HUSH HUSH BIZ SPOTLIGHT
Meet Lucia Roche Estate: Where Italian-Inspired Dining Meets Hunter Valley Wine Country
The Hunter Valley has long been a destination for beautiful wines, memorable meals and long, leisurely lunches overlooking the vineyards. Now, a new dining experience at Roche Estate in Pokolbin is giving visitors another reason to pull up a chair and stay awhile.
Lucia Roche Estate brings together Italian-inspired cuisine, stone-fired cooking, seasonal produce and locally crafted wines in a setting designed for people to gather, share good food and enjoy the moment.
At the heart of the kitchen is Head Chef Jack Zideluns, whose impressive culinary journey has taken him through some of Australia’s well-known kitchens, as well as London’s renowned Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay. Yet, beyond the professional accolades, it is the influence of his Italian family traditions and the recipes passed down through generations that provide a more personal inspiration for his cooking.
For Jack, food is about more than what arrives on the plate. It is about the memories created around the table, the freshness of good ingredients and the simple pleasure of sharing a meal with family and friends.
Working alongside him is John Samway, Venue Manager and Licensee, whose WSET Level 3 qualification and extensive experience across restaurants, hotels, wineries and cellar doors have helped shape Lucia’s wine offering. His approach celebrates the Hunter Valley’s celebrated wine varieties while introducing guests to alternative Italian and Old World styles made by local winemakers.
Together, Jack and John are helping establish Lucia Roche Estate as a place where food, wine and the relaxed spirit of the Hunter Valley come together.
For this Hush Hush Biz Spotlight, we caught up with Jack and John to discover the family influences behind the menu, the thinking behind their food and wine pairing, and their hopes for Lucia’s place in the region’s dining community.
In Conversation with Jack Zideluns, Head Chef
1. Jack, Lucia Roche Estate brings together your professional experience with something much more personal — the Italian food traditions you grew up with. How much of your Nonna and your family’s cooking can guests expect to find in the Lucia menu?
Growing up around Italian family food, family gatherings and learning the traditional roots of Italian cooking has inspired each dish on the Lucia menu. I hope guests who come in feel that energy too. I want them to create their own memories at Lucia through my food.
2. You have worked in some very well-known kitchens, including London’s Savoy Grill under Gordon Ramsay. What did those experiences teach you that you are now bringing to your own kitchen at Lucia?
I have worked in some of Australia’s most well-respected kitchens and have gained invaluable experience along the way. Working in London at the Savoy Hotel and Grill by Gordon Ramsay was a major achievement for me. I am bringing the skills I learned there into Lucia while adding my own personal flair.
3. Lucia is built around stone-fired cooking, seasonal produce and food designed to be shared. What was the food philosophy you wanted to create when developing the menu?
My food is centred around simple, elegant flavour profiles, with dishes incorporating only the best local ingredients. I think that is my philosophy: keeping things simple and focusing on quality.
4. There are some beautiful Italian-inspired dishes on the menu, from burrata and romesco to Prosciutto Rucola pizza and Pesto Mafalde Corte. Is there one dish that has a particularly special place for you, and why?
The pesto pasta is special to me. I worked hard to develop it and get it just right for Lucia guests. It highlights everything I want in a dish, which is freshness and locally sourced produce.
5. The Hunter Valley is such a unique food and wine region. How important was it for you to work with the local produce and wines around you when creating the Lucia experience?
Working in the Hunter Valley is every chef’s dream job. I think great food, great wines and working with some of the best produce and suppliers available provide the perfect foundation for creating the best dining experience for our guests.
In Conversation with John Samway, Venue Manager and Licensee
6. John, with your WSET Level 3 qualification and experience across restaurants, wineries and cellar doors, what can guests expect from the wine offering at Lucia, and how have you approached matching the wines with Jack’s food?
Guests can expect Hunter Valley classic varieties such as Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz, which the region is famously known for, but they can also experience alternative varieties suited to Lucia’s cuisine.
I have selected wine styles originating in Italy and the Old World that are produced right here by our local Hunter Valley winemakers. These include Pinot Grigio, Vermentino and Fiano, along with Sangiovese, Barbera and Montepulciano.
The wines complement Lucia’s Italian-Mediterranean cuisine perfectly, as intended. Alongside the Hunter Valley classics, guests can enjoy a food and wine match such as locally produced Prosecco with natural oysters, Vermentino with our Fritto Misto, or Barbera with one of our signature stone-fired oven pizzas.
It was an absolute pleasure curating the wine list. Customers looking to explore an alternative wine variety have the opportunity to try something they might not normally choose, knowing it has been selected to complement the cuisine while also supporting our local wine industry.
It really is a point of difference to showcase these styles of wine, all made right here in the Hunter Valley.
7. You have described Lucia as somewhere people can “gather and settle in” rather than feeling rushed. What do you hope people will feel when they walk through the doors — whether they are visiting for a long lunch, dinner, drinks or simply a pizza and a glass of wine?
I like our customers to know that once they arrive at Lucia, they can settle in for as long as they please. Lucia is open throughout the day, so take as long as you like and enjoy beautifully curated food and drinks at your leisure. Treat yourself to a relaxing experience.
8. Finally, when you look ahead, what would you love Lucia Roche Estate to become within the Hunter Valley dining and wine community, and what do you hope guests will remember most about their first visit?
I’d love our customers to see Lucia as a venue that truly represents what the Hunter Valley encompasses: great food, locally produced wines and a relaxing dining environment overlooking the vineyards of Roche Estate.
A place where customers can share, gather and savour their experience together.
Visit Lucia Roche Estate
Whether you’re planning a leisurely lunch, an evening meal, a catch-up over wine or simply looking for a great pizza in vineyard surroundings, Lucia Roche Estate invites you to settle in and enjoy the flavours of the Hunter Valley.
Location: Pavilion E, Roche Estate, corner of Broke Road and McDonalds Road, Pokolbin NSW 2320.
Opening hours:
Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday: 11.30am–9.30pm
Friday and Saturday: 11.30am–late
Monday and Tuesday: Closed
For more information: Visit Lucia Roche Estate at Roche Estate, Pokolbin, and discover its Italian-inspired menu and locally focused wine selection.
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