HEART.
HUSTLE.
HOSPITALITy.
Our STORY
Alder Road Group was founded by David O’Brien, inspired by the warmth, skill, and spirit he grew up around. The name “Alder Road” is a nod to his childhood and the home of his grandmother, Rose – a remarkable cook, impeccable host, tireless worker, and unapologetic taskmaster. From her kitchen and her table, David learned that hospitality is about generosity, attention to detail, and creating moments that linger long after the last bite. Alder Road Group carries that legacy forward, bringing heart, precision, and personality to every hospitality experience across its brands.
Our values
To us, hospitality is more than service, it’s a blend of craft, care, connection and character. We lead with creativity, embrace individuality and push boundaries to create experiences that are anything but cookie-cutter. Here’s how our values shape everything we do—for and with you.
1
Everyone has a seat at our table.
Great hospitality is about making everyone—our team, clients and guests—feel at home. We listen, adapt, and craft every experience to your needs, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
2
Plant the seed.
Big ideas don’t just happen; they’re nurtured. With vision, creativity and a touch of ingenuity, we work with you to help bring bold ideas to life.
3
Flip the raspberry.
Perfection is overrated—character is everything. We add unexpected twists, creative flair and the kind of attention to detail that turns great into extraordinary. We believe the best moments are the ones you don’t see coming.
4
Stay humble apple crumble.
We take hospitality seriously, but ourselves? Never. We bring relentless passion, expertise and a muck-in attitude to every project—rolling up our sleeves to make sure every element is seamless, effortless and memorable.
Our history
Built gradually, shaped deliberately. Here’s a look at how Alder Road evolved — the key moments, decisions and milestones along the way.
Hover to explore
Food Rascal is born. Founded by Executive Chef and hospitality leader David O’Brien, with a mission to do food and guest experiences differently.
Having spent many years as Head Chef under former owners John Wilson and Peter Lin, David purchases Cook & Waiter, marking a full-circle moment. With a production kitchen and head office located in Bondi, he carries forward a legacy of exceptional event craftsmanship.
We help launch The Barber Shop. An award-winning gin bar with a menu built entirely behind the bar fridge. No kitchen? No problem.
Hotel Palisade reopens its doors after seven silent years, with Food Rascal rebuilding its kitchen from the ground up and designing the full menu compendium.
2016–2019 Awarded multi-year contract at Lendlease’s Barangaroo HQ. Food Rascal runs the café, feeds 2,000+ staff daily and delivers more than 500 events per year. Big scale, big impact.
We team up with Whitehouse Property Group to bring The Vicar in Dural to life; concepting, staffing and launching a multi-venue hospitality precinct.
The covid pandemic hits, we pivot, evolve and grow our team.
Global financial institution brings Food Rascal onboard to run hospitality across three Sydney campuses. Serving 7,000+ employees daily and powering more than 1,200 events per year.
With the acquisition of a new site in Alexandria, now our head office, we expand our kitchen production capacity in line with our growth.
2023-2024 Luna Park Sydney calls. What begins as consultancy becomes an event catering residency. 229 events, 54,000+ guests, and a reinvigorated approach to one of Sydney’s most iconic venues.
Bakehouse Twenty established as our in-house bakery and pastry kitchen, servicing events and workplace hospitality contracts across the group.
2024-2026 Partnering with Australia’s global tech leader, we fuel 1,000+ employees daily across Sydney and Melbourne to deliver workplace hospitality differently. Hundreds of events, gatherings and a whole lot of coffee.
Collaborating with hospitality developer TOGA, Saltbox, our first sole operated event venue opens in Sydney’s lifestyle precinct, Wunderlich Lane, located at the intersection of Redfern and Surry Hills.
Group-wide brand refresh, bringing our house-of-brands together and shaping what we like to call our creative pantry under Alder Road Group.
Watch this space… big things coming.
Responsible Business and impact
We’re developing a Business Impact and Responsibility strategy that reflects our values at Alder Road Group and guides how we care for our people, our communities and the environment, all while championing real change within our industry.
We’re partnering with the right experts, listening to our teams, and taking the time to build something real, practical, robust and enduring.
We look forward to sharing our progress as we bring this to life across our business.
Ready to craft an experience?
LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN.
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Across the many First Nations Countries where we live and work, we acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the strong, resilient and resourceful custodians who have shared their culture, food, stories, and songs for generations. We honour the deep traditions of nourishment and gathering that have been practiced on these lands for tens of thousands of years, foundations of the hospitality we aspire to uphold today. We pay our respects to all Elders past and present.
© 2026 Alder Road PTY Ltd