After working in kitchens across Australia, Hong Kong and the UK, Michael Fox is leading a 170-seat Italian-American restaurant opening in Sydney's CBD
Michael Fox is leading the kitchen at Vito's, a new Italian-American restaurant opening in Sydney's CBD on Friday 30 October.
The 170-seat venue occupies the heritage-listed Burns Philp Building at 11 Bridge Street and is the latest opening from Sunday Co., the hospitality group behind Morrison's Oyster Bar & Grill and Whalebridge.
Michael has worked with group culinary director David Clarke on a menu built around handmade pasta, Australian seafood and meat cooked over a wood-fired grill. The restaurant takes its inspiration from the Italian-American dining rooms of mid-century New York.
For Michael, it is a return to the style of cooking he worked with at Carbone in Hong Kong, following a career that has also included French fine dining and Japanese restaurants.
From Le Manoir to Carbone
Michael began his career at Mt Lofty House in the Adelaide Hills before moving to the UK, where he spent two years at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.
He later worked as sous chef at Vue de Monde and Cecconi's Cantina in Melbourne. While at Cecconi's, he was named Young Chef of the Year in The Age Good Food Guide 2011 awards.
In an earlier interview with Australian Good Food Guide, Michael identified Raymond Blanc as an important influence and emphasised the importance of working clean in the kitchen. He went on to lead Henry and the Fox in Melbourne.
Michael subsequently worked in Hong Kong at Cecconi's and Carbone, including as chef de cuisine at the latter.
He returned to Sydney for senior positions within Merivale, including head chef at Sushi E, and was involved in the opening of Jam Record Bar.
His experience spans very different styles of cooking, from French fine dining to Japanese and Italian-American restaurants. At Vito's, he takes responsibility for a kitchen designed to serve lunch and dinner seven days a week.
A menu built around pasta and the grill
Vito's opens with Italian-American classics alongside seafood and grilled Australian produce.
The opening dishes include a ten-layer lasagne, scallop agnolotti served with prawns, and chicken al mattone.
The kitchen is working with Australian suppliers including Northside Seafood, grass-fed Bass Strait beef from Gippsland and Sommerlad chicken supplied by Sun Farms.
David, whose previous experience includes overseeing the culinary direction at Quay, has worked alongside Michael on the menu.
With 170 seats and a menu spanning handmade pasta, seafood and larger grilled dishes, the restaurant will operate across both lunch and dinner services.
A separate late-night offering is also planned, including 18-inch New York-style pizza, although that element of the operation is expected to follow the initial opening.
Lauren Eldridge develops the desserts
The pastry offering has been developed by Lauren Eldridge, who was named Chef of the Year in the 2026 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards.
Lauren's desserts include ricotta and pistachio cannoli, Italian cream cake and a tricolour bombe Alaska.
The wider food and beverage team also includes head sommelier Antoine Heurtier, who has assembled a wine list of around 400 labels.
The restaurant's opening follows 18 months of planning and construction by Sunday Co., which has positioned Vito's around the food and hospitality traditions of New York's Italian-American restaurants.
Vito's opens at 11 Bridge Street, Sydney, on Friday 30 October 2026, with lunch and dinner service seven days a week.
