restaurant and on-site accommodation overlooking vineyards, wetlands and the Budawang ranges.
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