By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
For Thomas Brimble, fire isn’t merely a cooking method. It’s a muse. The newly appointed Head Chef of Hunter & Barrel has spent two decades honing his craft across Michelin-starred kitchens, private clubs and acclaimed restaurants throughout Europe, Hong Kong and Bali.
Now, he’s bringing that global perspective - and a deep respect for Australian produce - to a brand that celebrates the primal theatre of cooking over open flame.
"I discovered my passion as a young man at the apron strings of my mother and grandmother, Alison and Irene, where cooking and baking were very much a family pastime,” Thomas says.
"Through this, I was exposed to all the work of the kitchen at an early age, from choosing ingredients to the preparation of various dishes, which truly ignited and helped amplify my curiosity not only for developing dishes that bring a sense of comfort through flavour, but also in the tools that could help bring these dishes to life.”
That youthful curiosity became the foundation for a career that has seen Thomas move seamlessly between Europe’s most refined kitchens and Asia’s bustling food capitals. After years working in country house hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, including Mallory Court Hotel under Simon Haig, he joined the ranks of London’s private members’ clubs - among them the world-famous Crockfords Club, the UK’s oldest.
"The clientele included oligarchs and oil barons, with services extending to sending planes to Malaysia with Chefs on board for specific food requests,” he recalls. "The level of intensity, expectations and approach is different when working with very high-profile clientele.”
It was his time in Asia that truly transformed his culinary philosophy. "When it comes to Asian culinary techniques, it reshaped the way I think about my approach to the produce we use in developing new menus and cooking, particularly in flame grilling,” he says. "In many Asian kitchens, a big part of it is about letting the natural flavours of the produce shine.”
At Hunter & Barrel, Thomas applies that ethos to a proudly Australian context. "For Hunter & Barrel, we wanted to focus on a produce-first approach and really highlight the freshness, simplicity and balance of our core ingredients,” he explains. That means local sourcing and seasonal thinking are at the forefront of menu development.
"It’s like a freeform experiment and we let the seasonal produce direct where the menu will go. It starts as a conversation between the Chefs and me at each location to discover what we think is the best thing going forward.”
Thomas’s respect for the land extends to the farmers who supply it. "The produce here is fantastic,” he says. "Australian farmers and the regulatory bodies have done a fantastic job of controlling the product that's available on the market. The animal husbandry here is world-class. The fruit and vegetables, although often in short supply, are still world-class produce.”
At Hunter & Barrel, Thomas has introduced two signature programs that reflect both his global expertise and his reverence for fire. "First is our Legacy program, which brings grass-fed, full-blood Wagyu to the table. It's never fed on grain and only ever fed on green pastures,” he explains. "Second is our 'Secured by Fire' program, which goes with our brand DNA: rugged authenticity, open fire cooking, deeply flavourful food.”
Cooking over fire, he says, is as much about control as it is about instinct. "We use iron bark in the restaurants to create smoke and a blend of coal and lava rock for that intense, consistent heat. Our rotisserie grills are also custom-built. This is what gives the proteins the perfect balance of char, smoke and tenderness that differs from other methods of cooking.”
His approach to steak borders on ritual. "We've been very fortunate to source our incredible Wagyu from one of Australia's foremost full-blood producers and from the moment it enters the kitchen to the minute it hits the plate, our Chefs treat this beef with love and respect as it goes through our various marinations and bastings before hitting the flames of our grill,” he says.
"We cook the steak very quickly over that intense heat for a short time, then we rest it for as long as possible, sometimes up to 20 minutes. Then, just as the steaks are fired for the last time, the final basting, glazes and everything are applied before returning them to the grill. Where it hits those flames again is how it develops all the deep, smoky flavours, creating a Maillard reaction that really defines our steaks.”
For home cooks tempted to emulate this primal art, Thomas has some advice. "A lot of people often think the cut of the meat is where it starts and ends, but consistency in temperature is just as important.
"Managing your fire and understanding where the hot and cooler spots are ensures that the meat is placed where there is consistent heat, which allows you to control the cooking process better. Keep your cooking method simple and don’t rush the process. Open-fire cooking requires patience and control.”
Simplicity, in fact, is the cornerstone of Thomas’s cooking. "We cook quite simply. We cook with love. We cook with passion. We try not to overcomplicate things with too much technique,” he says. "Everything we do is produce-led and we aim to keep the cooking simple and balanced but never short on flavour.”
That same philosophy carries into his leadership style. "Leading by example is important; it's about treating the produce and ingredients that we work with respect,” he says. "I'm really blessed to be able to step into my role and already have such a fantastic culinary team. The Chefs are all well ahead of the game and they come to the table with suggestions on ways we can develop our menu.”
At Hunter & Barrel, the theatre of fire is as much for the guests as it is for the Chefs. "Working in an open kitchen adds a new layer of focus and also pride in our craft,” Thomas explains. "Our grill masters go through an extensive training program to really hone in their craft and these Chefs are really at the heart of our business and control the operation. Everything rotates around the grill and the open kitchen really allows our guests to see the process and experience this with us.”
With Hunter & Barrel continuing its national expansion, Thomas’s next big moment is set for Adelaide:
"Our new Adelaide location is set to open on Thursday, October 30 and we are so excited for South Australians to finally be able to experience our menu with flame-grilled Wagyu and shareable skewer programs cooked in our open-fire kitchen,” he says. "Our selection of rare, barrel-aged cocktails is also one not to miss out on.”
