Eat & Drink
MAX'S moxy By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Yanni
M
ax’s Restaurant was built on pure moxy. During a wine tasting visit to Red Hill Estate, chef Max Paganoni had the nerve to tell its owner, Sir Peter Derham, that whoever was running the place was an idiot! Rather than balking at the comment, Sir Peter wanted to know more. Max was only too happy to explain that wine should be matched with food and that the estate would sell more wine if it had a restaurant on site.
E ssence
44 | PENINSULA
February 2021
With one of the best views on the Mornington Peninsula, the location could not have been more perfect. Sir Peter said he would build the restaurant if Max would run it. A handshake deal was made and Max has been running the restaurant, which he now owns, seven days a week for twenty-five years. The only interruption to service was due to the pandemic but, even then, Max’s was serving takeaway meals and heat-at-home meals.