Oceania Cruises Service Excellence: Ecca Zhang

TBC by Grape Garden, Potts Point

For the past 35 years, Beijing expats Gao Lun and Jie Zhang have cooked some of Sydney’s best Northern Chinese food. Their first restaurant was in Marrickville; today they operate TBC by Grape Garden with their son Ecca running front-of-house.

Ecca left a career in law to work with his parents, but you get the impression he’s come up through Sydney’s most service-focused fine diners. Tea is poured, bottles are opened, and outdoor tables are turned at a rapid pace, while regulars are greeted with a smile and informed of any new dishes Ecca thinks they may like. First-time guests may be offered an explanation of how his mum’s san xian dumplings are made, or informed of the most weather-appropriate noodles to order that day.

“It’s all very human based … chatting with people, learning what they like,” he says. “The more you come in, the more I can recommend all the items. It’s also a great privilege to be able to help Mum and Dad further explain their food and our culture to everybody who wants to dine with us.”