Australian Gourmet Traveller - February 2022
Australian Gourmet Traveller - February 2022
Australian Gourmet Traveller - February 2022
balance
issue
Food
82 MANGO TANGO
Celebrate the versatility of
summer’s golden fruit.
102 SIMPLY SEASONAL
Enjoy the beauty of fresh,
seasonal eating with recipes
from Simple Fresh Veg.
Thai chilli and mango
mud crab ...............................85 Mushroom broth with
Lemongrass prawns with green tea noodles ............ 104
goi xoài ..................................85 Mixed tomatoes with
Spiced squid with sweet whipped tofu and rice
and sour mango sauce .....86 crisps .................................... 105
Coconut-poached chicken Brussels sprouts and blue
with mango and perilla .....87 cheese pizzas .................... 105
Sticky pork ribs with mango Crispy rice sushi .................... 106
and jalapeño salsa .............88 Crisp Thai salad with
Leche and lime flan with turmeric cashew
burnt mango.........................88 dressing............................... 107
Mango halo-halo with Roasted broccoli with
pistachio praline almond ajo blanco ............ 108
ice-cream ...............................91 Eggplant with nam prik
sauce.................................... 108
GARDEN STATE
92 Vegetables and fresh produce
star in these plant-forward
110
TWICE AS NICE
Some of Australia’s best chefs
dishes made to share. share recipes and support an
excellent cause in the Two
Japanese egg cups with Good Cookbook Two.
miso dressing ......................94
Roasted beetroot Maggie Beer’s fig and goat’s
carpaccio ..............................94 cheese pastries with
Whipped tofu and zucchini vino cotto ............................. 112
tart with fennel salad .........97 Clayton Wells’ fried prawn
Dukkah-crusted cauliflower sandwiches with jalapeño
with tahini..............................98 hot sauce ............................. 112
Mushroom skewers with Dan Hong’s Sichuan poached
PHOTOGRAPHY CON POULOS. STYLING OLIVIA BLACKMORE..
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 5
FEBRUARY 2022
ON THE COVER
Features
Beetroot carpaccio (p94)
58
and whipped tofu tart (p97) WRITING NEW CHAPTERS
Three recently returned culinary expats share their
lessons learned on the road with Max Veenhuyzen.
Recipe Max Adey
Photography Con Poulos
62
Styling Olivia Blackmore
UNDER THE RADAR
Nadia Bailey finds out why more and more eateries are
opting not to trumpet their plant-based credentials.
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66
Details p116 LESSONS IN BALANCE
Anne Hasegawa explores how the principle of balance
affects both lifestyle and cuisine in six Asian cultures.
Regulars 70
THE SCIENCE OF FLAVOUR
Why do some flavours work well together and others
not? It’s a matter of science, discovers Jordan Kretchmer.
9 UPFRONT Editor’s letter, contributors and news.
24
26
QUICK WORD Arka Das.
KITCHEN GARDENER Basil.
76 WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Is a plant-based diet really the most sustainable way to
live? Alix Davis investigates.
28 COMMUNITY X KYLIE José Roca.
30 FIVE OF A KIND Kimchi.
PHOTOGRAPHY ELISE HASSEY (MT MULLIGAN). COVER: IT’S MY MATCH LEAF PLATE IN GREEN FROM VILLEROY & BOCH.
32
34
WINE COUNTRY Northern Tasmania.
COCKTAIL HOUR The Brunswick.
Travel
37 REVIEW Dining out.
120
TRUE NORTH
45 FAST Simple, everyday meals. Mt Mulligan Lodge in north
Queensland proves to be an
54 MASTERCLASS Pol sambol. outback delight, writes
56 ANATOMY OF A DISH Sang choi bau. Fiona Donnelly.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Gourmet Traveller acknowledges the Gadigal people of the
128 A CHEF’S GUIDE
A zero-waste restaurant and the best babi guling, chef
Will Goldfarb shares the hottest places to eat and drink
Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the place we in Bali.
now call Sydney, where this magazine is published. Gourmet
Traveller also pays respects to Elders past and present.
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130 NEW WORLD ORDER
With international trips on the horizon, Anna Hart gives
a refresher on how to have a more rewarding holiday
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6 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Editor Joanna Hunkin
Deputy Editor Karlie Verkerk
Art
Art Director Lauren de Sousa
Group Designer Kelsie Walker
Words
Acting Digital Editor Callum McDermott
Writer Jordan Kretchmer
Writer & Editorial Coordinator Georgie Meredith
Food
Group Food Director Sophia Young
Senior Food Editor Dominic Smith
Style
Creative Consultant Hannah Blackmore
Group Lifestyle Director Brooke Le Poer Trench
Group Market Editor Sarah Stern
Contributors
Nadia Bailey, Alexandra Carlton, Alix Davis, Fiona Donnelly, Michael Harden,
Anna Hart, Anne Hasegawa, Kylie Kwong, Grace MacKenzie, Samantha Payne,
Simon Rickard, Jessica Rigg, Katie Spain, Max Veenhuyzen, Hannah-Rose Yee
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GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU
Editor’s letter
Editor’s letter
once again in a state of flux. I’ve never been one for
making sweeping resolutions but if there’s one thing
I could certainly benefit from this year, it’s a little
more balance in my life.
We’ve spent nearly two years in an all-or-nothing
state, bouncing in and out of lockdown and never
quite knowing what’s next. I’m sure I’m not alone
in feeling that a little stability would go a long way
right now.
Frustratingly, we are but passengers on this wild
ride, which is outside of our control. But we can
bring some balance to our lives through our actions,
particularly when it comes to what we choose to
cook, eat and drink.
In this issue, we explore different types of balance
and sustainability. Yes, there are some plant-based
recipes and virgin cocktails – but there are also sticky
barbecue pork ribs with mango and jalapeño salsa.
Because balance. We’ve had enough all or nothing.
This year, a little bit of everything will do just nicely.
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Details p116
PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY (PORTRAIT), TANIKA BLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY (EMRO DESIGNS)
RE WE
HE ’
VE
R ME
OU
BEEN
G
ED
P
PROV
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 9
Contributors
Essen by Artisans
of Barossa
p 41
10 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Create one aesthetic statement.
