Chris Lucas: Hospitality Vital Placemaking Ingredient

Great hospitality doesn’t just exist within developments—it defines them.

The right restaurants and bars turn buildings into destinations, and precincts into thriving urban hubs.

Leading restaurateur Chris Lucas, founder of Lucas Restaurants, knows this firsthand. From Melbourne to Sydney, his venues bring life to spaces and shape communities.

Now, he’s bringing his insights to The Urban Developer Hotel Summit, a full-day event on March 27 at W Melbourne, presented by Gatehouse Hospitality, revealed how hospitality helps developments succeed and boosts value.

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His partnership with Cbus Property at 435 Bourke Street in Melbourne is a prime example—embedding two flagship restaurants into a $1-billion commercial office tower and redefining Midtown with hospitality at its core.

“Successful placemaking happens when hospitality is considered from the very beginning,” Lucas said.

“I work closely with developers, architects and city planners to ensure that restaurants and bars are not just an afterthought but a key part of the design and experience.”

Hospitality as a development driver

Lucas said hospitality was more than just food—it’s about creating places people wanted to return to.

“It’s not just about putting a restaurant in a building—it’s about designing an experience that adds to the fabric of the city,” he said.

“A great hospitality venue brings together food, design and atmosphere in a way that makes people feel something.”

It is a philosophy proving its worth. Lucas Restaurants is expanding, including the announcement this week that Lucas’s second Sydney restaurant, Grill Americano, has secured space in No.1 Chifley Square, formerly known as Qantas House, in a major deal with Arcadia.

Due to open in September of this year, it will be Lucas’s second east coast launch this year, after a Canberra venue’s opening planned for May.

▲ The Grill Americano Sydney is slated for No.1 Chifley Square.

“Expansion has never been about growing for the sake of it. It’s about finding the right building and the right people. Get those right and everything else falls into place,” Lucas said.

Secure your spot among like-minded hotel professionals

Alongside Chris Lucas, the event will feature insights from chief executive at Fiveight Paige Walker; Riverlee project director Brett Howlett; and FK principal Angela Biddle. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from industry leaders shaping the future of hospitality and development.

General admission tickets: $445 + GST

The entire program has now been released—click here to view all sessions and speakers.