Chef de Cuisine Alan Compton puts his finishing touches on a dish
“Forty seconds! It better be ready” says Alan Compton the Head Chef at Bather’s Pavilion. There are 15 plates of food in front of him at the two tier pass and all of them are in various states of dress (or should that be undress?). “Thirty Seconds, are you ready?” and the younger chefs yell back simultaneously “Yes Chef!” and then “Twenty seconds, why aren’t you ready?“. A chef stumbles and swears and dashes around the corner to grab something. “Ten Seconds hurry up!” says Alan and faces are taut with studied concentration as the final flourishes are put onto a dish. Welcome to the wonderful world of a high end restaurant kitchen. And a little warning this story is long but interesting so settle down with a cup of tea or coffee.
Plating at the pass
This event was my number 1 pick of the whole Sydney International Food Festival programme. Having never really been in a kitchen for an extended period of time (ok I had visited the Gordon Ramsay RHR and Petrus kitchens and that was exciting but that was for about 15 minutes) but to get up close and personal was something that I’d always wanted to do. I should admit that I’ve never wanted to open a restaurant myself which is why I haven’t really gravitated towards trying out for Masterchef, preferring to write a cookbook instead or a regular book. Somehow the hours, hard work and sheer difficulty of the business particualrly in restaurant saturated Sydney put me off. I’d also heard that many chefs were also angry, unfriendly, egomanical divas so I was a little trepidatious before entering the hallowed kitchens of Bather’s Pavilion (or just “Bather’s” to locals). I realise that I”ve eaten at all of Dansereau’s restaurants from Kables back in the previous century B.B. (Before Blog) to the Bather’s Pavilion Cafe also B.B., Bather’s Pavilion Restaurant and The Bather’s Pavilion Kiosk.
Serge shows us the view from the top balcony
I was sent the information sheet. I was to wear black pants, a white t shirt, minimal jewelry and rubber soled shoes. Ransacking my wardrobe I realised that a) I don’t have any plain white tshirts and b) the only rubber soled shoes I have are black patent leather ballet flats and c) I’d have to leave my cocktail rings behind.
Balmoral Beach
At 5.30pm this Thursday night Mr NQN and I arrive along with the other 14 people that have signed up for this once in a lifetime opprtunity. This is the first year they are doing it and we are handed a blue and white striped apron. Serge emerges in his chef’s whites and greets us and takes us upstairs to show us the building. We’re shown the view from the upstairs balcony which is a stunning view of the blue hued waved Balmoral Beach and then sit down in one of the function rooms.
He tells us about the history of the building and his history coming to Australia and the challenges he had to face with developing new produce and how at the time it was he and Neil Perry and Stefano Manfredi who were helping each other out and sharing their new discoveries of things such as Wild Mushrooms. At the time there were only a few types of lettuce: Iceberg, Chicory and Mignonette. He talks about his partnership with Vogue editor Victoria Alexander who fought for years with the council to get the site (which was originally a changing place for people who went to the beach) to be made into a hotel and with Dansereau they finally settled on making it a restaurant.
The Blue Room (private dining room)
He also shows us his next book which is yet to be sent to the printers and is in a yellow ring folder to be called the “French Kitchen” which is a more home style based book as is the trend now. His first book “Friends and Food” won the Julia Child prize for best cookbook and interestingly, all of the photography in it was done by Danserau himself after taking a short course on camera basics. He also conducts yearly tours of France on top of running the cafe, restaurant and kiosk. How he manages with two young kids is something of a miracle.
The Pastry Kitchen
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October 15, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
This past weekend, for the first time ever, Sydney hosted The World Chef Showcase. When I first heard about this Chefapalooza I was excited to be invited to it and chose to attend Saturday’s World session featuring many of the world’s rock star chefs. I’m not simply using that as a trite term but some of them are into their music almost as much as their food. Case in point is the 18 guitar owning Spanish chef Sergi Arola, a disciple of Ferran Adria. He worked with Adria for 8 years in his kitchen and melds music with food with art. Just don’t mention the word “Tapas”…
There are three sessions on this Saturday, the first being Thailand/Vietnam, the second being China and the third being World which I am scheduled for. Each in a different room of Star City’s ballrooms and there is round table style seating with a stage at the front where there are two kitchen set-ups. Facing the stage, on the left is the Australian counterpart for the Overseas Chef. The first session today is with Sergi Arola of Gastro restaurant and Brent Savage of Bentley Bar. Matt Preston is at the microphone with his deep, husky voice booming a greeting to all. There are drinks on the table and mints and writing pads provided. The lighting is a little low (so please excuse the photographs).