9LVLWXVDWRXUﺫDJVKLSVKRZURRPLQ6RXWK0HOERXUQHIRUWKHIXOO*DJJHQDXH[SHULHQFH
&RYHQWU\6WUHHW6RXWK0HOERXUQH9LFWRULD_
Dishes and destinations
The Gourmet Traveller team share where
they’ve been and what they’re eating.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 13
PHOTOGRAPHY NIKKI TO.
T H E L AT E ST F R O M C H E F S A N D R E STAU R A N TS A R O U N D AU ST R A L I A
R E S TA U R A N T N E W S
PHOTOGRAPHY NIKKI TO (JANE & QUEEN CHOW)) AND JESSIE PRINCE (BISTRO LIVI).
“It’s a wine bar, but there’s also backs
on the chairs; the music isn’t too loud.”
Food-wise expect hyper-seasonal
ingredients and whole animals to be
broken down and used throughout the
menu. “We’ve also got two kitchens so
we can ramp up the pasta production
and get more intricate,” says Ward.
“It will still be fun and youthful;
downstairs we’ll run a wine bar-style
menu; and upstairs we’ll have
a four-course set menu eventually.”
Meanwhile in Surry Hills, Arthur’s
new sibling restaurant Jane is hitting its
stride, with head chef Victoria Scriven
working alongside Tristan Rosier. With
a menu comprised wholly of Australian-
NEW SOUTH WALES grown sustainable ingredients, dishes
Despite an enormously trying start to include wallaby saucisson, blackberries
2022, the hospitality industry continues and cipollini onion; kangaroo tartare
to power on with several new openings. with bush tomato and shoestring fries;
Parlar is a new 50-seat Mediterranean and duck with pencil leeks and
diner in Potts Point from the team Davidson’s plum.
behind neighbouring Franca. Promising Elsewhere, Bondi is now home to
a refined, luxury fit out, the kitchen will the second outpost of Chaco Ramen,
focus on Catalan dishes, overseen by bringing its mouth-tingling chilli
Franca’s executive chef José Saulog. coriander ramen and yakitori to the
The menu will be full à la carte with beachside suburb.
a strong bar snacks component, ideal Down south, Merivale has opened
for dropping in and pairing with a glass Queen Chow in Narooma. Expect
of Spanish wine. Cantonese classics including Peking
Ex-Sagra owner and chef Nigel Ward duck pancakes and dim sum alongside
is set to open Passeggiata in Waverley. locally sourced seafood.
Ward has taken over an entire building And in the Northern Rivers,
Clockwise from above: Bistro and stripped it from top to tail to create Murwillumbah will welcome Bistro Livi.
Livi’s Nikky Wilson (left), a restaurant and wine bar that draws Headed up by two ex-Movida and
Ewen Crawford (middle) and
Danni Wilson (right); cocktail
on his past and serves locals. “I’m trying Carlton Wine Room chefs, it’s set to
honey bugs with tarragon and to build the restaurant I want to go to hone in on European small plates, while
the retro dining booths at Jane. a few times a week,” says Ward. Flack Studio is looking after the interiors.
16 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
News
QUEENSLAND
James Street in Fortitude Valley is
strengthening its already stellar dining
portfolio with two new restaurants from
Simon Gloftis (SK Steak & Oyster and
Hellenika) set to join the stylish complex.
Sushi Room at The Calile Hotel
promises a refined, elegant experience
with head chef Shimpei Raikuni
(ex-Kiyomi) serving premium, fresh fish
that will be flown in from around
Australia daily. The sushi counter will
VICTORIA
seat 14, and be home to an impressive
A sprawling new four-level venue has
seafood display, with an additional 60
arrived on Lonsdale Street, bringing light
seats available in the main dining room.
PHOTOGRAPHY ANNIKA KAFCALOUDIS (PATSY’S).
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 17
News
O N T H E PA S S w i t h A L A N N A S A P W E L L , B E AC H BY R O N B AY
What will you take from the past two years into this?
I was really looking at starting something myself, and I was
gearing up to do that. I’ve really thought about that and looked
at the struggles that we’re having in the industry as a whole.
I just don’t think this is the time to be thinking, “What can
Beach has been in Byron for more thab 20 years – how I do?” I think we can get further collectively.
does it feel to join the family? It just feels like the perfect
What we can expect to see on the menu? It will be hyper
group is here. You’ve got co-owners Ben and Belinda
seasonal, what’s in the area. I just want to immerse myself in
Kirkwood. They’ve been here for two decades, and are so
Byron, see what they’ve got and then work from there. It will
passionate and have an amazing lay of the land. Fink group
be very heavily seafood, not all seafood, but being on the
also joined, they are partners, so you’ve got that kind of
beach, it’s a bit of a no-brainer and what I love.
support and knowledge from a big business perspective as
well. I just can’t believe my luck. I’m really, really excited to Beach Byron Bay, 2 Massinger St, Byron Bay, NSW,
be part of it. beachbyronbay.com.au
SMOKIN’ HOT
Dubbed “that fish dip” by Northern Rivers locals, this smoked
fish rillettes is a rich-yet-fresh take on the traditional French
PHOTOGRAPHY JASON STARR (SAPWELL).
18 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
News
URBAN LANDSCAPE
Melbourne is beloved for its rooftop bars, but now it has an elevated space
with a difference. Melbourne Skyfarm is set to open this year, transforming
a public rooftop carpark into a bountiful urban farm in the CBD. The education,
hospitality and farming hub is the first of its kind in the state, and is set to have
an education space, a café and eatery, alongside conference facilities and event
spaces. With crops of vegetables and herbs already thriving, the next phase of
the venue will allow visitors to tour the verdant oasis, visit and sample from the
rooftop orchard and herb gardens, dine at the sustainable café and enjoy drinks
with views of the Yarra and Melbourne’s skyline. There will also be classes
centred on sustainable living, regenerative practices and protection and
restoration of nature, plus a retail rooftop nursery. Hoping to be a blue (or
green) print to showcase how cities can adapt to make food supply chains
more secure while activating a green space that helps to combat climate
change, Skyfarm will have the capacity to produce more than five tonnes
of fresh produce each year. melbourneskyfarm.com.au
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 19
Clockwise from
left: OzHarvest’s
Ronni Kahn with
chef Massimo
Bottura; a spread
at Refettorio;
inside the dining
space.
