Nine leading chefs take over Foster Street for one night only

Nine of Sydney’s leading chefs will converge on Foster Street for one night on 30 May, transforming Hollywood Quarter into an open-air dining precinct that doubles as the centrepiece of this year’s Vivid Sydney program.

A Taste of HQ: Street Eats Edition runs from 4pm to 11pm on Saturday 30 May. The lineup includes Lennox Hastie from Firedoor, Nelly Robinson from Nel, Julian Cincotta from Butter, and Matthew MacLeod from Chin Chin, alongside Josh Raine, Remy Davis, Michael Shafran, Lakhan Bhounsie, and Isobel Whelan-Little.

The street closure spans Foster and Hunt Streets. Free entry, but capacity is limited to the footprint of the road closure.

Chef and Butter Sydney co-founder Julian Cincotta, who curates the event, said the concentration of talent in Hollywood Quarter made the collaboration inevitable.

“There’s an incredible concentration of talent in Hollywood Quarter, so bringing this group of chefs together was a natural fit,” Cincotta said. “It’s about translating what we do in our venues to the street, giving people the chance to experience multiple venues in one place, in a format that’s fun but still grounded in serious cooking.”

The one-night food event anchors Hollywood Quarter After Hours, which runs from 22 May to 13 June across bars, cinemas, live music venues and restaurants throughout the precinct. Venues extend trading hours and host special programming throughout Vivid Sydney’s 23-day run.

New for 2026 is Creatives’ Quarter on Hunt Street. The interactive hub features hands-on workshops including sneaker art, drag-led neon life drawing, and clay sculpting, alongside live music and street performers. Activities are free but operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

Precinct Manager Lorraine Lock said the street activation captures Hollywood Quarter’s collaborative energy.

“We love being part of Vivid Sydney, it’s when the whole city comes alive,” Lock said. “For us, A Taste of HQ is about bringing our venues out onto the street and showcasing the talent within this precinct.”

Last year’s inaugural A Taste of HQ doubled normal weekend trade for the precinct, according to Minister for Transport and Music and the Night-Time Economy John Graham.

“The Hollywood Quarter really embraces the concept of open streets, bringing its high-calibre local businesses together in this free event,” Graham said. “Last year’s event doubled normal weekend trade, proving again that the community is sold on well-managed street parties where everyone feels welcome.”

Hollywood Quarter centres on the heritage-listed Hollywood Hotel and former studio complex in Surry Hills and Darlinghurst. Foster Street, which anchors the precinct, ranked 23rd on Time Out’s 30 Coolest Streets in the World in 2024.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said Vivid Sydney supports precincts like Hollywood Quarter during typically quieter winter months by delivering major boosts to Sydney’s visitor and night-time economies.

The broader Hollywood Quarter After Hours program spans venues along Foster Street, Campbell Street and nearby laneways. The precinct is known for its concentration of independent cinemas, live music venues, small bars and late-night cultural spaces.