The Woman Turning Barangaroo into a Must-Visit Culinary Destination

When international visitor numbers to Sydney plummeted during the pandemic, few hospitality entrepreneurs saw opportunity. But Sarah Chen, founder of Flavour Routes Sydney, recognised a gap in the market: wealthy tourists wanted authentic, curated food experiences beyond the standard Opera House tour.

Today, her company operates six daily tours across Barangaroo, Surry Hills and the inner west, generating an estimated $2.8 million in annual revenue while helping 30-plus local restaurants and producers tap into the high-value tourism market. The average tour costs $185 per person, with group bookings and corporate packages commanding premiums of up to $320.

"The visitor economy is evolving," Chen explains through a spokesperson. "Travellers aren't just looking for landmarks anymore. They want stories, connections, and experiences that show them the real Sydney."

Her success comes at a crucial time. Tourism Australia data shows international visitor spending to New South Wales reached $18.2 billion in 2025, with food and dining accounting for 22 per cent of that expenditure. Yet much of that spending concentrates on chain hotels and mainstream attractions. Chen's model redistributes tourism dollars directly to independent operators.

Operating from a compact base near Barangaroo Reserve, Flavour Routes runs walking tours that include tastings at three to five venues, typically spanning four hours. Recent itineraries have featured microbreweries in Ultimo, small-batch chocolate makers in Alexandria, and hidden laneway restaurants in Surry Hills. Bookings through platforms like Viator and ToursByLocals drive roughly 60 per cent of clientele, with the remainder coming from hotel concierges and word-of-mouth referrals.

The business model has attracted attention from the Sydney Business Chamber and NSW Tourism. Chen's venture exemplifies how second-generation tourism operators are pivoting toward sustainability and localisation—a shift away from the mass-market approach that dominated the pre-pandemic era.

For participating venues, the partnership proves mutually beneficial. Small restaurants typically see 8-12 tour participants weekly, representing reliable midweek traffic during traditionally slower periods. Several venues have reported 15-20 per cent increases in independent bookings from tour alumni.

As Sydney competes with Melbourne and Brisbane for premium international visitors, entrepreneurs like Chen are redefining what local expertise looks like. With plans to expand into wine country tours along the Hunter Valley and collaborate with cultural institutions across the CBD, Flavour Routes suggests the city's visitor economy renaissance may well be written by independent operators willing to bet on authenticity over scale.

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