-GOOD
EL
FE
FOOD
HARVEST TO TABLE
Beauty and respect are words Ronni Kahn uses repeatedly when
talking about Refettorio, a new restaurant and community space
in Sydney’s Surry Hills run by OzHarvest.
“For me it’s about creating a public-facing space for OzHarvest,
that highlights dignity and respect, by providing a beautiful
gourmet-quality meal to our guests,” explains chief executive Kahn.
The words ring true once you enter the space. The restaurant
offers meals at no charge to those in need, on par with the
neighbouring cafés and restaurants that line Crown Street and
beyond. The considered three-course meal uses produce rescued
by OzHarvest, and rather than being a hand-out, it’s a restaurant
experience. “Within 5 kms of the space there are 5000 people in
need. It doesn’t always look like it because of the gentrified shops,
but you don’t have to look far to find boarding houses and housing
that supports groups,” says Kahn.
Derived from the Latin word reficere meaning refresh or
20 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
News
in a yellow curry sauce, crowned with crisp curry leaves, buttered GOLDEN GIRLS
corn, garlicky greens and a toasted coconut and pineapple sambol; Melbourne sisters Katianna and Yianna
while dessert may be a moreish chocolate torte with chilli fennel Velos are delivering a slice of their Greek
popcorn and miso caramel. Wick’s experience across sustainably heritage to Australia, launching Golden
focused kitchens and pop-ups, plus two years of working with Groves Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Harvesting
OzHarvest, means she’s a master at combating food waste, and she olives from their family groves in Mani,
weaves layers of flavour into each dish with finesse. Greece, the oil is made from cold-pressed
Alongside the food, the space (which was kindly donated by one
koroneiki olives, a variety native to Greece.
of Kahn’s philanthropist friends) is also welcoming and curated
The olives are harvested while green,
thoughtfully: Mud ceramics line the tables, a bespoke woven basket
resulting in a bright and peppery oil, ideal
by Harriet Goodall hangs from the roof and a vibrant artwork by
for drizzling over ripe tomatoes, just-fried
Indigenous artist Peter Day lines the walls.
haloumi, grilled meats, or just about any
“It’s about elevating the soul when you’re surrounded by beauty
and then there’s beauty on your plate that treats your senses,” says dish. You can even set up your own custom
Kahn. All of this, plus more, was donated to the project. oil subscription to ensure you never run dry.
“What’s so extraordinary for me – I look at the floors, the paint, $36 for 750ml, goldengrovesco.com
the walls, the coffee machine, the wood – it was all donated. For
the public, to see a space of this quality and think that people chose
to come on board and donate their services, to be part of it, that’s
quite remarkable. I pinch myself.”
Much like OzHarvest, the Refettorio is ultimately focussed
on connection. “Food is really about sharing. It’s about gratitude
and respect. There’s dignity in how you get given a plate of
food and that’s always been such an important part of sharing
food,” says Kahn.
“I am truly excited about this because it’s an exceptional
place, and it’s going to bring a lot of joy.”
481 Crown St, Surry Hills, NSW, refettorioozharvestsydney.org
MANDARIN MAGIC
Going low or no booze in
February? Melbourne’s Monceau
Clockwise from has released a sunny new
left: OzHarvest mandarin edition. The kombucha
volunteers; dining
at Refettorio; the calls upon the ancestral method
dining room; and borrowed from pét nat
fried brioche
pillows with chai winemaking, resulting in a bright,
and black
peppercorn
dry, and lightly spritzed tipple.
ice-cream. $16, monceau.com.au
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 21
News
OAT M Y
GOODNESS
It’s become the alternative milk
of choice for every other coffee
order, and now the humble
grain is shapeshifting into
a meat alternative. Pulled Oats
may sound like something
found on a breakfast menu,
but is actually a new plant-
based protein. Hitting
Australian shelves this year,
Pulled Oats is made from oats,
faba bean and pea protein,
THE WHEEL DEAL
water, rapeseed oil and spices. Sydney’s Marrickville is home to a new creative space where you can truly get behind
Intended to be a protein option the wheel. Clay Cartel is a new pottery studio from potters and ceramicists Shannon
in its own right, the product Lewis and Shinhee Ma, joined by chef-turned-potter Daniel Mulligan. After working in
was developed by Finnish kitchens for 20 years and on the verge of burnout, Mulligan turned to pottery to help
brand Gold & Green. The soft him find a sense of balance outside of the kitchen. In 2016 he traded his chef’s knives
texture resembles pulled pork, for trimming tools and throwing knives. These days he produces tableware for
but with a muted, sweet-yet- restaurants and cafés, and joined forces with Ma and Lewis to open the studio. The trio
savoury flavour. Try it as an now hope to share their talents with the community, offering a studio space where
alternative to tofu or in place people can learn the basics of throwing down clay and develop their practice. There’s
of meat in your next lasagne. also a retail shop where you can purchase their plates, vessels, bowls and vases.
goldandgreenfoods.com Units 35 & 36, 76B Edinburgh Rd, Marrickville, NSW, claycartel.com.au
1
THREE TO TRY REUSABLE COFFEE CUPS
1
Fressko
Form and function combine into a perfect, portable package that saw Fressko win
a Good Design Award for this effort. This insulated reusable cup is easy to wash, and
2
will keep your latte hot or your iced coffee cool. Its screw-top lid also prevents any spillage.
From $34.95, au.madebyfressko.com
2
KeepCup
As one of the first homegrown cups to shift the way Australians get their caffeine
fix, the KeepCup is one of the best reusable vessels around. The easy-to-use lid
seals firmly to prevent leaks and the glass is sturdy, plus stays clean and odour-free.
From $30, au.keepcup.com
3 3
Huskee
Made from discarded coffee husks, this sustainable coffee cup can be used on the
go or in the home. The sleek design is easy to hold and comes in both charcoal
(pictured) and a natural colour. From $16, huskee.co
22 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
News
T H E L AT E ST B O U T I Q U E A N D LU X U RY H OT E L S
HOTEL NEWS
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 23
D WIT
OR
H
QUI K W
A R K A DAS
C
A
The writer and star of Here Out West
on roti hacks, Anthony Bourdain and
Sydney’s best Indian food.
