We proudly acknowledge the Bunurong as the first people to love, live and dine on the lands on which Attica sits today.
We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Peoples were the first sovereign nations of Australia from time immemorial, and they never ceded this sovereignty.
21 Lessons from 21 Years
Twenty-one years. Twenty-one things worth knowing.
Words by Ben Shewry
Published 05.08.26
Ben Shewry's Second Day at Attica
The reality of our lives is that we just cannot know what we don't know, until we experience it. It doesn't matter how many times we read "these are the mistakes not to make," we'll still make them. This extends to anyone doing something scary for the first time: falling in love, opening a restaurant, becoming a parent. Don't repeat your mistakes, but don't be so hard on yourself as you make them either.
Early Days of Attica - Ben Shewry Foraging
1. Finding a great, deep love will change your life, and those in your company, for the better.
2. Treat every day as a magical adventure. Because it truly is, even the bad days. If you do, you might look back on them with fondness rather than regret, because you met those challenges with positivity, and because of it you did your best.
3. People are good. Don't buy into the negativity. The vast majority of people really are good. Hold back judgement and look again.
4. Humbling yourself allows you to connect to others. It could be a little vulnerability, or a small reflection on how you could have handled something better. Or my favourite: being prepared to look totally ridiculous in order to get a laugh from the team, and to release the pressure.
5. Telling someone they are awesome will not only make them feel awesome, but you, too.
Early Days of Attica - Chefs
Ben Shewry at Staff Talks
6. A genuine smile and a warm and present "Hello, how are you?" are the most underrated assets of a leader.
7. Remember those who helped you along the way.
8. Cooking is awesome. But cooking is only a small part of it. Restaurants are big, moving monsters, with many parts and many people contributing, both seen and unseen.
9. I've had the privilege of being mentored by some of the world's greatest, and most ethical businesspeople, and there's one thing they all told me about successful entrepreneurs: when the going gets tough, the most successful ones stay close to the business, and hang in there.
10. Soundtrack your life. Music is the greatest human art form on this planet, and it makes everything in life taste better. *Chefs around the world are nodding their heads in unison to this line.
Ben Shewry in the Attica Kitchen 2022
11. The atmosphere of an experience lives in the memory, not only in the moment.
12. In a business like ours, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that isn't important. There's an importance scale, but regardless, every single thing counts. Work alongside people who care about detail.
13. Embrace the discomfort of learning something new. And if you aren't prepared to, hire an expert.
14. Never skimp on the cost of bookkeepers, accountants and lawyers. You get what you pay for in all things, and these experts are fundamental for a successful, sustainable business.
15. Look for inspiration in other industries. If you keep following the same patterns in business, you'll keep getting the same results.
16. Don't ever step back on your values. I'd rather go broke than do that.
Older Attica Dishes
Modern Attica Dining Room
17. It might not feel like it, but we all have more influence in the world than we think. The lesson of Attica has been a series of small, constant and dynamic shifts, set forth in perpetual motion as part of the DNA of who we are as individuals, a team and a company.
18. The reason to visit Melbourne is not for this city's restaurants, its galleries, its theatres, or its music venues. The reason to visit Melbourne is to meet the people who live here. These people are the custodians of the above. And they are amongst the most loyal, caring and supportive people in the world.
19. It might sound cliched, but it's not just about the money. The real wealth in this business has been about the shared experience between this restaurant, the people who work here, the people who dine here, and the creative community that surrounds it.
20. Make less statements and ask more questions. In the lyrics of David Byrne, “How did I get here?”
21. I've never planned ahead. For 21 years I've lived in the moment, but always with a long-term view. Maybe that is the key to longevity in a business not known for it.
