By Leigh O’Connor.
Alan Stuart’s story begins in New Zealand - a place where the coast meets hills and simplicity isn’t by default but by choice. From a young age he was drawn toward the kitchen: making chocolate and fudge for school fairs, watching the way flavours layered themselves, learning that even the smallest spark of curiosity can become a fire.
When Alan was a teenager, he landed his first kitchen gig washing dishes in a local café. That may seem far from glamour, but for him it was a threshold. In the hiss of steam and rattle of pots, he found rhythm, focus and a certainty: this was where he belonged. He enrolled in culinary training in New Zealand, absorbing technique, discipline and a respect for ingredients.
Then he cast his eyes outward. His path wound through some of the world’s most lauded kitchens: London, New York, Stockholm - places where the standards were intense, the pressure relentless and the rewards rare.
He worked at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, rubbed shoulders with Clare Smyth during her years in that kitchen, joined the elite brigade at Eleven Madison Park and refined his craft at Frantzén. Each kitchen offered a lesson - in restraint, in purity, in the poetry of simplicity.
In 2021, Alan moved to Sydney to take on a daring role: Head Chef of Oncore by Clare Smyth, Clare’s first international venture. He was entrusted with translating the essence of her London restaurant (Core) into a new landscape, with new produce, new seasons, new expectations. The challenge was immense - borders were closed, services delayed - but Alan stood firm.
As Oncore opened, that gamble paid off. The restaurant soared to acclaim. The signature dishes from Core found their place alongside new courses inspired by the harbour, the coast, the land. Under Alan’s steady hand, Oncore became more than a sister restaurant: it became a Sydney original with Clare’s DNA at its core.
Alan’s style is classically rooted - French technique, meticulous execution - yet open to dialogue. He draws from global influences, but never lets them drown the story of place. For him, a sauce is not a flourish but a narrative: depth, balance, harmony. Beurre blanc, consommés, delicate reductions - each is a voice in the dish, not a shadow.
He leads with calm rigour. His kitchen is organised, each tool in its place, each station clear. The discipline is human, not rigid. Alan believes deeply in teamwork: "One team, one dream.” He sweats the small details, yes, but also empowers his brigade, listens, holds space for growth.
In the dining room at Oncore, Alan’s ambition and care become visible. Panoramic harbour views, a minimalist elegance in the room, plates that feel like whispered stories - subtle, poised, resonant. You’ll taste Clare’s vision, but also Alan’s influence: restraint with warmth, precision without coldness.
Alan Stuart’s journey is a map of devotion - from New Zealand shores to global kitchens to the heights of Sydney. Yet he still speaks with humility: "Work hard, put your head down, respect where you are.”
When you dine at Oncore, you taste not just ingredients, but the trust of a Chef who carries a world in his kitchen and gives it page by page, plate by plate.
