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
Eurofest was one of those events that I had marked in my calender months ahead of time. I set my stomach on watch for it and started counting down to the weekend. I knew that I had the best guide in town as I had made plans with Ellie who lives nearby and is a Eurofest regular (she and her husband have been there every year for the past 8 years). Eurofest is an outdoor festival that stretches over the whole weekend so that means should the urge strike you to join in the fun, you can do so today!
Even though the food doesn’t start until a bit later we meet up at just after 10am to secure a parking spot that isn’t too far from the centre of things (Ellie says that if you come around noon, the crowds and cars ensure that you will park far away). Entry is $5 per person and children under 15 enter for free. It’s held on a large expanse of the Ararat Reserve in Frenchs Forest and as we approach in the car, we hand the person our money and get our golden tickets. The first sight we’re greeted with is a woman spinning wool on a spinning wheel.
Most popular stand on a hot Spring day? The Beer stand…
Chilli Ginger Lemonade $4
As we wander around we buy a cup of Chilli Ginger Lemonade which is a great way to refresh with the judiciously applied tingly chilli and ginger going well with the icey fizz. There are rides to the left for kids and things to buy on the right from homewares, to finger puppets and other market types of stalls. We head towards the large white tent where we camp ourselves. Each of the clubs, (German, Austrian, Armenian, Dutch and Danish) have a stand in here and produce hot food.
Finger Puppets
Swiss stand
Just outside of this there are also other food stalls that sell a variety of delicious European goodies from Switzerland, Turkey (the omnipresent Gozleme stand), Czechoslovakia, Italy, Germany and others as well as Himalayan.
Dutch Kroketten $2
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September 20, 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
Start them early!
Cheese, cheese and more cheese!
We had grand, slightly tentative plans for this years Primo Italiano Festival mainly due to me thinking that it was on last week and getting up early only to discover that I was a week early. Then the weather forecast for the weekend was foreboding and warned of occasional showers which meant that Plan B’s were set in place until we awoke on a gorgeous Sunday morning to find a sky blue and the sun strong and beaming.
Sweet goodies at Bertoni Casalinga
Primo Italiano is an event which is part of the Sydney Italian Festival where everyone is invited to participate in an Italian wedding from the proposal, the ceremony, the reception to the farewell. And in true Italian fashion, food features prominently which is another lure for us.
The Rose Fountain
Housed along three intersecting streets in East Sydney (Stanley, Yurong and Riley) and dubbed “Little Italy”, the main focus and the place where everyone wants their photo taken is the Rose Fountain. You can toss coins and make wishes and all coins are to be donated to charity. We take care of all matters culinary first and scope out what is best on offer. There are red and white checkered tablecloth covered tables but most people are sitting on the kerb and eating or standing and doing so. Securing a coveted table is left to Teena with her pram whilst Gina, Mr NQN and I track down the food and stand in some very long but thankfully moving queues. We try a range of dishes and sit down to try our meals.
Beppi’s Octopus $5
The Beppis Octopus in a tomato based sauce with polenta square is delicious and cooked beautifully tender. It’s a small serve but also a small and reasonable price.
Proscuitto Pizza $9
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May 25, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
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