Meet The Crew

The Team Behind Melbourne's Offline Poker Loft Kitchen

Meet the chefs, pro dealers, concierge crew and hospitality leads who power The Wildcard Kitchen — Melbourne's first gastro-pub fused with an offline poker lounge and dedicated card room.

Professional card lounge crew

Custom poker tables & collectible chips

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Offline poker lounge, pro dealers, no online play

Nightly chip sessions Card room & kitchen in sync

The Wildcard Kitchen team gathered in the offline poker lounge and industrial kitchen.

Meet The Wildcard Kitchen Team

The Wildcard Kitchen crew is a tight-knit fusion of hospitality experts and card room specialists. From the heat of the kitchen pass to the felt of our offline poker lounge, every team member is trained to balance gourmet service with the rhythm of a dedicated card room.

Our industrial loft space in Melbourne houses custom poker tables, pro dealers and collectible poker chips alongside a bold gastro-pub kitchen. Together, our team curates a single seamless experience: refined dining with the buzz of an authentic, offline card lounge.

Offline poker lounge & card room specialists

Chefs, pro dealers, concierge & event leads

Chef Profiles

Meet the culinary masters crafting our industrial gastro-pub menu — from crisp shared plates designed for card-side snacking to signature mains that anchor a full Melbourne night out.

Head Chef — Fire & Felt

Our Head Chef leads the kitchen like a seasoned table captain, pacing service to match the energy of the offline poker lounge. With experience in top-tier Melbourne kitchens, they design menus that move effortlessly between shared plates, grilled signatures and late-night bites for the dedicated card room.

Builds seasonal menus around local Victorian produce
Designs dishes that travel well from kitchen pass to custom poker tables
Pairs plates with the tempo of tournaments and chip sessions

Sous Chef & Service Sync Lead

The Sous Chef coordinates timing between the restaurant floor and the offline poker lounge, ensuring that a round of small plates drops exactly as new hands are dealt. They translate the buzz from the dedicated card room into a tightly tuned service grid.

Synchronises kitchen firing with card room seatings
Leads pre-service briefings with pro dealers and concierge staff
Maintains quality and plating standards throughout long sessions

Pastry & Late-Service Specialist

Focusing on desserts and late-service comfort dishes, our pastry specialist designs sweet finishes and warm plates that land perfectly between hands. Their work keeps the industrial kitchen glowing deep into the night as collectible poker chips continue to move across the felt.

Curates desserts that complement rich, smoky mains
Develops shareable sweets ideal for card room tables
Coordinates with concierge for table-side dessert runs

Pro Dealer Roster

Our pro dealers anchor the dedicated card room, managing custom poker tables with calm precision and a warm, welcoming style. They protect table etiquette, maintain rhythm and ensure that collectible poker chips are always in smooth circulation.

Lead Pro Dealer

The Lead Pro Dealer sets the tone for the offline poker lounge. They oversee table allocations, read the room, and work closely with management to align card room pacing with the restaurant’s busiest service windows.

Maintains strict offline, in-person play with clear table etiquette
Coordinates with concierge on chip reservations and seat rotations
Trains new dealers on The Wildcard Kitchen service rituals

Table Specialists

Our table specialists rotate across custom poker tables, focusing on clarity, fairness and energy. They keep conversations inclusive and approachable so first-time visitors can sit alongside experienced regulars without missing a beat.

Manage table introductions for new players
Explain house rules and chip flow in plain, welcoming language
Work with floor staff for timely food and drink drops at the felt

Dealer Support & Chip Stewards

Chip stewards manage our bank of collectible poker chips and keep each custom table stocked and orderly. They also support quick felt resets between sessions so the dedicated card room always feels sharp and ready.

Maintain chip quality, count and presentation standards
Coordinate felt prep with the events and management team
Assist with accessibility requests and seating adjustments

Management & Hospitality Leads

The management team ensures every service, card night and event moves as one continuous experience — from the front door greeting to the last collectible poker chip being stacked away in the card room.

