From 30 May to 5 July, chef Melissa Palinkas took over the kitchen at Willespie for a five-weekend residency. It was the first time we've handed our cellar door to a chef for a full run, and it changed how the place felt on a weekend.

Saturdays were Long Table lunches. One table, shared plates, and a room full of people who didn't know each other when they sat down. Sundays belonged to Braizen, Melissa's fire-cooking project. The fire was lit early, the food came off the coals, and guests stayed well into the afternoon.

Melissa brought the cooking she's known for from her time at Young George. Produce-led, generous, and built to sit alongside our wines rather than compete with it. 

Winter in Wilyabrup is quiet. For five weekends, it wasn't. Thank you to everyone who booked a seat, drove down from Perth, or came back a second time. And thank you to Melissa, Susan and their crew for a great partnership. Their kitchen and our cellar door worked as one team, and it showed on every plate and in every glass.

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