Sergi’s Coca with Foie Gras and Capsicum
Sergi tells us of his impressions of Australia which start with his first encounter: The Church’s song “Almost With You” which he listened to for 3 days straight. He says that he learnt English through songs like this and interestingly enough, he even had a band called “Los Canguros” (the Kangaroos). He shows us some images from Gastro where the menu changes monthly and the food is strikingly beautiful. At the restaurant bread is made every day using organic flour and he explains the pictures of the Duck hams hanging in the cellar which drives his sommelier spare. There are photos of two kitchens – there are two, one for service and one for mise en place (where they prepare everything to cook). He then introduces us to Torsten his Swedish executive chef whom he says hails from “The Swedish part of Spain” and whom he says is more Spanish than most Spanish.
Duck hams hanging in the wine cellar
Now his issue with tapas is related to how he feels about customers and eating. “The main part of the restaurant is the guest, not the chef or anyone else “My ego is big but that as (sic) big“. He tells us that the service is the thing that separates the good from exceptional restaurants. He also tells us that “tapas is a way of life” and for Spanish, it is what you have when you’re with friends. He starts to make his first dish, the Ajo Blanco with Cherry Caviar and Asparagus which is made with fresh almond milk cooked for 12-14 hours. He shows us how to make each item telling us his names for certain pieces of equipment like the siphon which he calls “Devil Machine“. He uses tweezers to place everything on the dish, a rather cheffy thing to do to get the right placement.
“I try and make things more simple. Life is so complicated” he says to much nodding among the audience. He is also involved with the Oceana charity and says that he doesn’t use or eat tuna in his restaurant along with shark or turtle. With the duck liver he uses, he says that he only uses a supplier that treats his animals with respect. He also declares that Spanish olive oil is the best olive oil in the world.
His version of Patatas Bravas
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October 13, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
“It’s only polite really if you knock an animal on the head to eat it all: tripe, heart, feet, ears, head, tail. It’s all good stuff.”
So says Fergus Henderson, famed chef of St John restaurant in London. He’s sitting in front of me this greyish Sydney morning in the lobby bar of his hotel. Henderson is much more than just an advocate of nose to tail eating. Peel back another layer and he’s one of the most fascinating people to interview. It’s 11am and true to his known love of a tipple, he has just ordered a Campari and White Wine. He checks his watch and smiles “It’s a respectable hour”. The 46 year old Londoner is dressed in a navy blue jacket with his trademark tortoisehell Harry Potter style glasses. He’s unfailingly polite, accommodating, modest and willing to talk about anything and everything from offal, death threats, pornography, squirrels, his Parkinson’s diagnosis and Anthony Bourdain.
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October 7, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
Justine Schofield from Masterchef
After we thought that the Masterchef mania had died down, the new participants were announced last night for the new season of Celebrity Masterchef. But we all know the real stars were the original Masterchef contestants so when I was invited to the shiny LG kitchen at Customs House Forecourt to interview Justine Schofield I was excited to learn more about this Jimmy Choo shoe lover turned Masterchef. And read on for even more Masterchef after the interview!
Before the interview, Justine demonstrated two dishes, one with a breakfast theme as it was 10am which was a baked tomato stuffed with speck and vegetables and seared scallops with a remoulade. Justine’s tips were have a great oven (hehe the new LG Multifunction oven hint hint) and Ready, Steady Cook’s Alistair McLeod hosted with his characteristic witty banter and many from the audience were lucky enough to try her dishes. I tried the stuffed tomatoes which were fantastic (since when is anything with speck bad?). After that I sat down with Justine to talk French, food and the other Masterchef contestants…
B.M. (Before Masterchef)
What can you tell me about pre Masterchef Justine?
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September 4, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
Gordon at the Media conference
Forgive the deliberately provocative title if you will but I was literally waking up with Gordon Ramsay this cold Winter’s Friday morning. Thanks to the lovely Johanna from Stellar Concepts, at 8:30am several members of Sydney’s press including myself and Helen, assembled in the LG VIP Lounge to have breakfast and to meet Mr Ramsay himself. Walking in and looking tanned and fit in a blue tshirt, he’s nursing a cup of coffee before he gives us a little speech letting us know about the higlights in his Australian visit including a holiday with the family on Hamilton Island and a memorable dinner at Quay. It’s all very cordial and rehearsed and doesn’t really sound like the Ramsay we know and love with none of the edge normally associated with him. At the end, an eager Channel 7 reporter jumps up and asks him “Is your publicist keeping you on a tight leash this time?” which he pointedly ignores. We’re left to ponder what happens next which is Gordon’s first cooking session for the event along with our very generous goodie bags (containing a copy of his book “Healthy Appetite”, LG cooking utensils, a wine bag and some rosemary and oregano olive oil.
We’re seated in row B seat 30 and after the obligatory warm up from Alistair McLeod (beware, don’t put your hand up unless you want to get up and dance in front of everyone!), Gordon and his offsider Stuart Gillies (executive chef at Boxwood Cafe), come out to much applause. Gordon has a strip of tape over his mouth. Yes he knows he needs to behave to avoid another Tracy Grimshaw incident (although that was about as bad as what he said about Lisa Wilkinson and Dannii Minogue at the show last year which passed without controversy so he must be confused as to how far he can take things).
Gordon chats to onstage guests
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July 4, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
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