i. Biography
Australian-Asian fusion at Downunder by Justin Jennings in Lisbon is built on a clear supply-and-technique equation: Portuguese produce as the local base, Australian coastal references as identity, and Hong Kong kitchen experience as part of the operating discipline. Justin Jennings, the Australian owner and executive chef, brings more than 20 years of cooking across Australia and Hong Kong to that format, with The World Cook Champion, Season 1 recognition sitting behind the current work. The restaurant’s language is not a catalogue of influences. It is a controlled exchange between Australian ingredients and memory, Hong Kong pace, and Portuguese seasonality. The tasting menus use surprising ingredients and bold flavours, but the structure depends on restraint: long cooking, sharp contrast, and combinations that read as intentional rather than decorative.
The Climb
Opening five restaurants in three months in Hong Kong is a hard test of restaurant mechanics: staffing, menu sharpening, service systems, purchasing, and the daily correction required when doors are already open. Early in his career, Justin Jennings did that work in a market where speed and precision are not optional. That operating pressure did not reduce the cooking to a fixed template. It appears to have reinforced the practical base of the style: comfort with cross-border flavour, a preference for bold combinations, and the ability to move between formats. Today, the craft is split between Downunder by Justin Jennings and Private Chef Lisbon & Cascais, keeping the work in both restaurant service and more tailored private hospitality.
Today
Downunder by Justin Jennings in Lisbon, Portugal, works in Australian-Asian fusion with Portuguese produce as the local foundation. The cooking draws on flavours and techniques formed across Australia and Hong Kong, then applies them through the products available in Portugal. The tasting menus are built for surprise without losing direction. The 36-hour pork belly with lime caramel is described as a Downunder signature dish that sells out nightly; its structure depends on time, fat, citrus and sweetness. Kangaroo tartar and barramundi are highlighted as ingredients not found elsewhere in Lisbon, giving the restaurant a vocabulary that is specific to its point of view. The current work stays close to three anchors: Australian flavour, Portuguese produce, and ingredients that carry identity. The unusual elements are not presented as novelty; they function as part of the restaurant’s grammar. “The food is the story - everything else follows,” he says. In trade terms, that places the weight where it belongs: on product, technique, sequence and flavour, rather than on concept dressing.
Signature
Justin's signature dishes include Kangaroo tartar, 36-hour pork belly, Barramundi, 36-hour pork belly with lime caramel, Prawn with pea panna cotta, and mango sorbet.
In Their Words “I grew up around food - fishing, farming, foraging on the Australian coast.” “By 23 I was Young Chef of the Year in Australia.”
Recognition
Justin's honors include The World Cook Champion, Season 1.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Justin
What is Justin Jennings's current role?
Justin Jennings is owner and executive chef.
What is Justin Jennings known for?
Australian-Asian fusion.
