Joy couldn’t be a more fitting name for Sarah Baldwin’s 10-seat, dégustation-only restaurant. From the moment you arrive until you leave, that three-letter word is felt throughout.
Much of it has to do with Baldwin herself. There’s simply no Joy without her. If she falls ill, reservations are rescheduled; if she takes a holiday, Joy closes. As a result, the restaurant is a deeply personal expression of its owner.
You sense this immediately upon entering. Baldwin warmly greets and exchanges names with each guest, and offers them a drink. It feels akin to arriving at a friend’s home for a dinner party, sitting at their kitchen counter to watch them cook – though few hosts would prepare a seven-course menu with such detail. Entertaining and cooking simultaneously is no small feat, yet Baldwin is a natural. Her ability to focus while cooking and plating under watchful eyes is remarkable. When it comes time to serve, she presents each dish, detailing every element and answering any questions from curious diners.
Reaching this point hasn’t been easy for Baldwin. She’s open about her battle with stress, especially during her early years in kitchens. After beginning her apprenticeship in Brisbane at an Italian restaurant, she worked at now-closed Urbane before moving to Sydney to work at Sixpenny. But the demanding pace in an unfamiliar city took its toll. Baldwin relocated to northern New South Wales, working part-time in a local café while pursuing an education degree. Missing full-time cooking, she and former husband Tim Scott envisioned a restaurant with minimal overheads. The opportunity arose in a 36-square-metre space tucked away in Fortitude Valley’s Bakery Lane. In 2019, Joy was born.
When Scott departed a year later to start Exhibition Restaurant, Baldwin faced greater pressure as the sole owner. She navigated this with grace, supported by former staff member Maddie Sim and currently by Oliver Chia. Together, they handle communications, plating, service, and clean up – making it look effortless.
Joy’s exclusivity – limited seating and operating only four nights a week – makes securing a reservation nearly impossible. Whether booking months in advance at midnight on the first of the month or nabbing a last-minute cancellation, demand constantly outstrips supply. This has been the case since opening, a testament to Joy’s enduring success. Even more impressive, Baldwin commutes daily from the Gold Coast to Brisbane, and she’s authoring a book. Her drive to provide joy is unstoppable.
Find all finalists for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Personality of the Year Award here. To see the full list of winners in this year’s Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards, head over here.
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