Lauren Murdoch initially wanted to be a nurse. Luckily for Sydney diners, today she channels all of her tender loving care into creating exquisite food.

After growing up in Coffs Harbour, finishing high school in Mosman and studying science for a year, she started in the kitchen of Atlas Bistro in Surry Hills then moved to Rockpool to finesse her pastry skills. At Sydney Opera House’s Concourse Restaurant (now the Opera Bar) she worked alongside the legendary Janni Kyritsis, who took Murdoch with him when he opened MG Garage in Surry Hills in 1997.

In 2005, Merivale tempted her with an offer to run the kitchen at Lotus in Potts Point. Three years, one chefs hat and many happy customers later, Merivale made another offer she couldn’t refuse – to head up a European-style laneway bistro as part of the ivy complex in George Street. Since opening Ash Street Cellar in 2008, Murdoch’s innovative food has come to the attention of many. Ash Street Cellar won Best Bar Food in the TimeOut Sydney 2010 Bar Awards and was named Favourite Wine Bar in the 2010 SMH Good Food Guide awards. The bistro offers tapas-style dishes with mostly Mediterranean flavours.

Murdoch is now in such demand that she’s appeared on cooking shows on the Lifestyle Channel and will appear in the 2010 season of Channel Ten’s hit reality show MasterChef Australia.

Before joining Merivale, Murdoch also did a stint for Belinda Franks catering, cooking for intimate cocktail parties for 20 at Louis Vuitton to large dinners for 3000 people or more. She was also employed as a private chef for a couple at their private home in South Hampton, New York.

“I have been lucky to have worked with so many great people in a variety of brilliant establishments,” Murdoch says. “This has allowed me to build up my skills and experience, which I have channelled into Ash Street Cellar.”

Visit the Ash St Cellar website