Scott Lord

Scott Lord brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to Commune Group as Executive Chef of Firebird, New Quarter and Moonhouse. His expansive culinary career began long before, following stints at multiple Melbourne institutions, including Sunda Dining, Cumulus Inc. and Dunedin’s Pier 24.

At Commune, Lord showcases his exceptional understanding of championing authentic ingredients with familiar techniques and flavours, delivering refined and inventive dishes that draw on his previous cooking experiences of Southeast Asian, Northeast Asia and European cuisine.

Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, Lord’s appreciation for food started in childhood, when he eagerly cooked for his family. Determined to turn his passion into a career, Lord followed his high school teacher’s advice and pursued hospitality, beginning as a kitchen hand. After years of working under various chefs, he joined the multi-award-winning restaurant Pier 24 as Chef de Partie, working alongside the esteemed Michael Coughlin.

From Dunedin, Lord moved to Melbourne in 2015, where he took on the role of Chef de Partie at the bustling Cumulus Inc., before joining Commune Group’s modern Japanese restaurant Tokyo Tina as Head Chef. For two years, he brought his left-of-centre approach to Japanese dining, placing emphasis on sourcing local and unusual ingredients.

In 2018, Lord joined the South-Eastern family Sunda Dining as Sous Chef before reuniting with Commune Group where he stepped up to the role of ​ Head Chef at New Quarter, changing up its offering to focus on Neo-Vietnamese. Lord led the kitchen team, bringing his modern interpretation of some favourite Vietnamese hits such as banh mi finger, beef tartare and duck floss noodles.

In 2022, Lord assisted Commune Group in launching its newest restaurant in Balaclava, Moonhouse, bringing Chinese cuisine to a bistro setting. Lord’s dedicated commitment to the restaurant group saw him promoted to Executive Chef of Firebird, New Quarter and Moonhouse.