Pair behind Pot & Pan catering to open Gathered Cafe in Footscray

If you've been to an urban Melbourne wedding in the past five years, chances are you have eaten the feasts of Sam and Celeste Gant, the couple behind catering and event businesses Pot & Pan, Gather & Tailor and Pepper Sprout Hire Co.

In mid-July, the duo will open 90-seat Gathered Cafe and Eatery in the former Lonely Planet headquarters in Footscray.

Set on the Maribyrnong River in the heritage-listed red brick warehouse known as the Dream Factory, the cafe will serve up European-influenced, Ottolenghi-style dishes – think huge, colourful salads and proteins such as slow-roast lamb shoulder or porchetta – for breakfast and lunch.

British-born chef Olivia Oldfield-Beechey (ex-Transformer), who has worked at Pot & Pan, is running the kitchen. There will be a big takeaway offering plus some more refined options available to eat in, such as raclette on steamed potatoes or seasonal vegetables, or a spaetzle pasta dish.

There will also be a sharp breakfast menu featuring dishes such as house-made creamed corn with kassler (a thick-cut German bacon), crispy kale and a poached egg.

The design, a collaborative effort between the Gants and architects Ewert Leaf (responsible for Asado, Hanoi Hannah and Neptune Food & Wine, among others), features large steel windows, timber and touches of leather. They've also installed a boardroom, which can be hired by local businesses or used by the Gants for smaller events.

Gathered Cafe will open Mon-Sat 7.30am-4pm from mid-July at 90 Maribyrnong Street, Footscray.