I was born in Bangladesh. We migrated when I was six and I grew up all
around Western Sydney: I’ve lived in Ashfield, in Blacktown, in Auburn,
in Strathfield.
My mum is an amazing cook. She learnt everything she knows from her
mum, and I’ve learnt everything I know from her… Growing up in the ’90s,
we didn’t have a lot of the ingredients that you can get now, all the Indian
supermarkets weren’t really around back then. She used to have to
experiment. I remember her making rotis with sheets of puff pastry;
that was something she invented. It actually worked really well!
Growing up in a South Asian family, I think mums don’t really think that
their sons will want to learn how to cook. And I didn’t really care about
it when I was young. I loved food, and I always loved trying new things,
but I didn’t think about cooking too much. Somewhere in my early 20s,
I had a moment. My parents went overseas and left me at home for a few
months. My mum left frozen curries for me, but I was like, “I’m sick of it.
I want to make something.” So I tried – and once I burnt the kitchen down.
Now I’m an avid home cook. I’m a real noodle freak at the moment.
My favourite is flipping the mi goreng. A lot of people don’t realise how
versatile it is, you can get it out of the packet and do a lot of things with
it… I’ll put my own flavours in, sometimes it’s soy sauce, garlic and chilli
oil, some onions, and then whatever I feel like, some tofu, some bok choy,
things like that. And then I put the mi goreng flavour in at the end with
PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER.
a little bit more oil. It’s kind of like a lo mein, just fry, fry, fry it at the end.
I’m a huge fan of the late Anthony Bourdain. Parts Unknown is one of
my favourite shows, I’ve watched every episode. He had a real working-
class mentality when it comes to food and I love that. I think working-class
food is some of the best food. When people’s backs are against the wall,
they still have to feed themselves, and so many exciting dishes from
around the world come from a working-class background.
24 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Memories
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 25
CH EN GARD
E KIT EN
ER
T H
Basil
Sweet and fragrant, basil is one of summer’s
blessings. It’s easy to grow and will flourish in
pot or garden, writes SIMON RICKARD.
T
he smell of basil is a signature of the summer kitchen.
It’s the heady scent of freshness, outdoor eating, and la dolce vita.
When we speak of ‘basil’, we typically think of sweet basil, with
its strong connection to Italian cuisine. In fact, there are dozens
of species in the basil genus Ocimum, belonging to the mint family. Like all
members of the mint family (think sage, rosemary and thyme), basils have
square stems and lipped flowers. Most basils are native to Africa, although
the most important culinary species hail from the Indian subcontinent.
Edible plants tell us so many stories about ourselves. Take the recipe in
which sweet basil plays the starring role, pesto. Pesto is famously associated
with the port city of Genoa, through which all kinds of exotic luxury items
passed, over many centuries. Pesto consists of basil from India and garlic from
Central Asia, mixed with Mediterranean olive oil, pine nuts and hard cheese.
This simple dish tells a unique story about human history; trade routes,
alliances, conquests and multiculturalism.
Basil plays a ritual role in certain religious traditions. St Helen is reputed
to have discovered basil growing at the place where Christ’s cross is buried,
hence its name ‘basil’, which pertains to ‘royalty’. If you’ve ever been to an
Orthodox wedding – perhaps even in a St Basil’s Church – you might have
been sprinkled with holy water by a priest using a bunch of sweet basil.
26 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Grow your own
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 27
JOSÉ
ROCA
Kylie Kwong celebrates the
individuals helping to grow
a stronger community. This
month, we meet the artistic
director of the 23rd Biennale
of Sydney, José Roca.
J
eloquent way of ust like watercolour, acrylic or sculpture, exhibition is
seeing the world is entirely unique. a medium in itself – a type of artwork, as well as the
I particularly love José’s collaborative materials used to create it. This idea is central to José
approach to his work, which has seen Roca’s approach to the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, set
him enlist a local team of curators to to take place between March and June.
enhance his concept for the Biennale “The outcome is the exhibition, which is a creation that
of Sydney, weaving in their local wasn’t there before,” says Roca, who is the artistic director of
knowledge and ideas. Humble, this year’s Biennale. “It is the result of the interaction of the
spacious and truly sustainable. works, the space and the viewer. Many exhibitions that are
conceived only from an art-historical perspective tend to be
flat, but the type of exhibitions that I’m interested in are
creations in space.”
Roca has led a monumental career in exhibition curation.
Born and raised in the Colombian capital of Bogotá, his
28 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
interest in art and design was spurred from a young
age, with his mother often taking him to local art
exhibitions. Following in the footsteps of his older
brother, Roca decided to study architecture after
school, leading him to a graduate position in the
department of architecture at the Bogotá Museum project has been the inspiration for Roca’s
of Modern Art. Sydney Biennale, which is titled UČ̄vus.
“I realised then that I was far more interested “I wanted to take the ideas behind
in museums than I was in designing buildings,” Waterweavers and use them as the premise for
he says. “I could see how the exhibitions were the Biennale, expanding them to the world at
concocted. It’s a very interesting alchemy of ODUJH´KHVD\V³5ČØYXVLVWKH/DWLQURRWIRU
different things; you’re not just showcasing work, stream; and that root is present in many other
there’s something extra that’s created by the words, including rivalis which stems from the
display. So, I went into exhibition design and connotation of rivalry. I thought this idea of
worked as an exhibition designer for many years.” water and conflict was very intriguing.”
Over his 30-year career, Roca Rivers, wetlands and other
has worked at the Centre “People are craving bodies of water are front and
WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH (MAIN) & KYLIE KWONG (INTRO). PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL BOUD (ROCA) & MARK POKORNY (KWONG).
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 29
Five of a kind
O
FAV U R
1. THE KIMCHI COMPANY
IT
TEAM
E
VEGAN KIMCHI
GT
The Kimchi Company makes
its kimchi with ingredients
strictly sourced from the
Chung-Cheong-Do region of
South Korea. A key component
is the high-altitude Napa
cabbage, which offers a crisp 5
yet chewy texture. There’s
2
a confident kick of acidity, too.
