ABOUT

What began in 2015 as a playful experiment soon became one of Sydney’s most exciting new restaurants - and with Peter Gilmore’s protégé and promising young chef John Javier at the helm, Master - the eccentric spin on a Chinese takeaway joint with a punk aesthetic - was set to be the next big thing. What followed was the unexpected demise of this unequivocally unique restaurant that no-one could have predicted.

Over the next 5 years, John would find himself travelling the globe while working and living what appeared to be chef's dream - but in reality, John was walking a fine line between reinvention and self-destruction.Testament to John’s promising talent, the famed Danish chef Rene Redzepi - creator of iconic Noma restaurant - once enthused that dining at Master was the greatest culinary experience he’d had in Australia. Tragically forced to shut the doors for financial reasons, John asked us to document the venue’s closure for archival video content.

Over the course of our candid conversations with John, he began to open up regarding his personal struggles, coming clean about how he felt responsible for many of the misfortunes that had plagued his professional career. Now, after 5 years of following John’s ups and downs, the broader relevance and appeal of his story has inspired us to push on with the project. It is evident that Master closing is just one chapter of a bigger narrative which is destined to become more than just run-of-the-mill archival content.

Growing up in Cabramatta as a first-generation Australian with Filipino parents, John characterises a commonly under-represented demographic within the Australian media, which makes his journey an important one to share. Further, the fascinating story of John’s career is studded with poignant moments, like the time John’s biggest idol, Anthony Bourdain, featured a menu personally designed by John on one of the final episodes of his show, 'Parts Unknown' - but John was brutally excluded from mention by his partner because of animosity spurred by his hardcore partying habits. Bourdain described what he didn't know was John’s food as “truly, stunningly delicious”.

Not only is John’s story absolutely captivating, it also shines a spotlight on important issues surrounding identity, mental health, and the cultural diversity of modern Australia.