AUSTRALIAN GOOD FOOD GUIDE - Home of the Chef Hat Awards
Stephen Hickman
Born:
Hobart.
History:
I completed my apprenticeship in Tasmania, before moving to Sydney in 2001, where I landed a job as a Commis Chef at Café Sydney. In 2003, I moved up to a Sous Chef position at Garfish Kirribilli, before going on a 2-year working holiday in 2005, where I worked through Canada and the UK.
I returned to Sydney in 2007 and took up a Head Chef position back at Garfish Kirribilli, before moving back to Hobart in 2009 and taking up the Head Chef position at The New Sydney Hotel. I also did quite a long stint at The Grand Chancellor Hotel, where I stayed until 2016. On December 22, 2016, we opened Driftwood Restaurant in Lauderdale Tasmania.
Have you always wanted to be a Chef?
Yes, I was always involved in cooking at home and found a love for it about the age of 12. I took subjects throughout school that led in that general direction.
How would you define your style?
Modern Australian, as I like to borrow flavours and ideas from the places I’ve travelled.
What is your feature flavour these days?
I love to smoke things! I play with ingredients used in the smoke flavours, for example, fennel and lemon with wood chips when smoking fish.
Obsessive compulsive about?
Cleanliness.
Your greatest culinary inspirations/influences:
Dinner at Eden in Banff Canada where we had an 11-course degustation with wine pairing. Expect the unexpected and don’t say no just because it’s different.
What do you love about this business?
We have an open kitchen and I enjoy watching the guests.
An ingredient you can’t live without?
Garlic, salt and olive oil.
Most ‘eyebrow raising’ menu item?
Smoked salt and cured egg yolks.
Signature dish:
I don’t ever want to have just one…
Driftwood Restaurant
Situated on North Terrace in Lauderdale, Driftwood Restaurant offers a refined yet relaxed dining experience shaped by seasonality and simplicity. With a focus on local, prime produce, the menu is thoughtfully curated, changing regularly to reflect what’s fresh and at its best. Dishes are crafted in-house wherever possible, with careful preparation ensuring quality and depth of flavour in every bite. This hands-on approach allows the kitchen to preserve and highlight ingredients at their peak. Complementing the food, the evolving wine list caters to a range of tastes, including preservative-free options. At Driftwood, honest cooking and coastal charm come together in perfect balance.
More Chefs
Latest Articles
