CAE Dining was founded by Melbourne chef Caelan O’Rourke, with Japanese cuisine at the heart of the way he cooks.

Caelan’s career has taken him through some of Australia’s leading restaurants, as well as overseas to Hong Kong, where he spent time refining his craft in a Michelin-starred yakitori restaurant. Along the way, he has worked across Brazilian-Japanese cuisine, contemporary Japanese kitchens and produce-driven Modern Australian restaurants, each experience shaping the way he approaches food today.

Japanese cooking remains the foundation, but Caelan’s style is also influenced by his travels, the food he’s experienced and the different kitchens he’s worked in. You’ll see these influences come through in the flavours, techniques and ingredients, without being tied to one particular style of cuisine.

CAE Dining brings this approach into private dining, creating restaurant-quality food in your home or chosen venue. Menus can range from relaxed shared dining through to multi-course tasting menus and more intimate Kaiseki experiences, depending on the occasion.

Every event is tailored around the people, the setting and the season, with the aim of creating food that feels thoughtful, generous and memorable, without losing the warmth and enjoyment that should come with sharing a meal.