- November 12, 2023
- Written by Delicious. Magazine
If you like your dinner with a side of good karma, this is the place for you.
Situated within Light Square, Aurora Restaurant stands as an integral part of Light ADL, a social enterprise and Adelaide’s home of immersive light and art experiences. Established in 2021 during the peak of the pandemic, Aurora and Light ADL were born with the purpose of igniting hope within Adelaide’s beleaguered hospitality and arts sectors, both of which were severely impacted by the challenges posed by Covid-19.
The not-for-profit mission revolves around creating opportunities for artists through the support of events, hospitality and innovative immersive technologies, with proceeds generated at Aurora reinvested into furthering Light’s overarching mission. Since its inception, it has played an instrumental role in facilitating opportunities for over 700 artists. Today, Aurora and Light ADL set their sights on revitalising Adelaide’s West End to establish it as a hub for both creative arts and hospitality ventures.
Hailing from Tasmania, Aurora head chef Sam Cooper grew up the son of a lobster fisherman where he was first exposed to the wonders and possibilities of fresh, beautiful seafood. Like most chefs, he began his journey as a pot washer at the local pub and after working in kitchens around Australia, he found himself in Adelaide where he was mentored by Aurora alumni Brendan Wessels.
“I am inspired by the work we do at Aurora, and the culture in our team in which we focus on training and developing the next generation of chefs and am grateful to be a part of this,” Cooper tells delicious.
“This isn’t the old-style kitchen where fear and intimidation were the way to get respect and obedience. Here we try [to] foster a tribe where we are developing and teaching new skills in hospitality.”
Beyond the pursuit of bolstering Light ADL’s artist-centric mission, Aurora engages in a close partnership with local businesses and producers that harmonise with a sustainability ethos. The menu is in a constant state of evolution and changes with the seasons and availability, all while focusing on a zero-waste approach. But Aurora’s sustainability framework doesn’t just extend to the plate, the enterprise aims to be ‘social sustainable’ too.
Through championing diverse cultures, positivity and meaningful working relationships, the team aims to cultivate a cohort of highly proficient young chefs who will depart equipped with the necessary skills and mindset to propagate the socially sustainable model throughout South Australia’s hospitality industry.