Mix through fried rice, add to
noodles or try your hand at
kimchi jeon (pancakes).
$6.20 for 330gm,
kimchicompany.com.au
30 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Northern Tasmania
TASMA NI A
The cool-climate vineyards in the Tamar Valley and
Pipers River yield some of Australia’s finest pinot
noir, writes SAMANTHA PAYNE.
I
n the second part of our Tasmanian adventure, we head north to the
Tamar Valley and Pipers River sub-regions, which boast a history of
vineyards dating back to the 1820s.
“The more information and detail we can give people about the
Samantha is wines from all these different sub-regions within Tasmania, the more they’ll
a sommelier,
writer and wine engage with it,” explains winemaker Jim Chatto. This diversity of sub-
consultant. regionality is a part of Chatto’s business model, as he only produces pinot
@sl_payne noir wines from his estate vineyards in the southern Tasmanian region of
Wine country
M ANIA
T AS
RN
NORTH T
HE
RT OF AS
TE
NO
M
S
Pipers River
AN
A TA
IA
Tamar
Valley
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 33
Cocktail hour
TH E BRU NS WI CK
A
lcohol-free cocktails may not
take the discerning drinker’s
fancy at first, but when done
well, they can be as invigorating
as the real deal.
Since opening in April, Australia’s first
alcohol-free distillery and bar, Brunswick
Aces in Melbourne, has attracted a solid
clientele of sober and sober-curious
drinkers as the team produces well-known
cocktail flavours, sans the alcohol. Take
The Brunswick – their twist on a gin sour.
“The sour cocktail family is as
renowned as it is delicious,” says Stuart
Henshall, Brunswick Aces brand director.
“It was important for us to be able to
recreate an equally enjoyable non-alcoholic
experience with The Brunswick. Texture,
flavour and presentation are the headlining
qualities of this drink.”
It’s sweet, aromatic and bitter, with
fragrant botanical complexities from the
addition of their own non-alcoholic gin,
Spades Sapiir.
3
Chill a coupe glass. Add 60ml zero-alcohol gin (such as Brunswick Aces Spades Sapiir),
15ml lemon juice, 30ml lemon oleo-saccharum, one tsp of marmalade and five drops of
wonderfoam into a cocktail shaker. Shake hard for 10-15 seconds until cold and foamy.
NS TO T
GI Double strain into coupe and garnish with a slice of dehydrated lemon or lime.
L
RY
-A LC O HO
Lyre’s Dry London Spirit Ginologist London Dry Monday Zero Alcohol Gin
Earthy and citrusy, this Handcrafted in South A spice-driven bottle that
RO
drop aims to create its Africa, this gin uses will satisfy just as well as
ZE the hard stuff. Sip with
own unique flavour rather juniper and lemongrass
than mimic that of gin. It’s to capture the essence tonic to appreciate its
a nice, clean addition. of a traditional dry gin. full flavour potential.
$45 for 700ml $50 for 700ml $40 for 750ml
lyres.com.au sansdrinks.com.au drinkmonday.co
34 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
FA M O U S
AUSTRALIAN
LIFESTYLE
FA MOU S
POL I S H
GLASS
kr o sn o.c om .au
Featuring the handmade Latitude vase. N ow available in leading homewares & depar tment stores.
A G o u r m e t Tr a v e l l e r r e a d e r e v e n t
TICKETS
ON SALE
NOW THE MENU
Snacks
Foie gras & sauternes macaron,
bone marrow crumpet
Louis Roederer ‘242’ NV Brut
Entrée
Moreton bay bug,
CLASS Main
Glacier 51 toothfish,
clam escabeche, seasonal
vegetables & lemonade fruit
Join us for an evening of European elegance at Sydney’s French fries
Franca Brasserie, as we are set sail on a culinary journey hosted by Butter lettuce, lemon, oil
Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin and Oceania Cruises. Dog Point Chardonnay,
2018, Marlborough NZ
Together, we’ll recall fond memories and flavours of past travels and delight
Dessert
in a taste of new adventures to come with Oceania Cruises’ exciting culinary
Crème caramel
programme. We’ll begin the evening with a welcome toast and glass of French
Mas Amiel ‘Maury’,
Champagne, before luxuriating in a four-course menu of classic French flavours,
Fortified Malbec, Loire
paired with a selection of award-winning wines.
Along the way, we’ll learn more about Oceania Cruises’ commitment to culinary
excellence and exclusive programme of gourmet dining experiences, including the
Dom Pérignon Experience, which features a six-course dégustation menu with each
course paired with a different vintage from the famed Champagne house.
Curated especially for gourmet travellers, the programme is designed to fully
immerse travellers in their destination, through food, flavour and produce. Join us
as Franca executive chef Jose Saulog treats us to the flavours of France and inspires
new adventures to come.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 37
Review
38 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Review
CK LOO
UI
K
SHELL HOUSE
DINING ROOM &
TERRACE
37 Margaret St,
Sydney, NSW
shellhouse.com.au
CHEFS Joel Bickford
and Aaron Ward
OPENING HOURS
Thurs-Sat noon-3pm;
Wed-Sat 5.30pm-late
PRICE GUIDE $$$
BOOKINGS
Recommended.
VERDICT Skilful food
in a chilled-out setting.
Alfresco dining at
the Terrace.
Opposite: Shell
House Dining
Room; yuzu,
crème fraîche and
salted milk.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 39
Review
CK LOO
UI
K
ROTHWELL’S
BAR & GRILL
235 Edward St,
Brisbane, Qld
rothwellsbrisbane.
com.au
CHEF Ben Russell
OPENING HOURS
Tue-Sat noon-2.30pm;
5.30pm-late
PRICE GUIDE $$$
BOOKINGS
Recommended.
Clockwise from
VERDICT watercress, with complimentary
left: tagliarini,
A grown-up glitzy
addition to sea urchin and condiments proffered at the table.
Brisbane,
Brisbane’s CBD. caviar; the bar
Qld
at Rothwell’s.
