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The Dictionary of Sydney
Roles
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Chef

Chef

Occupation - Chef

Polese, Giuseppe (Beppi)

Position - Chef of The Hermitage

1942 - 1947

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Chef

Coluzzi, Eleni

Cafe owner and co-founder with her husband Luigi of Bar Coluzzi.

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Polese, Giuseppe (Beppi)

Italian-born chef and businessman who opened famous restaurant Beppi's in 1956 and is considered the patriarch of Italian restaurants in Sydney.

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Renault, Henry

French wool buyer and chef who established The Hermitage (L'Hermitage) restaurant in the former Paling's building in Ash Street with his wife, Jeanne. He originally worked as a wool buyer in Melbourne and Sydney until World War II. During the war, he was called up for service by the French Army and sent to Cap Saint Jacques in Indochina (Vietnam).

Henry and Jeanne were instrumental in establishing the Wine and Food Society of NSW. Members of the society asked the Renaults to set up a ‘base’ for their society, so their restaurant became the society's home. While Jeanne worked 'front of house' at The Hermitage, Henry was their chef until he established Renault and Company, a wine importing business, in 1947.

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The Hermitage

L'Hermitage was a French restaurant opened by French migrants Henry and Jeanne Renault in the former Paling's building on Ash Street in July 1942. Jeanne worked 'front-of-house' while Henry worked as their chef until he established his wine import business.

The Hermitage served dishes such as venison in wine and steak tartare which shocked some restaurant-goers. Jeanne said one patron ‘could not understand us serving raw steak. It was fit only for dogs.’

The restaurant contained a copy of Leonardo Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' near its entrance and became a popular dining spot for many well known individuals including the former Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Gordon Menzies. On its closing in 1957, the Sydney Morning Herald interviewed Jeanne Renault:

Madame smiled her half-smile...But when I asked her: "Are you sad, Madame?" she answered: "Yes, I feel sad. Would not you?"

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