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<\/p>\nLOCAL foodies can expect a serious upgrade to the neighborhood dining scene, with Mule officially arriving on the Surf Coast.<\/p>\n
The Mexican-inspired haunt brings together chef Will Wade, AFL star Charlie Curnow and local creative Rory Benzie.<\/p>\n
The Torquay venue has been two years in the making, but for Wade it marks the culmination of a lifetime in hospitality.<\/p>\n
Hailing from Merimbula, NSW, Wade brings decades of experience to the pass, having worked in some of the world’s top kitchens.<\/p>\n
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Growing up by the beach \u2013hunting, fishing and surfing \u2013 he credits his mother and aunt for sparking his early love of food.<\/p>\n
Expelled from school in year 11, Wade joined the Navy for five years before moving into hospitality in Western Australia.<\/p>\n
He began an apprenticeship at Jamie Oliver’s Perth restaurant, with Oliver becoming a long-term influence.<\/p>\n
“He is super honest and true to himself,” he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “He’s not the most glamorous or fine dining chef, but ethically and as he is as a man, he did all the school dinners and remains true to those values.”<\/p>\n Wade’s career then took him to French wine bar Must, followed by Margaret River alongside Ben Day, where foraging became part of the kitchen approach.<\/p>\n Denmark followed, with the 40-year-old securing a place at the three Mihcelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen.<\/p>\n “Coming from the military into kitchens, the mindset didn’t phase me,” he said.<\/p>\n “It’s that discipline and camaraderie that drives you forward in both. It’s rudimentary with its hierarchy.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The intelligence of the chefs and business partners working at Noma opened Wade’s eyes to what it took to make it in the industry.<\/p>\n “It pushed me to think outside the box,” he said.<\/p>\n “You don’t cook there, you assemble. You take the skin off walnuts, pick thyme and pick seeds out of strawberries. It’s so precise and professional.”<\/p>\n Following his stint in Scandinavia, Wade brought a Noma pop-up down under before opening his first restaurant near Bermagui.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “We’d do the serving, do the dishes, and manage all facets of it. We were young, maybe only mid-twenties. We were a shambles business-wise, but it was a great experience.<\/p>\n A shift to Queensland, then down to Melbourne opened new doors, before he finally opened Sweet Ground on the Surf Coast.<\/p>\n A conversation with Curnow sparked his interest in opening another venue in Torquay.<\/p>\n Mule was born out of a desire to take their food knowledge and create something they couldn’t find locally.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alongside Benzie, the trio travelled through the United States and Mexico, sampling “every taco under the sun”.<\/p>\n “We did Los Angeles and Mexico City and attended all these small casual taco places,” Wade said.<\/p>\n “They were fun, full of life and the cooking was beautiful.<\/p>\n “We learnt about the importance of the masa tortilla, the simplicity of salsas and meats and it set us on the path.”<\/p>\n Months later, and the doors are open, and the vibes are now flowing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “We are never going to be Mexican, because we are Aussies,” Wade said.<\/p>\n “But we’ve got these amazing ingredients to do our own take on it.<\/p>\n “The expression of our menu is a modern take on Mexican food with the foundations of their masa, tortillas, tostadas.”<\/p>\n Raw seafood, big cuts of meat, garden herbs, charred vegetables, classic house made guacamole, homemade tacos and masa are core menu items.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A curated cocktail menu keeps the tastebuds and the palattes equally pleased.<\/p>\n The venue has an outdoor fireplace in which much of Mule’s cuisine is cooked over. The charcoal al pastor is the only one in Australia.<\/p>\n “Everything is curated and thought of and selected over my lifetime,” Wade said.<\/p>\n “This is my whole life that I’ve seen in eating out, drinking out and experiencing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “I feel privileged to bring this together with the other boys aesthetics. I know it’s going to work.”<\/p>\n Curnow said Mule had come together quickly, but remained steadfast in it becoming a new favourite on the Surf Coast.<\/p>\n “Rory and Will have been amazing,” he said.<\/p>\n “I don’t think many people would be coming in if I was cooking.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/MULE-18_20392.jpeg\")
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