Venue Director

The Venue Director holds the full picture of The Wildcard Kitchen: an industrial restaurant, offline poker lounge and dedicated card room under one Melbourne roof. They refine the guest journey, ensuring every touchpoint is clear, inclusive and accessible.

Architects the balance between dining reservations and card room seats
Oversees brand, events and community partnerships
Leads safety, inclusion and accessibility initiatives

Hospitality & Floor Manager

The Floor Manager is the link between kitchen, bar and card room. They monitor table timings, support concierge and pro dealers, and make sure guests can move comfortably between dining and play zones without friction.

Optimises seating layouts in both restaurant and card lounge
Leads pre-shift briefs for service staff and dealers
Responds to guest feedback in real time

Events & Programming Lead

From thematic chip nights to collaborative kitchen showcases, the Events Lead builds a calendar of experiences that highlight both the gourmet menu and the custom poker tables. They work with local partners to keep the venue’s energy fresh and relevant.

Designs offline poker lounge programming around Melbourne seasons
Curates special menus with the kitchen team
Collaborates with community partners and local makers

Behind The Felt

Before the first hand is dealt, our team carefully prepares every surface, chip stack and plate. Behind the felt is a choreography of chefs, dealers and concierge staff working in sync.

Custom poker tables are brushed, chips are aligned and seat markers are reset while the kitchen finalises mise en place and bar teams prepare signature pairings. Lighting and music are tuned to highlight the industrial architecture of the loft and the rich colours of the felt.

Our crew runs checklists for accessibility and comfort — from clear pathways between tables to coordinated plate drops that never interrupt key moments at the card room. Every detail supports a relaxed yet focused offline poker lounge atmosphere.

Table and felt inspections before every session
Coordinated service runs to minimise disruption
Dedicated roles for chip presentation and table reset

Industrial felt prep

Kitchen & card room sync

The Wildcard Kitchen runs offline only. Every experience takes place on-site in our Melbourne loft, with physical tables, physical chips and face-to-face hospitality.

Player Concierge Service

Our Player Concierge team is dedicated to maximising both your dining and offline poker lounge experience — from card room entry to the last shared plate of the night.

Seat & Chip Coordination

Concierge staff manage seat requests for the dedicated card room and coordinate chip reservations in advance of your visit. They collaborate with pro dealers to find the right table vibe and with the restaurant host team to align dining times.

Helps guests choose between dining-first or card-first flows
Prepares reserved stacks of collectible poker chips
Shares wait times and accessibility options in real time

Table-Side Service & Menu Guidance

Player Concierge handles discreet table-side orders to keep your focus on the felt. They know our menu inside-out and can suggest plates suited to longer card sessions or quick bites between hands.

Recommends dishes ideal for card room layouts
Coordinates with kitchen for staggered plate drops
Ensures dietary needs are respected at every table

Guest Welcome & Orientation

For first-time visitors, concierge staff walk through the layout of the offline poker lounge, card rules and house etiquette. Their aim is to make every guest, at every experience level, feel supported and comfortable.

Offers guided walk-throughs of the card room
Explains chip handling and table etiquette
Supports group bookings and private industrial loft events

Card Room Culture

The Wildcard Kitchen card room culture is built on inclusion, approachability and respect for the craft of offline poker. Our team works deliberately to make the space feel simultaneously premium and relaxed.

Guests and staff in The Wildcard Kitchen dedicated card room with custom poker tables and collectible chips.

Our pro dealers, concierge staff and floor team uphold standards that prioritise clear communication, consent around photography, and a focus on the shared experience of play rather than high-pressure environments.

Regulars, first-timers and curious diners all share the same dedicated card room, guided by staff who are trained to read comfort levels and adjust pace accordingly. The result is a culture where gourmet plates, custom poker tables and collectible poker chips all sit within a respectful, welcoming offline poker lounge.

Inclusive language and welcoming table introductions
Clear distinction between dining, lounge and card zones
Accessible seating options and support for different comfort levels

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Training & Expertise

Every member of The Wildcard Kitchen team completes cross-disciplinary training that spans hospitality, card room operations and our unique industrial brand standards.

