On August 26 this year, Bistro Morgan opened in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Founded by Morgan Hipworth, who rose to prominence in 2016 as a 15-year-old entrepreneur, the brand has gone from strength to strength in the intervening years.

Now, with the second location opening earlier this year, Bistro Morgan has taken another step. A step that Morgan says has been exhilarating but also the cause of many sleepless nights.

“Juggling the store set up, final touches on the menu, and of course, overseeing the move of our central kitchen to the rear of the Fitzroy store… It’s been a massive endeavour, but seeing all the pieces fall into place? Worth every ounce of effort,” he says.

With this new store, the brand is able to fulfil even more of Morgan’s entrepreneurial dreams.

“Fitzroy isn’t just another store; it symbolises growth. Not just in location, but in capacity and dreams,” Morgan says.

“We’ve essentially fused our retail and production under one roof, a bold step that speaks volumes about where Bistro Morgan is heading.”

Opening the new store has been an interesting experience, Morgan says.

“It’s been a learning curve. On one hand, the feedback about our bigger and better kitchen space has been fantastic. The team’s over the moon—working in the spacious Fitzroy kitchen, especially compared to our Windsor spot, is like night and day. Shipping to Windsor from this central hub has streamlined our operations like a dream,” says Morgan.

“But, as with anything new, there’ve been teething issues. Adjusting to the flow, ironing out kinks in logistics—it’s kept us on our toes, that’s for sure.”

Retaining some of the major elements of the flagship Bistro Morgan store in Windsor, the new Fitzroy store will also offer takeaway for customers on-the-go. There is limited seating for around 15 customers in the store, which has the feeling of a European cafe.

Following on from the success of this latest venture, Morgan is still looking ahead into the future, with the intention of broadening Bistro Morgan’s horizons.

“Expansion’s the word,” says Morgan.

“With our beefed-up kitchen, we’re not just serving Fitzroy and Windsor but also gearing up to supercharge our wholesale ops. There are talks, plans, and some super-exciting collabs in the pipeline. Here’s to bringing more of Bistro Morgan to more folks!”

Of course, the new Fitzroy Bistro Morgan is not Morgan’s only major endeavour this year. He will also be one of the contestants on the upcoming, hotly anticipated MasterChef Dessert Masters, which will be airing later this year.