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Celebrated South Australian chef Tom Tilbury is expanding his once-intimate dining brand into a mobile catering operation capable of servicing large events across the state.
Tilbury built his reputation in the kitchens of some of South Australia’s most celebrated restaurants, including The Botanic Lodge, Press Food and Wine, and Aces Chinatown.
But despite his impressive résumé, he said that Gather has always been the project closest to his heart. It first opened as a restaurant in Robe in 2015 before relocating to McLaren Vale as Gather at Coriole, where it was named South Australia’s Best Restaurant by delicious. magazine in 2019.
In 2022, Tilbury stepped away from Gather at Coriole and moved to the city as executive chef of Press Food & Wine, while shifting Gather towards private dinners, catering and special events.
“I was always working at a lot of places and doing Gather on the side,” Tilbury said.
“But it’s been a brand that’s been with us for so long now, and it feels really good to be focusing on it.”
With his sole focus set on Gather, he is taking it from a small catering company to something much larger.
“Previously, it was very refined and very intimate, like dinner parties at different houses,” he said.
“Now we’re scoping out a larger range of things we can do, and we can go anywhere in the state.
“We can do things like weddings and corporate functions, things that take more energy and more time to focus on.
“That’s something that’s really nice for me,” he said.
Tilbury added that his favourite thing about Gather is the flexibility it allows his creative process.
“The sample menu is basically a guide to make it clear and low stress to book your event,” he said.
“But I really enjoy working with people to tailor menus specific to their event, and their tastes.
“The other week we had someone whose birthday party it was, and they told me their favourite dessert is creme brûlée – so that’s what they got.”
His sample menus champion local, seasonal produce from farms across the state, focusing on native ingredients which are “guided by the seasons,” their website reads.
“I cook food inspired by Australia and its multicultural heritage. My food style is focused on food I enjoy eating with produce I want to share,” Tilbury said.
With Gather now able to travel across South Australia and cater for everything from intimate celebrations to large-scale functions, Tilbury is ready to bring his produce-led cooking to more tables than ever before.
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