Born: Melbourne
History: I was first introduced to the kitchen at age seven, cooking alongside my Thai aunty preparing Thai banquets and also helping in my family’s traditional pizza restaurant after school. At 14 I started in my first professional kitchen and at 15 began my apprenticeship at a five star international resort in Queensland. From there I spent a year working for a five star hotel in Melbourne, though this was only to save money for my ambition to work and travel around the world.
My first stop was London, where I worked at the four rosette restaurant Searcy’s at the Barbican and also at two Michelin star restaurant The Square in Mayfair. After working in London and travelling/eating through Europe I headed to Vancouver. I spent 18 months working with chef David Hawksworth at West Restaurant, by far the best kitchen I have worked in to date.
With all this experience I returned to Melbourne. I briefly worked at Ezard and Andrew McConnell’s 312 before being offered a role as chef de cuisine at a new restaurant on the Gold Coast – room 81 at the Sofitel. This is where I finally had the chance to do my own food. After a lot of long hours and turning over a lot of chefs, room 81 became the culinary hot spot on the Coast. Sofitel promoted me to executive chef of the hotel, which was a great experience, and then they sent me to Sydney to take over as executive chef of the Sofitel Wentworth. After three years with the company I knew it was time to open my own restaurant. And here I am today at Little Truffle Dining Room & Bar. It has been over a year since we opened and we're going strong. Nothing compares to having your own restaurant.
Have you always wanted to be a chef (elaborate)? Yes, I have, though without knowing at all what I was getting myself into! Thankfully having some great mentors throughout my culinary career has made the pressure and hours we chefs work much easier.
How would you define your style? Contemporary – putting a contemporary spin on a classic without disrespecting the original dish.
What is your feature flavour these days? I would say my focus on local produce dictates the flavours I use. I always source local produce first before sourcing elsewhere.
Obsessive compulsive about? Consistency on the plate and a clean kitchen.
Your greatest culinary inspirations/influences: The top two inspirational/influential chefs during my career would be David Hawksworth from Vancouver and Andrew McConnell from Melbourne.
What do you love about this business? Everything – you’re either cut out for the hospitality industry or not. There is no in between!
An ingredient you can’t live without? Salt.
Most 'eyebrow raising' menu item? Where to begin?
Cuisine: Modern Australian with European Influence
Price: Entree $17.00 to $22.00, Main $28.00 to $37.00, Dessert $12.00 to $14.00
Address: 2444 Gold Coast Hwy (cnr Bondi Ave) Mermaid Beach QLD
Entering Little Truffle Restaurant & Wine Bar from the Gold Coast Highway at Mermaid Beach feels a bit like leaving the outside world behind. The atmosphere that surrounds you immediately evokes a different time and place - perhaps the elegant dining room of a European castle, if you opt for the ‘classical’ room with its gilt edged mirrors and crystal chandelier. But if you don’t feel like going back in time, preferring the here and now, the chic and contemporary front dining room is perfect for you; there you can dine at the bar or at one of the intimate tables. You might start with cured kingfish with ginger, confit shallot and lime, avocado mousse, chilli and salmon pearls, moving on to pan fried quail breasts teamed with porcini mushroom risotto, red wine jus and watercress.
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