Merivale sharpens Good Luck with a new kitchen direction and a focus on talent
Merivale has reopened Good Luck with a clearer culinary identity and a renewed emphasis on the people driving the venue.
The reboot reflects a shift toward chef-led structure across the group’s CBD restaurants and positions Good Luck as a more focused, high-energy Chinese dining room.
A kitchen direction shaped by chefs
The most significant update sits in the kitchen. Good Luck’s reopening places the menu under a tighter culinary framework, with a clearer sense of direction and ownership. The original version of the venue, created by executive chef Mike Eggert and Merivale’s development team, leaned into a bold, stylised pan Asian format.
The new iteration takes a more direct approach to flavour and menu structure. Dan Hong has stepped into a guiding role, bringing the confident, high-impact cooking that defines much of his work across the group. His influence pushes Good Luck toward dishes that are recognisable, bold and built for consistency.
The menu now focuses on Chinese dishes that deliver pace and clarity. Dumplings are cleaner and more defined. Noodles and stir fries are designed for repeat dining. The shift shows how a busy CBD venue benefits from a clear culinary identity and steady leadership behind the pass.
Support and structure in the kitchen
Alongside the menu change, Good Luck’s relaunch reinforces a more stable operational base. While Merivale has not publicly detailed internal staffing changes, the venue’s tighter menu and faster rhythm suggest a kitchen working within a more focused structure.
Good Luck now aligns more closely with other high volume Asian venues in the group, which often operate with shared expertise and an emphasis on training. The result is a dining room that moves at pace and a menu shaped by chefs with a clear understanding of flavour and workflow.
This direction mirrors a broader movement in large hospitality groups, where success is increasingly tied to team capability rather than a single signature figure. In Good Luck’s case, the recalibration strengthens the everyday rhythm of the kitchen and supports the simplified, confident approach on the plate.
Service built around knowledge and flow
The relaunch also brings a sharper approach to front of house. While Merivale has not released formal staffing details, Good Luck’s service style has shifted to match the new menu. The focus sits on warm, efficient hospitality and a level of product knowledge that supports a menu built on pace.
Staff training now reflects the streamlined dishes and regional influences behind them. Instead of an elaborate narrative, the aim is clear communication, clean table management and a room that moves with the kitchen.
The service transition supports the venue’s repositioning. Good Luck is still energetic and visually immersive, but the focus has moved from spectacle to flow.
A repositioning that fits Sydney’s dining landscape
Good Luck’s new direction arrives as Sydney’s CBD recovers momentum and groups look for ways to balance creative identity with operational certainty. The venue’s relaunch shows how structure and talent can drive that balance more effectively than a full redesign.
Instead of reshaping the room, Merivale has concentrated on leadership and clarity. The result is a venue that feels more grounded, more consistent and better positioned for the demands of a high traffic city location.
A venue defined by its team
Good Luck still carries its neon lit, high energy style, but the relaunch reframes what sets the venue apart. It is no longer driven primarily by design. It is shaped by the chefs who build the dishes, the cooks who execute them and the front of house team that carries the room.
In a city where long term success depends on structure and capability, Good Luck’s reboot shows how a clear culinary vision and a confident team can redefine a venue from within.
