FLIPP artist Rob Palmer has built his career around some of the biggest names in the Australian food industry and his passion for their craft has seen the creation of many award winning cookbooks. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the livelihoods of everyone in the hospitality industry with regulations shutting down business and leaving chefs struggling to envisage what the ‘new normal’ will look like for their restaurants and personal lives.

Rob has teamed up with writer Tristan Lutze to photograph and interview, from a safe distance, renowned chefs including Josh Niland, Eric & Linda Wong, Jacqui Challinor, Neil Perry and Colin Fassnidge as they navigate this period of uncertainty in a new portrait series called ‘Industry SOS’.

Above are images of Eric Wong (right) and his son Billy who, this time last year, were celebrating 30 years running one of Sydney’s most popular Cantonese restaurants, Golden Century, but last month the restaurant was empty, aside from the father and son contemplating their future over a bowl of noodles.