Centrestage, there’s a striking raw
bar in marble, with counter seats for
walk-ins. Our oysters, Royal Miyagi
Pacifics from Tasmania, come out
as a consequence Rothwell’s feels The décor chimes with the menu There’s a return to form when
established, even though it only too. This pays tribute to the golden dessert appears. Dark, crisp-edged
arrived in November. age of dining – rich beef Wellington madeleines are hot and buttery and
A 30-seat lobby bar with a with red wine sauce, celebratory don’t strictly need the glossy whisky-
dramatic copper-topped counter sits seafood platters for two and Moreton laced caramel they’re accompanied
just inside the front door, with large Bay bugs shiny with Café de Paris by. But at Rothwell’s you’re unlikely
windows to Edward Street offering butter. An assortment of steaks are to feel compelled to hold back.
views of shiny Gucci advertisements. served simply with onion rings and Here, extravagance succeeds.
40 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
C O U N T RY C H A RM
Eight family-owned wineries and a rustic-yet-chic
dining space proves a winning combination,
writes KATIE SPAIN.
CK LOO
UI
K
ESSEN
BY ARTISANS
OF BAROSSA
24 Vine Vale Rd,
Tanunda, SA
artisansofbarossa.com
CHEF
Ryan Edwards
OPENING HOURS
Fri-Sun noon-3pm
attitude that is imbued in the Barossa. Pork belly with morcilla, cauliflower from 8am. The whole experience is
History permeates the ironstone wall and sherry-soaked muscadelles is charming and despite opening just
leading the way to the entrance; made warm Barossa hospitality on a plate. a few months ago, the service led by
with stones sourced from a nearby Menu selections are listed in front of house Sam Varcin feels
vineyard, each one carefully laid in descending order according to palate seamless. There’s a lot to be said for
place by local stonemasons. weight, from lightest to boldest, which honest country charm.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 41
CK LOO
UI
Q
K
YAKIMONO
80 Collins St,
Melbourne, Vic
yakimono.com.au
CHEF Daniel Wilson
OPENING HOURS
Mon-Sun noon-late
PRICE GUIDE $$
BOOKINGS
Recommended.
VERDICT Lucas’s take
on a bustling izakaya
is, unsurprisingly,
a good time.
42 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Review
Melbourne,
Vic
upmarket, as he emphatically, wearing chefs deftly wrangling meat on and fatty-sweet wagyu intercostals.
extravagantly has most recently at charcoal grills. For optimum pleasure, Those with larger groups or appetites
Society, party vibes remain front and get a seat at the bar and make good should direct their attention to the
centre on his mood board. At Society’s use of the extensive drinks list. signature miso-glazed whole chicken.
neighbour Yakimono, it’s like The list understands its task. It’s Order it with excellent sides like a
mainlining sugary, jittery good times. brash, fun and full of good quality thoroughly satisfying smoked chicken
Yakimono is loosely based on the booze – whether you’re talking fat fried rice and a cabbage slaw with
izakayas of Tokyo, but it’s a turbo- on-theme cocktails (Harajuku mashes a kicking spicy mayo dressing.
charged version, more art installation together tequila, sake, lychee, ginger, The service is great – accurate and
than faithful recreation. It starts the vanilla, lime and smoked salt), an attentive – some kind of miracle given
moment you walk in from the street, impressive showing of Victorian craft the pachinko parlour-channelling
via a “laneway” that funnels you into beers, more than decent sake or atmosphere. But this is how Chris
the 80 Collins Street precinct. a wine list that piles on the good stuff Lucas excels. No matter how high the
Yakimono first douses you in baby but never strays from easy drinking. fun and frivolity dial gets cranked, he
pink and blue neon and reflective Chef Daniel Wilson (of Huxtable never stints on the hospo essentials.
surfaces and then, as you climb the and Huxtaburger fame) keeps the food Good times guaranteed.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 43
WWW.TRAEGERGRILLS.COM.AU
FEBRUARY
EVERYDAY
6 chicken Marylands
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup firmly packed mint leaves
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
12 rosemary sprigs
200 gm (1 cup) pearl barley
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 each yellow and white peaches,
cut into thin wedges
60 gm Sicilian green olives, pitted,
halved
50 gm caperberries, half thinly sliced,
half whole
50 gm finely grated truffle pecorino (see
note), plus extra to serve
46 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
SWAP IT OUT
Try substituting grated
haloumi, buffalo
mozzarella or feta for
stringy haloumi.
120 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to 1 For khobz, sift dry ingredients and 2 tsp 3 To cook khobz, pinch off golf ball-
serve salt into the bowl of a food processor. sized pieces of dough and roll out to
Zest and juice of 2 lemons Whisk yoghurt, oil and 100ml hot water in 3mm-thick rounds on a lightly floured
2 garlic cloves, peeled, bruised a jug, slowly pour in the yoghurt mixture surface. Heat a large frying pan over
½ tsp each ground cumin and coriander while pulsing until mixture comes high heat until very hot and cook bread
1.2 kg canned white beans, drained, together. Place in a clean bowl, cover with one at a time until lightly scorched
rinsed plastic wrap and set aside to stand at (1-2 minutes), then turn and cook other
2 tbsp hulled tahini room temperature until required. side (1 minute).
2 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra 2 Meanwhile, heat 60ml olive oil in 4 Spread khobz with crushed beans.
to serve a frying pan over low-medium heat, add Layer with figs and stringy haloumi, then
3 small figs, quartered lemon and garlic, and cook, stirring scatter with sumac and nigella seeds.
200 gm stringy haloumi (see note) occasionally, until garlic is golden. Combine remaining 60ml olive oil and
½ tsp sumac Discard garlic. Add cumin and coriander, juice of 1 lemon; drizzle over the tops of
2 tsp nigella seeds, toasted, plus extra stir until fragrant (1 minute). Add beans; the flat breads. Serve scattered with
to serve stir to coat in oil, then cook, crushing lemon balm and with yoghurt drizzled
Micro lemon balm, to serve with a potato masher until coarsely with nigella seeds and oil to the side.
