Aug 11

Aug 11 From dreams to reality. Masterchef contestant Emily Yeoh opens her first restaurant in Brisbane.

Not long after her exit from Masterchef (in 2014), we found ourselves one random evening in Brisbane hanging out with Emily Yeoh, Mark (the founder of Uncle Joe's Coffee), and artist Lauren Carney (@dizzylittledotty) at, (what was back then), Black Milk Head Quarters in Newstead. In amongst many conversations that evening, one thing stuck to mind. Emily expressing her dream of being a chef, having her own restaurant, and the sense of purpose with which she described these life goals.

Emily Yeoh Restaurant. Image by @discoverbrisbane

Fast forward to 2020, and Emily Yeoh Restaurant is fully open for dine-in service and take-away. Not even a global pandemic could stop this dream from becoming a reality. Despite the challenges, the site of the old Coffee Club has turned into a modern and beautifully decked out restaurant. Diners have plenty of options with seating, either "alfresco", outside the restaurant's spacious the wraparound terrace, or inside with a minimalist intimate vibe.

Emily Yeoh Restaurant Bar. Image by @discoverbrisbane

For those concerned about Emily's culinary skills, don’t be. She's not just a "former Masterchef contestant". Emily is proof that if you set your dreams high, you'll work hard to get there. This former biomedical engineer spent years at GoMA's restaurant under Josue Lopez, Blackbird at Eagle Street Pier, and in 2017 under Ben Shewry's famed Melbourne restaurant Attica; the latter appearing in the World's 50 best restaurants since 2010.

Inside Emily Yeoh Restaurant. Image by @discoverbrisbane

Emily's restaurant will pay homage to her grass roots; a farm to plate approach with a philosophy of cooking simple, and honest food, whilst supporting local farmers in Queensland. All with the aim of Emily showcasing her Chinese, Cantonese, and Malaysian heritage, inspired by her grandmother, as well as bringing in elements of other Asian cuisines. The concise menu, available as a la carte or banquet, offers some signature dishes of roast duck with house-made pancake, or the prosperity basket dim sum of premium scallop and prawn dumplings, gold coast prawn siu mai, vegetarian dumplings, char xiu puff pastry, and vegetarian ham sui gok.

Prosperity Basket by Emily Yeoh. Image by @nutsjourney_

Other mouth-watering dishes which you may have seen splashed across Instagram is the Lychee Duck Red Curry, Emily's mother's secret recipe Hainanese chicken, Malaysian style fragrant beef brisket curry, and desserts such as the taro coconut panna cotta.