About Us
The Stelo Story
Stelo at Pierre’s is a family-owned restaurant and bar in the heart of Launceston, Tasmania, set within the historic Pierre’s building on George Street. Originally established in 1956, Pierre’s has long been part of the city’s dining story. Today, owners Lauren and Nathan Johnston continue that legacy through Stelo, where regional Italian cooking meets exceptional Tasmanian produce, handmade pasta, warm service, and a strong sense of place. The venue includes the restaurant, Bar Stelo, private dining rooms, a leafy courtyard, and flexible event spaces for intimate celebrations, corporate dining, and destination hospitality experiences.
Lauren & Nathan Johnston
Lauren and Nathan Johnston are the owners of Stelo at Pierre’s and Bar Stelo in Launceston, Tasmania. They first met working in a restaurant in 2004 and have worked together ever since, building a shared hospitality career across Tasmania and London.
Their experience includes working under Angela Hartnett OBE at Murano, part of the Gordon Ramsay Group, which held one Michelin star. Nathan also worked at Texture under Agnar Sverrisson, another one Michelin star restaurant, while Lauren assisted with the opening and management of Medlar in Chelsea, which went on to earn one Michelin star.
After returning to Tasmania, Nathan became Head Chef at Stillwater in Launceston, where he led the kitchen for five years. Lauren became a lead teacher in hospitality at Drysdale, TasTAFE, where she trained and mentored the next generation of Tasmanian hospitality professionals. During this time, she ran the Great Chefs Series, working with acclaimed chefs including Christian Puglisi, Alain Passard, Dominique Crenn, Dan Hong, Guillaume Brahimi, Tom Wood, and Tetsuya Wakuda.
In 2017, Lauren and Nathan opened Stelo at Hazelbrae. In 2020, they took over the historic Pierre’s building in Launceston, continuing the legacy of a venue originally established in 1956. Today, Stelo at Pierre’s brings together regional Italian cooking, Tasmanian produce, handmade pasta, polished service, and genuine family-owned hospitality.
