“A lot of what we do at Young George is based around using seasonal, sustainable produce, including lesser-known fish and fishing by-catch as well as utilizing every part of the animal or plant. We are big advocates for using fruit and vegetable seconds, and last year we decided to do away with disposable plastic in the kitchen.”

Berkshire pork with charred cos lettuce, lemon butter, and spicy quince; Vegemite beef with charred bread, onions, and smoked sour cream; and saltbush kangaroo skewer.

How’s that old saying go? One person’s trash is another person’s treasure? Upcycling unwanted ingredients into winning dishes is part of the kitchen’s day-to-day at this East Fremantle small bar that’s adopted no-waste as its mantra. From hassling fish suppliers for by-catch or transforming unwanted cuts from old merino sheep into deeply flavoured charcuterie, Chef Melissa Palinkas has a knack for celebrating the uncelebrated. Even stalks left over from pickling native saltbush are repurposed into skewers for saltbush kangaroo.

While Palinkas oversees the (almost single-use-plastic-free) kitchen, her partner Suse Whelan runs front-of-house with similar resourcefulness. Oversized limes rejected by supermarkets star in cocktails, while foraged flowers and branches decorate the two-storey corner bar. Good times and green thinking can co-exist.

"... A springboard for Melissa Palinkas’ undeniable talent for flavour. Her food is bright and full of joy. She is a chef that revels in what she does. It can’t be said of all." –Max Brearley, Delicious