Born: Launceston, Tasmania
History: I started working in kitchens at the young age of thirteen and soon grew to love the pressured kitchen environment. Upon completing year ten, I began my apprenticeship and was a fully qualified chef before I turned twenty. Working my way around Tasmania I was fortunate enough to land a role working for Dr Andrew Pirie at Ninth Island Vineyard and it was here that I developed a great appreciation for wine and understood the benefits of having a fully sustainable kitchen garden to service the restaurant.
With a greater understanding of regional produce and an expanding repertoire of dishes I was appointed Chef de Cuisine of a prominent Tasmanian restaurant, The Terrace in Launceston. Wine was our strong suit coupled with highly innovative menus, I was fortunate enough to be given the freedom to express my creative mind and grow as a young chef.
After 5 years in charge my role was expanded and I was appointed Chef de Cuisine of the iconic Tasmanian restaurant, The Point in Hobart. During my time in charge both restaurants were given the maximum three chef hats in the Eat & Drink Tasmania food guide and The Terrace restaurant was named fine dining restaurant of the year two years running.
My dream job became available in 2008 and I jumped at the opportunity to move to South Australia and take on the executive chef role at Penfolds Magill Estate restaurant. Running such a well respected restaurant for an amazing brand helped me define my food style and gave me the opportunity to broaden my wine and culinary knowledge under the tutelage of Peter Gago.
We were soon awarded two chef hats, but not long after I decided to move to Sydney and pursue a larger, more challenging role than my previous fine dining restaurants had afforded me. In March 2010 I was appointed executive chef at Wildfire, running one of the largest restaurants in Sydney.
Have you always wanted to be a Chef?
My grandmother was a commercial cook in Tasmania for thirty years and she was the inspiration behind me following my dreams in pursuing a career as a chef. So as you can see, that’s what I did.
How would you define your style?
At Wildfire Sydney, the setting naturally informs my style. Transitioning from a staff of 7, we are now running the restaurant on a team of up to 47 staff. Our food design must stand alone in quality amongst all the allure of our vicinity and this is no small task.
To paint a picture for those who have yet to dine here, our open plan design allows guests to witness firsthand the creativity going on in our immaculate kitchen. We’re currently bringing in new kitchen equipment, some of which will be unique to Australia, adding more wonder to the Wildfire display.
With the Sydney Opera house in plain view and the showmanship of our staff and restaurant style, we offer an exclusive world class experience. We have the style you’re after for an evening out, be it steakhouse, Brazilian grill, or sea bar and with our ever evolving a la carte menu –I aspire to make it better every time- the dining experience is unparalleled.
Wildfire is an eyes wide open venue, where you’ll see busy staff on headsets managing a bustling environment so that everything’s under control and you’re ultimately served sensational cuisine within a context that’s fully entertaining.
What is your feature flavour these days?
Wildfire is all about the meat and seafood! Sourcing interesting cuts of meat like Wagyu flat iron, skirt and flank steaks are featured heavily on the menus. They are more economical, interesting cuts of meat with high marble scores and full blown flavour. I can never get enough Wagyu! The sashimi grade tuna from South Australia is also featured on the menu in a type of ‘new age’ tartare with aerated tomato, smoked herring roe and horseradish oil.
Obsessive compulsive about?
Where to start? I am a chef after all… And obsessive compulsive about everything in life! I have been called ‘strange’ many times before, but hopefully in a good way. Unless you’re a chef, it is hard to understand how our minds work. The best just never seems to be good enough!
Your greatest culinary inspirations?
When I was younger and running small fine dining restaurants I was obsessed with the molecular movement and looked up to Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adria. These days I appreciate the work that Peter Gilmore does at Quay with his produce driven menus, and Rene Redzepi at NOMA with his back-to-nature approach when compiling new dishes and his respect of Nordic cuisine. Ben Shewry at Attica in Melbourne is creative and has a great culinary brain. I have had some wonderful and truly memorable experiences at his restaurant these past two years.
What do you love about this business?
The people. I have been fortunate enough to make some wonderful friends over the years and I never get tired of the nocturnal lifestyle. Life as a chef is like one BIG party!
An ingredient you can’t live without?
Goat’s cheese. For breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh, and beer, it just makes those long days so much better at the end! As previously mentioned, Wagyu Beef. I can’t get enough of it, the taste, the texture… The higher the marble score, the better.
Most ‘eyebrow raising’ menu item?
At Magill Estate I featured a dish of Wild pigeon breast cooked sous vide with frozen foie gras powder, liquorice, gingerbread and pineapple. At Wildfire the menu is slightly more restrained and features less of the headline grabbing ‘creative for the sake of being creative’ flavour combinations that befall all us young chefs at some point in time!
Signature Dish: Our Citrus cured ocean trout with goat’s milk ‘cannelloni’, avocado, trout pearls and cucumber sorbet has made its appearance on the Wildfire menu and is an adaptation of a popular dish from my previous restaurant. It typifies the diversity of autumn produce and showcases the beauty of farmed Tasmanian ocean trout.