There’s no stopping Karen Martini. The celebrity chef has signed with Sydney group Public Hospitality to take over the menu at St Kilda’s Saint Hotel, along with her partner, Michael Sapountsis. In a nod to her legendary ’90s tenure at The George Hotel, the Fitzroy Street mainstay will be relaunched as the Saint George, with Martini overseeing the kitchen as culinary director.

Martini made headlines last year with the shock closure of her ACMI restaurant, Hero. But it took just weeks for the chef to find a new gig, helping design a new menu for Lygon Street rooftop hang-out Johnny’s Green Room, ahead of its December reopening.

Saint George will feature two distinct offerings: the Grill and the Tavern. Both will lean Italian, with Martini saying she’ll be “capturing the essence of warmer, casual fare”. At the Grill, punters can expect antipasti, small bites like beef tartare, and more substantial dishes such as whole flounder with salmoriglio (an Italian sauce with lemon and olive oil) and bistecca alla Fiorentina making use of the kitchen’s Josper grill. The Tavern will feature a more laid-back selection of snacks and share plates, including oysters and fritto misto.

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Having well and truly made its mark in Sydney, where it operates more than 20 venues, Public Hospitality is gradually increasing its presence in Melbourne – first backing Guy Grossi’s Puttanesca in Kew. That venture followed a number of Sydney collaborations for Public Hospitality, including with Maybe Group, which it has since acquired. A surprise split with Love Tilly Group, however, raised eyebrows in November.

But Martini is undeterred. After growing up in St Kilda, she says, opening Saint George is like “coming home”.

Saint George is expected to open in early 2024.