KHOBZ crushed and warmed through. Remove Note Stringy haloumi is lightly salted and
150 gm each wholemeal flour and plain from heat; stir through tahini, juice of stretched into long thin strands. Unlike
flour 1 lemon and yoghurt, then season to other haloumi it is eaten fresh. Available
1 tsp each dried yeast and baking taste. Set aside and keep warm. from Middle Eastern grocery stores and
powder select delicatessens. ➤
200 gm Greek-style yoghurt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 47
Grilled sirloin
with harissa butter,
green tomato and
melon salad
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 10 MINS
(PLUS RESTING)
48 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Everyday
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 49
Everyday
SWAP IT OUT
You can substitute
lobster for any sweet,
tender seafood,
including prawns
or crabmeat.
Lobster spaghetti 1 Place a sieve over a bowl. Finely chop over medium heat, add garlic, remaining
with tomato water oxheart tomatoes and place in the sieve, shallot and capers; stir until fragrant
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 20 MINS
lifting any juices from the chopping (1 minute).
board with your knife into the sieve. 4 Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling
4 ripe oxheart tomatoes (200gm each) Sprinkle with 11⁄2 tsp crumbled flaked sea water 2 minutes less than packet
1 golden shallot, very finely chopped salt, add half the chopped shallot and instructions (4 minutes). Drain, add to
5 large basil leaves, plus extra small scrunch basil leaves, then toss well to the frying pan with tomato water, cook,
leaves to serve combine. Set aside while preparing the tossing pasta frequently until glossy
2 cooked lobster (450gm) rest of the recipe, stirring occasionally to and cooked to al dente. Add chopped
50 gm butter release tomato water; you will need tomato, sliced basil and lobster; toss just
60 ml (1⁄4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil 200ml tomato water. to combine. Divide among bowls and
1 garlic clove, crushed 2 Meanwhile, remove all meat from scatter with extra basil leaves.
2 tsp baby capers lobster, chop coarsely and refrigerate
300 gm dried tagliarini until required.
300 gm dried spaghetti 3 When ready to serve, bring a large
saucepan of salted water to the boil.
Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan
50 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Everyday
COOKING TIP
Ask your fishmonger for
swordfish steaks that are
at least 3.5cm thick. This
will prevent the fish from
overcooking. You can also
substitute tuna for
swordfish if you prefer.
Swordfish steaks
with honey and citrus
kosho dressing
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 5 MINS
(PLUS RESTING)
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 51
Everyday
SERVING SUGGESTION
Try substituting berries for
cherries or add any of your
favourite seasonal fruit.
We use meat from Devitt Wholesale Meats in the GT Test Kitchen and in all our photo shoots.
Pol sambol
Hailing from Sri Lanka, this vibrant
and versatile condiment delivers
a spicy-sour kick of coconut.
54 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Masterclass
C
onsidered by many to be Sri Lanka’s national dish,
this coconut-laden accompaniment is a flavourful yet A note on roti
simple recipe to add to your repertoire. A little bit Using coconut oil to fry your
sour, a little bit spicy, and naturally sweet – a spoonful roti will add depth of flavour,
sitting atop just-fried roti makes for a harmonious bite. Pol but vegetable oil is a suitable
sambol can be consumed in countless ways. Add a spoonful to substitute if you prefer.
curries for some extra tang or bring a spicy kick to eggs on toast.
1 5
3
Step by step
6
RECIPE DOMINIC SMITH. PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN PAUL URIZAR. STYLING AMANDA CHEBATTE.
chilli and 1 tsp fine sea salt; stir until Roll up tightly from short side; cut into
well combined. 8 even pieces.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 55
Anatomy of a dish
THE SAUCE
Sweet Chinese cooking wine, such
as Shaoxing, or Japanese mirin, followed
by soy sauce and sesame oil, give sang
choi bau its salty-sweet flavour profile.
T
he real magic of this dish lies
in the contrast between the
piping hot salty-sweet filling
and the crunchy, chilled
lettuce leaf that cradles it; each element
brings different textures, temperatures
and flavours, yet when they come
together, they sing in complete harmony.
Sang choi bau is an adored dish in
the Chinese culinary canon, however
WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN PAUL URIZAR. STYLING STEVE PEARCE. FOOD PREPARATION JESSICA BROOK.
its etymology is difficult to define.
David Zhou from David’s in Melbourne
says in Cantonese the words “sang choi”
roughly translate to “lettuce” – a symbol
of prosperity and wealth. “In China, sang
choi bau is eaten at the end of winter
as a welcome into spring,” says Zhou.
“It’s symbolic of new life and energy.”
A multitude of variations gives this
dish a certain versatility, making it
a go-to for home cooks; some use wallaby
as the main filling, while vegetarian
adaptations hero tofu for the protein.
“It’s fresh, light and crunchy, and
there are an unlimited amount of things
you can put in it, which is probably why
it’s taken off internationally,” says Zhou.
THE FILLING
Find While pork mince
one is traditional, there are
THE LETTUCE an abundance of other fillings
XOPP in Sydney sees scallop Fresh iceberg or baby cos lettuce is that do the job. Duck or prawns
and edamame take centre key here. The leaves, which create will bring a touch of luxe, while
stage, while David’s in diced shiitake or broccoli offer a
little parcels for the filling, should be
Melbourne offers a version flavourful vegetarian alternative.
with crackling pork made crunchy. Soaking the whole head in
with a hoisin glaze. iced water before peeling each leaf Throw in aromatics, water
will help to achieve the perfect bite. chestnuts and julienned seasonal
vegetables for
added flavour and bite.
56 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
SP
EC
IA
LE
DI
TIO
N
ON SALE NOW
WRITING
NEW
CHAPTERS
From Austin to Zurich, Australian chefs help populate kitchens
around the world. This international experience doesn’t just look
good on résumés: it also spells good things for eaters, especially when
returning expats bring back new flavours, ideas and ingredients to
Australia. Three recent arrivals talk to MAX VEENHUYZEN about
coming home and lessons learned on the road.
