Venner is taking shape behind hoardings in Brisbane’s West End, with a late-February 2026 opening planned. The restaurant is being developed by operators Jack Stuart, George Curtis and James Horsfall, with Jack Burgess leading the kitchen as head chef.
From the outset, the focus has been on building the back of house properly, with systems, prep and workflow driving every decision.
This is not a project shaped by dining-room aesthetics or launch buzz. It is being built around how the kitchen will perform on a full night, and how that performance can be repeated service after service.
A clear split between ownership and the kitchen
Jack Stuart brings a chef’s background into the ownership group, shaped by years at Blume where discipline, seasonality and restraint defined the work. At Venner, Jack’s role sits at an operator level. He is involved in setting direction and standards, but he is not running the kitchen day to day.
That responsibility belongs to Jack Burgess. As head chef, Burgess is leading the kitchen build, menu development, brigade structure and training. His focus is practical execution, turning an idea into a kitchen that functions under pressure.
George Curtis and James Horsfall are responsible for the operational framework of the business. This clear separation of roles has allowed Venner to move forward without overlap or confusion. Operators focus on structure and sustainability. The chef focuses on the kitchen.
Building the kitchen before the menu
At this stage, the work is physical and detailed. Benches are being sized properly. Cold storage is being planned to support full mise en place rather than workarounds. Extraction is being tested and refined to suit prep intensity, not just line cooking.
The line has been designed for movement and communication, with clean sightlines between sections so cooks can work together when service tightens. Decisions are being made from the pass backwards, rather than designing a room first and forcing the kitchen to adapt.
The aim is to build a kitchen that can operate calmly under pressure. One that does not rely on shortcuts, heroics or constant correction to function at a high level.
Larder work as a foundation
One of the strongest signals in Venner’s early direction is the emphasis on larder work. Preservation and fermentation are being treated as core kitchen disciplines, not decorative techniques.
A larder-led approach forces planning earlier. Labelling, temperature control and documentation become essential. Repetition matters, because flavour needs to be reliable service after service.
For Burgess, this is about control and depth rather than complexity. Preserved elements allow the kitchen to express seasonality over time and adapt to changes in supply without losing clarity on the plate.
The site itself is also being used as part of the kitchen. The backyard is being developed as a functional patch for herbs and vegetables. This is not ornamental. It is intended to be part of daily prep, harvested and maintained by the brigade.
Burgess has been clear that growing produce only matters if it is embedded into routine. If it is not checked, harvested and used daily, it becomes a distraction rather than a strength.
Technique, rhythm and service pressure
Venner’s cooking direction has been described as Nordic-influenced, with an emphasis on seasonality and technique. For chefs, the interest lies in how that approach holds up once service begins.
Nordic influence often implies restraint, but it also demands respect for process. Curing, preserving, heat control and balance sit at the centre of the cooking. Execution matters more than decoration.
For Burgess, the real work is building rhythm. Developing ideas in R&D is one thing. Executing them consistently across a full week of service is another.
That is where systems matter most. Prep lists that reflect the menu. Clear responsibilities across sections. Tight handovers. A pass that stays calm even when the room is full. These details define whether a service feels controlled or chaotic.
Training underpins all of it. A technically demanding style of cooking requires shared language early. Standards need to be explained, not just enforced. Habits formed before opening are easier to maintain than habits corrected later.
A kitchen built to last
Venner is still in build mode, and some details will only become clear once service begins. But the intent is already evident. This is a restaurant where the back of house has been given priority, and where the kitchen is being designed to support consistency rather than spectacle.
Location Boundary Street, West End, Queensland
Opening Late February 2026
Head chef Jack Burgess
Operators Jack Stuart, George Curtis, James Horsfall
As Venner moves closer to its first service, the measure of success will not be opening-night energy, but how the kitchen performs on a full one.