Hospitality Foundations

Staff are trained in core hospitality skills that underpin the entire venue experience, from warm greetings and table pacing to allergy awareness and accessibility support.

Service etiquette and guest communication
Menu fluency and pairing recommendations
Safety, wellbeing and incident response frameworks

Offline Card Room Standards

Card room training focuses on fairness, clarity and offline-only operation. Pro dealers, chip stewards and concierge staff all complete modules that keep the dedicated card room consistent and transparent.

Table etiquette, seating and hand procedures
Chip handling, presentation and secure storage
Communication protocols between dealers and floor staff

Industrial Brand & Spatial Awareness

Because the venue blends an industrial kitchen with a neon-felt card lounge, staff learn how to guide guests through the space, highlight design details and protect the ambience of both restaurant and card room.

Wayfinding across dining, lounge and card zones
Music, lighting and sound-level guidelines
Respectful photography and content-sharing practices

Team Values & Hospitality Promise

The Wildcard Kitchen team operates from a clear set of values that guide every plate served and every hand dealt.

Integrity

From kitchen sourcing to card room rulings, integrity is non-negotiable. Our team communicates clearly, owns mistakes and works quickly to make things right.

Approachability

Whether you’re new to offline poker or just exploring the menu, our crew meets every question with patience and enthusiasm.

Attention

Details matter — from the alignment of collectible poker chips to the final garnish on a plate. Staff are trained to notice and respond before you need to ask.

Safety & Inclusion

We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment where all guests feel welcome in both the restaurant and the dedicated card room.

Signature Uniforms & Style

Our crew’s uniforms echo the industrial architecture of The Wildcard Kitchen and the electric felt of the custom poker tables.

Industrial Layers

Chefs, floor staff and pro dealers wear matte-black bases accented with subtle grid textures and copper hardware, mirroring the venue’s steel beams and brickwork.

Neon Felt Accents

Uniform trims in neon green nod to the card room felt and chip details, making it easy to spot team members across the offline poker lounge.

Role-Driven Details

Subtle iconography distinguishes roles: a card suit motif for dealers, a flame mark for kitchen leads and a grid emblem for concierge and events staff.

Community & Local Partners

The Wildcard Kitchen team is deeply connected to Melbourne’s creative, culinary and hospitality communities.

Producers & Artisans

Our chefs work closely with local farmers, brewers and makers to keep the menu grounded in Victorian produce. Seasonal specials often highlight a specific partner or farm.

Hospitality & Card Room Peers

Management and pro dealers actively exchange knowledge with other Melbourne hospitality venues and offline poker spaces, strengthening best practices for safe, welcoming card rooms.

Neighbourhood & Cultural Initiatives

The team supports local events, arts initiatives and charitable projects that align with our values of integrity, approachability and attention to detail.

How To Join The Team

Passionate about gourmet dining or Melbourne’s offline card room scene? We’re always interested in hearing from people who want to help shape The Wildcard Kitchen.

We look for chefs, bartenders, pro dealers, concierge staff and hospitality leaders who are curious, collaborative and committed to respectful service. Experience in either high-end kitchens or offline poker lounges is valuable, but we also invest heavily in training for the right attitude and potential.

To explore open roles, share your background or pitch a unique collaboration, reach out to our management team. Tell us how you see yourself contributing to the industrial, felt-forward culture of The Wildcard Kitchen.

Kitchen & bar roles for industrial gastro-pub service
Pro dealer and chip steward positions in the dedicated card room
Concierge, events and floor management opportunities

Ready to step into the loft?

Share your details and availability with our leadership team. We’ll be in touch if there’s a strong fit.

Contact Management Learn About The Venue

The Wildcard Kitchen operates exclusively as a physical venue in Melbourne. All roles are on-site and focused on in-person hospitality and offline card room experiences.

Experience The Crew In Action

Reserve a restaurant table, lock in a seat in the dedicated card room, or plan a full industrial loft night that flows from kitchen to felt and back again.

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