After graduating with a Diploma in Catering and Hotel
Management, Brian first started in the backroom of Rhinoceros Studios
cooking on the hop for the likes INXS which then turned into a fully
fledged catering company More Than A Morsel.
More Than Morsel was the first truly national entertainment
caterer serving local and international artists such as Frank Sinatra,
Madonna, John Farnham, Bob Dylan, U2, Elton John and Billy Joel, Nirvana
and pretty much every Australian artist you can think of. Brian specifically
catered to their taste buds with the question “where do you want to
go tonight” not what would you like to eat. His flare for creating unique
dishes using a twist of local and Australian Native flavours set him
apart from all the other players and he was on every artist’s wish list
for tour catering.
After many years of trudging around the country with road
cases, Brian and his wife Jo setup their first Lizotte’s restaurant
on the Central Coast which is now THE place for local and international
touring artists to perform at. To be honest, many artists also come
here just for the food and the TLC that Brian gives his artists in addition
to his patrons.
He has developed a niche that many other around the country
try to emulate and is constantly approached to franchise and open more
Lizotte’s restaurants nationally.
Lizotte’s has won the coveted R&C NSW Entertainment
Restaurant of the Year for the past three consecutive years (2006, 2007,
2008).
In 2007, Lizotte’s released their first compilation album
in a series of CD’s that feature artists who perform at the venue. Menu
1 and Menu 2 have been released to overwhelming reviews and Menu 3 is
planned for early 2009.
In November 2008, Live & Cookin’ @ Lizotte’s (the
recipe book by Brian Lizotte) was released by New Holland Publishers,
and overdue and long awaited by many. Over 200 pages packed with scrumptious
recipes that have fed some of the biggest stars in the world, perfected
over the years of catering for local and international artists, Brian’s
dishes are not only ‘to die for’ but also have the simplicity for making
these dishes in your own home, for a dinner party, or general meal.
The trials and tribulations that are an accompaniment to many of these
dishes are something to be discovered through a conversation with Brian
himself or a personal visit to Lizotte’s Restaurant in Kincumber on
the Central Coast and whilst you’re there you’ll not doubt catch an
amazing and intimate artist performance.
After being with Brian for some time, one thing you’ll
notice is his undying passion for food, music and great company. Like
his mantra says “Fine Food with a Musical Mood”.
| 1984 |
Graduated with a
Diploma in Catering and Hotel Management. |
| 1989
- 1999 |
Founding Director
of MORE THAN A MORSEL CATERING. Specialising in the music, entertainment,
fashion and film industries and a growing number of corporate clients.
More Than A Morsel also specialised in offering an array of Australian
Native flavours. |
| |
Responsible for
the initial contact with Laissez Faire Caterer, which lead to the
merge of the two companies to form DJANGA Australia. |
| |
Director and shareholder
in the catering contract at The Australian Technology Parks Eventsite.
Successfully sold shares in DJANGA Pty Ltd to existing partners |
| 1992 |
Personal touring
chef for the Beach Boys national Australian Tour. |
| 1993 |
Auditioned and short
listed as celebrity chef for the Midday Show with David Reyne and
Tracy Grimshaw. |
| 1994 |
An appearance on
Channel 9’s Sydney Extra programme with Gina Boon. |
| 1993 |
Personal chef for
INXS’ X FACTOR tour of Australia. |
| 1993-1995 |
Various publicity
and media spots e.g. Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph. |
| 1996 |
Guest appearance
on Channel 10’s Monday to Friday Show with Brigette Decloe highlighting
Australian Native Bushfoods. |
| 1996 |
Guest appearance
on Channel 9’s Midday Show with Ray Martin covering wattle day and
featured Vic Cherikoff from Bush Tucker Supplies. |
| 1997 |
A series of TV spots
for FOXTELS FX Food segment (30in total) highlighting Australian
Native Bushfoods. |
| 1997 |
National Catering
Coordinator for the Michael Jackson History Tour of Australia. |
| 1995-1998 |
Catering consultancy
for major venues around Australia including The Sydney Entertainment
Centre, The Sydney Superdome, The Hordern Pavilion and The Woollongong
Entertainment Centre. |
| 1997 |
Various guest presentations
for TAFE College including marketing and Australian Native Bushfoods. |
| 1998 |
National Catering
Coordinator for the Billy Joel & Elton John National Tour of
Australia. |
| 1998 |
National catering
Coordinator for the U2 National tour of Australia. |
| 1998 |
Completed a series
of cooking demonstrations for the opening of the new Warringah Mall
complex in Sydney and have been re-booked for further demonstrations
in October/November 2000. |
| 1998 |
Catering coordinator
for the Cold Chisels ‘Last Wave of Summer Tour’ for their National
Australian tour. |
| 1999
-2000 |
Toured with Mark
Lizotte aka Diesel as dressing room/catering coordinator and merchandise
manager. |
| 2000 |
Auditioned for Channel
9’s cooking show FRESH which aired July 2000. |
| 2000 |
Successfully developed
concept and setup “Lizottes on the Bay” a 100-seat seaside Bistro
in The Hardys Bay RSL Club on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia
securing a 6-year contract. |
| 1999
- 2000 |
Developed concept
for television lifestyle show featuring music, food and wine. Successfully
completed TV pilot in April 2000, which was launched to music, wine
and record company executives in the residence of Jimmy Barnes.
