With more than 30 years’ experience in the industry, Eeny Meeny’s head chef, Rob Wright, is committed to bringing quirky and mouth-watering dishes to Frankston.

Please describe your menu selections.
It’s eclectic to say the least. We draw our inspiration from classic and contemporary dishes from around the world and add our own touch to make them unique to us. We always offer some absolute crowd favourites, but we also have some more exciting or unusual dishes for our more adventurous guests.

What’s your go-to trend to serve up that customers are loving?
When you talk about food trends for Australian cafes you can’t go past the “smashed avo”. We’ve put a Mexican twist on ours, by smashing the avocado with lime and serving it with chipotle aioli and a really fresh-tasting corn and black bean salsa. Recently, we ran a Japanese smashed avo on our specials board which had Kewpie mayo, a poached egg, furikake seasoning, seaweed salad and Rice Krispies. Everyone loved it so much it’s a strong contender for the new permanent menu.

For those who aren’t familiar with your restaurant, give us some insight into what makes Eeny Meeny different.

We have great coffee. It’s organic, Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance, roasted right here in Melbourne and made with such love and care that it has developed a strong local following. We also pride ourselves on serving up not only excellent quality dishes, but also great tasting dishes. We research a lot to ensure we constantly have exciting new additions to the menu for our guests’ enjoyment.

What do your customers like about your menu/venue?
Our customers love the friendly, cosy vibe of Eeny Meeny. It’s like visiting friends. They love the lush sheltered courtyard where you can escape the hectic outside world all year round, and they love the creativity of our menu, always offering something to challenge or delight them.

Please tell us a little about your professional background.
I have spent my life in this industry. As a little boy I would help my mum (or get in her way) while she did the catering at the local bowling club, and from there I never really left the kitchen. Professionally, it really began for me when I was kitchen hand for Stephanie Alexander. I was amazed at the way the kitchen worked as one to create such beautiful food and moments in people’s lives. I was hooked. I dropped out of uni and started a new journey of discovery. I have fed the masses at weddings in fields and catered to hundreds at yacht club functions. I’ve even fed the stars working out of the back of a truck on film and television catering, and now I’m here, happily providing the people of Frankston with something lovely to enjoy and remember.

Any advice for aspiring chefs?
My advice to aspiring chefs is to begin the journey because you are fascinated by food, by the way it’s grown, cooked and eaten; fascinated by its flavour and technique, by its cultural and social significance. And always be ready to learn more. There is a whole world of food to discover, and it’s amazing.