Born: Far North Queensland
History: Trained & worked as an Occupational Therapist in Sydney. After taking on a large mortgage, worked in the Front of House in variety of locations as well as in the health care industry. Following a move to the Hunter Valley in 1990, an opportunity arose to open a café at Wandin Valley & then a few years later a more serious venue at de Iuliis Wines, where Cracked Pepper Restaurant emerged in early 2008. Within months of opening, it was named by NSW Restaurant & Caterers as the Best New Restaurant for the Hunter Valley.
Have you always wanted to be a Chef? For too long!
How would you define your style?
Eclectic – lots of influences from so many sources & countries. Like to think outside the square.
What is your feature flavour these days?
Depends so much on the season. For winter, rich, slow-cooked dishes; pasta or gnocchi; or spicy warm salads.
Obsessive compulsive about?
Local ingredients produced sustainably. And our awesomely delicious gluten free bread products.
Your greatest culinary inspirations/influences: Maggie Beer.
What do you love about this business? Adrenalin!
An ingredient you can’t live without? Vanilla beans & saffron.
Most ‘eyebrow raising’ menu item? Warm blue cheese & quince ‘pudding’ with crème fra?che ice cream.
Signature Dish: A new one for every menu. For Winter 2011, a slow-roasted Byron Bay black Berkshire pork belly with roasted fennel seeds, lemon, chilli & garlic on buk choy & jasmine rice.
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Price: Entree $17.50 to $21.50, Main $21.50 to $38.00, Dessert $12.00 to $19.50
Address: 1616 Broke Road Pokolbin NSW
Pokolbin's Cracked Pepper Restaurant figured it out: they know that good food starts with fresh, local, organic or sustainably sourced ingredients. Awarded 'Best New Restaurant' in the Hunter Valley for 2008 by the NSW Restaurant & Catering Association, Cracked Pepper Restaurant offers a unique blend of fine dining flavours in an elegantly relaxed dining room with friendly, attentive & knowledgeable service. Their dishes are like a good fine wine - a treat for the senses, something to be savoured & enjoyed. Try a warm salad of Nulkaba Farm duckling with sticky orange & duck jus, roasted baby beetroot & orange segments to start, perhaps followed by house-made saffron fettuccine tossed with fresh prawns & squid, tomato, chilli, white wine & parsley.
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