The pilot was re-shot with Tim Farris of INXS, Mental As Anything.
Concept is still being developed and to be launched and promoted
with TV networks scheduled late 2005. |
| 2000 |
October - launched
a range of Native Food and value added products under the trade
name of Lizottes On The Bay with possible Internet sales pending. |
| 2001 |
March - Successfully
accomplished a two week Native Food promotion for the Hilton Hotel,
Jumeriah Beach in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, winning a tourism
award for best promotion in five star Hotel |
| 2001 |
August - June 2004
successfully conceived and ran a second restaurant, Live @ Lizotte’s
at The Ettalong Beach War Memorial Club, NSW Australia. Live @ Lizotte’s
fast became the premier dinner show venue on the Central Coast offering
first class Australian and International artists and cuisine. Live
@ Lizottes was the Winner of the Peninsula Business Awards in 2002
for Business of the Year. |
| 2004
to Current |
ABC Radio guest
Chef appearances, cooking live to air featuring Australian Native
flavours, at the ABC Erina Fair Studio, Central Coast, NSW. |
| 2004 |
March –Yum Yum Eatery
opened in March 2004. A waterfront restaurant at Hardy’s Bay, Central
Coast, NSW with Australasian Cuisine using fresh herbs and bush
foods straight from our Yum Yum Garden. |
| 2005 |
Relocated Lizotte’s
Restaurant from Hardy’s Bay to it's own home in Kincumber. Relaunched
Live @ Lizotte’s Dinner Shows providing first class entertainment
up close and personal on the Central Coast. |
| 2005 |
Playing trombone and joining forces
with Hank and Michael Lizotte to form the Tassie Horns, on Diesel’s
live DVD “the first 15 years” performed
lived at the Metro Sydney. As well as
various other performances including Brian Adams at the Melbourne
Tennis Centre and several Diesel shows
Live at Lizotte’s |
| 2006 |
Successfully sold YUM YUM EaterY to concentrate on the Live n
Cookin @ Lizottes dinner show concept. |
| 2006 |
Chairperson for the Central Coast NSW R&C association. |
| 2006 |
Currently working
on franchising the Lizotte's Restaurant, home of Live @ Lizotte's
with a vision to have up to 15 Lizotte’s Restaurants throughout
Australia.. |
| 2006 |
Currently working
on creating a national television series, Live n Cookin @ Lizotte’s
which will incorporate an interactive cooking show together with
the cream of the music industry. |
| 2006 |
Currently producing
a coffee table cookbook containing a collection of signature dish
recipes including Australian Native Flavours, Stories, and Photos
revealing a cross section of a 20 year career. |
| 2006 |
Winner of the R&C NSW Entertainment Restaurant of the Year. |
| 2006 |
Currently working on franchising the Lizotte's Restaurant, home
of Live N Cookin @ Lizotte's with a vision to have up to 15 Lizotte’s
Restaurants throughout Australia. |
| 2006 |
Hosted a live recording for Beccy Cole where she recorded a live
DVD and CD Titled LIVE N COOKIN @ LIZOTTES and was nominated for
a Country Music award |
| 2006 |
Successfully renovated Lizottes restaurant and added the VALLEY
ROOM FUNCTION CENTRE |
| 2007 |
Winner of the R&C NSW Entertainment Restaurant of the Year. |
| 2007 |
Currently working on creating a national television series, Live
n Cookin @ Lizotte’s which will incorporate an interactive cooking
show together with the cream of the music industry. |
| 2007 |
Teamed with Karen –Lee Goody of Entertainment Consulting to create
a series of compilation releases featuring artists who have performed
at the award winning restaurant and venue Menu 1 and Menu2 out now.
Menu 3 planned for a 2009 release. |
| 2008 |
Lizotte's now offers a state of the art recording facility to
artists for a live recording. |
| 2008 |
Winner of the R&C NSW Entertainment Restaurant of the Year. |
| 2008 |
Landed a publishing deal with New Holland Publishers and Successfully
produced a coffee table cookbook titled “LIVE N COOKIN @ LIZOTTES”
containing a collection of signature dish recipes including Australian
Native Flavours, Stories, and Photos revealing a cross section of
a 20 year career. |
