Chef Romain Bapst
A native of the Alsatian city of Strasbourg - France, Romain brings to Australia the unique spirit of this culinary Mecca of half-timbered houses overhanging cobbled streets, its citizen wrestling with a language that is part French, part German.
Following intensive training in France, Romain moved to Australia in 1990 where he has since held positions at numerous award-winning restaurants including: Mietta’s Melbourne, Hayman Island Resort one & the only one, Il Centro Brisbane, Drift restaurants and his own Lutèce Bistro & Wine Bar in Bardon
His celebrity was cemented during his years at Mietta’s Restaurant voted best restaurant Australia and 13 years at Brisbane institution Il Centro, where his fresh, modern menu featuring his famous Sand Crab Lasagne, the Moreton Bay Bugs cocotte, Flinders Island milk fed lamb and the WA White Rocks veal dishes!
Romain’s genuine passion for quality produce along with his love of entertaining people with French cuisine prepared from the heart, motivated him to open Lutèce Bistro & Wine Bar in 2013. Lutece quickly established itself as one of Australia’s leading French Bistro and Wine Bars and has received 5 star reviews and a well-earned local following.
Since 2005 Romain organises exclusive French Chef & Wine Tours of the delight of his restaurants customers & followers for “The Love of France, Food, Wine”, the guided private Tours, the beautiful sceneries of the French backyards and the dinners with the multi-award winning French chefs!
Romain hung up his apron after 48 years in foodservice when a serious car accident took its physical toll, and he made the difficult decision to step out of the kitchen and take some time to rest and recover. His desire to stay in touch with his Lutèce family and friends remains very much a focus and so he keeps the good food and conversations alive with Lutèce Culinary Friends & Romain’s Lutèce Culinary Tours.
Culinary commitment.
Romain has also held the following positions:
President & Chairman of Bocuse D'or Australia President,
President of Les Toque Blanches Queensland
President of Academie Culinaire de France Australia
President of Bocuse d’Or Australia
Vice President of Chefs of the Future
Maître Canardier Australia
Maître Rôtisseur of the Chaine des Rotisseurs
Vice-Charge de Presse
Awarded Chevalier de l’Ordre du Merite Agricole (Knight Order of Agricultural Merit)
