Fire, Theatre and the Chef's Table: Inside One of Byron Bay’s Most Intimate Dining Experiences

Image: Mathilde Bouby Photography

By Joseph Steele

A former fish and chip shop would be the last place you’d expect to find one of Byron Bay’s most intimate dining rooms. But where fryers once hissed, fire now flickers. Dorsia - a restaurant driven by the omakase concept, is giving a bold new look at modern Australian dining in a town that is better known for beach cafes and barefoot lunches.

Executive Chef and Owner, Martyn Ridings, thrives on the proximity of the Chef’s Table. Guests sit close enough to hear the crackle of charcoal and watch on as each plate takes shape, collapsing the divide between kitchen and dining room. But this isn’t imitation, it’s reinterpretation in the truest sense. Australian proteins, native ingredients and a backbone of classic French techniques are filtered through Japanese precision and Byron’s evolving palate.

The result is immersive with out pretense. Theatrical without ego. Dorsia is a restaurant that proves that embracing risk and challenging perception with refinement and little bit of smoke, can create something truly extraordinary.

Dorsia was inspired by the intimacy of Japanese omakase — that direct dialogue between Chef and guest. What did you want to capture from that tradition, and what did you want to reinterpret through a modern Australian lens?

The freshness of the ingredients and the service itself were the two biggest things for me. In true omakase, the interaction between back of house and the guest is such an important aspect of the dining experience — it’s not just about what’s on the plate, it’s about the dialogue.

That closeness, that energy exchange, is something I really wanted to capture. Especially with the Chef’s table format, the experience becomes shared and immediate. Through a modern Australian lens, that means using the best local produce we can get our hands on and presenting it in a way that feels relaxed but still refined. It’s about keeping that intimacy, but grounding it in where we are.

There’s something bold about turning a former fish and chip shop into one of Byron’s most immersive dining rooms. Did the space dictate the concept, or did the concept transform the space?

I always wanted to open my own venue. When I walked past the space, my brain just ticked over to what it could become. As soon as I saw it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

It all started to unfold with a bit of work, but the open kitchen aspect was so important from day one. That visibility shapes the entire experience. The concept and the space really evolved together — the bones were there, but it needed a clear vision to bring it to life.

Image: Mathilde Bouby Photography

The Chef’s table is quite intimate, guests are close enough to hear the sizzle and see the plating unfold. Does that proximity change the way you cook — knowing every movement is observed?

Absolutely not. It’s not something I actively think about. I just go into my own zone and continue cooking the way I always would. The focus is on the food.

We have interaction with the guests at the end, and that’s when the conversation really opens up. During service, it’s about being present in the process. The proximity adds energy to the room, but it doesn’t change the way I cook — if anything, it reinforces consistency.

Cooking over charcoal and woodfire brings both romance and risk. What does live fire allow you to express that a conventional kitchen simply can’t?

It’s a huge part of the spectacle. With the Chef’s table and open kitchen, live fire becomes another visual and sensory element for guests. You can hear it, smell it, feel the heat from it — it adds theatre in a very natural way.

The kitchen itself is quite small, so the fire becomes central. Proteins are the star here — they have to be good. The techniques we employ over charcoal and woodfire really enhance flavour in a way a conventional kitchen can’t. There’s depth, there’s smokiness, there’s unpredictability — and that’s part of the beauty.

Image: Mathilde Bouby Photography

Dorsia’s menu — from pepperberry-cured kangaroo to cherry wood–smoked duck — feels distinctly Australian yet globally aware. How do you define "modern Australian” in 2026?

Exactly that — it has to have Australian ingredients with touches of the rest of the world. Australian cuisine is still so young, and it feels like we’re navigating it in real time.

My background is classic French, which will always be the backbone of what we do. But it’s infused with Australian ingredients and Japanese flair. That blend feels honest to who I am as a Chef and to where we are right now as a country — evolving, borrowing, refining.

Byron Bay has a reputation for relaxed, beachside dining. Were you ever concerned that a tightly curated tasting experience might challenge the local dining culture?

It was one of my only real concerns. Byron has such a laid-back identity and we’re offering something more structured and immersive.

But it's a changing landscape, with a lot happening in the region. People are travelling more, their expectations are evolving and there’s room for something different. In a way, that contrast is what makes it exciting.

With only 20 seats in the dining room, there’s nowhere to hide — every detail matters. How do you maintain that level of precision night after night?

We just have to be consistent. It’s not something we actively think about — it’s embedded in every part of our ethos.

Our entire team is passionate about what we do, and that translates through every moment of the experience. I want our guests to feel like they’re part of something special, something considered. When everyone buys into that vision, precision becomes second nature.

Image: Mathilde Bouby Photography

Australian diners are increasingly adventurous — kangaroo, desert lime, pepperberry are no longer fringe ingredients. How do you keep pushing boundaries without alienating your audience?

We’re very open to pushing boundaries. One of the best things about being a Chef is that you’re always learning — whether it’s new techniques or new ingredients. That constant evolution is what keeps it exciting. I’m seeing things through a different lens all the time. At the moment, we’re working with Bunya nuts and absolutely loving them. It’s about introducing people to something new in a way that feels accessible and balanced, not forced.

If someone leaves Dorsia and describes it to a friend the next day, what do you hope they talk about first — the fire, the flavour, the theatre, or the feeling?

The experience as a whole. Our focus is on great service and great food — it has to be both. More than anything, I want it to capture that old-school hospitality feeling. That sense that you’ve been looked after properly. The fire, the flavour and the theatre all matter, but it’s the feeling that lingers.