Damian Brabender of Otis Dining Hall regretfully put his restaurant up for sale. Photo: Megan Evans Photography.
Canberra institution OTIS Dining Hall has changed hands, with veteran restaurateur Damian Brabender passing the baton to the up-and-coming crew from Home All Day, a Canberra-based hospitality group run by Maheer Prasad and Lachlan Exton.
Damian made the difficult decision to put his business up for sale in June after struggling with ongoing injuries sustained in a car accident in November of 2024.
At the time, he told Region that he wanted to pass the restaurant on to someone with a passion for the local industry.
“I’m hoping to find a passionate and driven operator – from the kitchen or the bar – who has a real love for hospitality and wants to put their stamp on what’s become a Canberra institution.”
And he’s found the right people for the job.
Lachlan Exton, Chef Cho and Maheer Prasad are the team behind Home All Day. Photo: Collections From Him/Nathan Hale.
Home All Day is run by locals Lachlan Exton and Maheer Prasad. They took on Dickson cafe Highroad last year, opened casual coffee and Korean sando joint On Lonsdale in late 2024, and recently launched Lounge Room in Kingston’s Kingsborough precinct. The pair are excited to be making their mark on Canberra’s hospo scene, and Canberra’s hospo scene is lucky to have investment and passion coming from within the city.
Region was present at a ‘handover’ dinner between the two owners. The OTIS menu, paired with Collector wines, was on point as usual. Classics like the giant raviolo entree, and Brabender’s signature pepper steak were enjoyed by a mix of family, friends, customers, staff past and present, and those who had been involved in the OTIS journey for the past nine years.
Home All Day also brought a table of supporters, family, friends and staff, signalling a mix of old and new.
Damian made his way around the room – still walking with the aid of a crutch – to speak with all his supporters. He said he’s looking forward to the day when he can come in as a customer and enjoy what the next chapter of OTIS has to offer.
He also acknowledged the role his partner, Kara, played in running OTIS Dining Hall, particularly in getting the business through COVID, and coming out of the pandemic stronger than when they went in.
The pepper steak has been a mainstay of the OTIS menu for many years now. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Home All Day managing director Lachlan Exton told diners: “Since 2016 OTIS has been Damian’s vision, his voice, and now his legacy… [you have] not only built a restaurant, you’ve inspired a generation of diners, chefs and restaurateurs.
“At Home All Day, our dream has always been to build places where people feel something. Bringing OTIS into the family marks a new chapter for us, and the realisation of a long-held dream to offer a fine dining experience that sits proudly alongside our other venues.”
He also welcomed the OTIS team to the Home All Day family and spoke about how excited he is to build on Damian’s legacy.
OTIS Dining Hall is located at 29 Jardine St, Kingston. They are open for dinner from 6 pm until late, Tuesday to Saturday and for lunch on Saturday from 12 noon to 3.30 pm. Follow OTIS Dining Hall on Facebook and Instagram. Find out more about Home All Day.
