Melbourne-born Michelle Garnaut is a restaurateur (and former cook) with a culinary career that spans three decades, several continents and positions that have ranged from dishwasher to waitress to chef to caterer and proprietor. Over the past 25 years, Michelle has opened a trio of restaurants and a bar in China: M at the Fringe in Hong Kong (1989-2009) M on the Bund (1999) and the Glamour Bar (2001-2014) in Shanghai and Capital M in Beijing (2009).  Each became an icon in its city, sharing the characteristics that make it an “M” restaurant: simply good food – Michelle’s brand of delicious modern European cooking – stylish yet comfortable décor, superb, warm service and a real sense of place. Thanks to Michelle’s belief that feeding the mind and soul is just as important as feeding the body, M Restaurants has become a hub for cultural events and entertainment. In 2002, Michelle founded, and continues to run, the annual Shanghai International Literary Festival and started the Capital Literary Festival in 2011 in Beijing. Both restaurants also feature a regular programme of cultural events including talks and monthly chamber music concerts.