58 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Restaurants throughout Australia, Asia and Europe. Hosting
guided luxury boat tours along the Mekong. Consulting to
Jaan Bai, a social enterprise in Battambang established by
the Cambodian Children’s Trust: if keeping tabs on David
Thompson’s (pre-Covid) movements was hard as an eater,
spare a thought for Annita Potter. For close to a decade,
Perth-born Potter was the Thai food authority’s executive
chef and travelled the world
working on Thompson’s myriad
projects and eateries. “I don’t want to
After helping steer Thompson’s rush and turn over
Hong Kong fine-diner Aaharn to a tables because
Michelin star in 2019, Potter went
solo at year’s end to pursue, in her people don’t get
words, “a little slice of normality”. the experience
And then Covid hit. that they’re
Unable to find any restaurant
work in Sydney, Potter took things
paying for.”
into her own hands and set up
Viand: a two-nights-a-week pop-up at Darlinghurst’s Almond
Bar slinging uncompromising Thai food.
Her decision was about more than just dollars.
“I needed to cook,” says Potter. “I needed to feed people
again. It’s the one thing that grounds me and centres me,
and I had no ability to do it. [The pop-up] may not have
been the best idea, but it kept me afloat.”
Despite these misgivings, the pop-up was a hit and
paved the way for the opening of a permanent Viand
in Woolloomooloo earlier this year: a spacious, 40-seat
space that embodies Potter’s ideas of both Thai food
and hospitality.
“It’s basically how I want to eat,” says Potter. “I don’t
ANNITA POTTER, VIAND want to sit in a barn full of people. I want space. I want
air around my table. I don’t want to rush and turn over
David Thompson’s former right-hand woman tables because people don’t get the experience that they’re
paying for.”
brings her intimate, personal expression of Thai
Like most hospitality workers, the last two years haven’t
dining to Sydney’s Woolloomooloo neighbourhood. been easy for Potter, but as things revert to some semblance
of normal, she hopes the industry doesn’t squander this
opportunity to learn and grow.
“I think it’s bad to think that things were always better
before,” she says. “Covid was something no one saw coming
and it basically reset everything. We’ve all been kind of
going through this blindly, but I hope we don’t just go back
to how things used to be.”
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 59
PAUL BENTLEY, CASA Paul Bentley was only meant to be in Perth for three weeks
when he passed through in March 2020 en route to Tokyo.
After two decades cooking and living (He was due to run a taqueria during the Olympics.) Almost
two years on and the softly spoken chef now calls WA home.
abroad, this veteran Perth chef is back on
Again. And Perth eaters dined happily ever after.
Australian soil and waving the flag for Initially they toasted their good fortune at Si Paradiso,
Mexican-European-Japanese food. where our man’s Japanese-Italian cooking turned heads.
Since September, members of the Paul Bentley
Appreciation Society have also been meeting regularly at
Casa: a combined wine bar, bottle shop and mother of
a show-and-tell prop.
“The best way to define Casa is a distillation of my life
experiences,” says Bentley. “It’s what I want to eat while
I’m drinking wine. There are no real rules but a lot of
Mexican and European influences. Cale [Mason, one of
the partners at Si Paradiso and
Casa] and I seem to have “At the end of the
a habit of doing things that can’t day, food has to
be pigeonholed.”
Those European influences be honest and it
go back to Daniel – Daniel has to be credible.
Boulud’s eponymous New York Just cook.
flagship. As well as The Loose
Box, Alain Fabrègues’s
Just do you.”
influential Perth fine-diner
and Bentley’s last local kitchen job before he headed
overseas in 2000. Casa’s tacos, tostadas and other Mexican
flourishes, meanwhile, speak to the decade Bentley spent
living in Guadalajara, where he oversaw a suite of venues
throughout Mexico and Hawaii that included brasseries,
bistros and ramen bars.
Although Bentley was back in Oz regularly to visit
family and friends, getting back into an Australian kitchen
full-time gave him a closer look at the country’s new food
order. He liked what he saw: in particular, the sharp
increase in produce quality (“When I was an apprentice,
it was always like, in Europe, this is better”); not being
fixated on global awards (“I don’t think the whole ‘50 Best’
vibe is as big in Australia as it was in other places that I’ve
worked”); and the industry moving away from those
circular “what is Australian cuisine?” discussions of old.
PHOTOGRAPHY LAJOS VARGA.
60 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
“Arkhé was never meant to be
top-end, but more of an everyday
restaurant. We want people to
come in and feel like they’re not
locked into anything.”
JAKE KELLIE, ARKHÉ dinners and events. Despite this pedigree, Kellie wants
Arkhé to be an inclusive rather than exclusive proposition
The one-time head chef of Singapore’s for guests, as evinced by a food offering that runs from bar
snacks (bread with Taleggio, say, or chicken liver parfait) to
World’s 50 Best-ranked Burnt Ends brings the heat
wood-fired lobster.
to Adelaide’s hottest newcomer. “Arkhé was never meant to be top-end, but more of an
everyday restaurant,” he says. “We want people to come in
and feel like they’re not locked into anything.”
Although cooking in Singapore meant Kellie had
access to ingredients from all over the world, local
ingredients are the stars of the Arkhé kitchen, with
“It’s like running a steam engine every day.” That’s how Jake Mayura Station beef and Eyrewoolf abalone among the
Kellie describes running the wood-burning ovens at Arkhé, restaurant’s predominantly South Australian larder. To
the 160-person bar and restaurant he opened in November Kellie, the local people are just as important as the produce.
with Adelaide’s Palmer Hospitality Group (2KW, Fishbank). “The core of the industry, they’re all legends,” says
Every day, wood is loaded into two custom-built ovens, lit, Kellie. “The Paul Bakers, the Emma McCaskills, the Karena
then left to slowly burn for around three hours to produce Armstrongs. The amount of support thrown behind this
the coals that fuel the grills, hearth, smoker and even restaurant has been so humbling.”
deep-fryer in the restaurant’s open kitchen. Best of all, Arkhé isn’t South Australia’s only hot place
Making your own coals daily is a not-insignificant to eat. “I feel like, over the next two to three years, Adelaide
commitment, but it’s a non-negotiable aspect of barbecue is going to be Australia’s dining capital, I really do,” says
PHOTOGRAPHY DUY DASH.
cooking that Kellie learned during his time at Burnt Ends, Kellie. “You’ve got places in the city and wine regions
Singapore’s World’s 50 Best-ranked modern barbecue ranging from high-end restaurants like Magill Estate and
restaurant. In addition to overseeing operations at their Restaurant Botanic where you can sit and dine for hours,
former Chinatown headquarters, Kellie also helped sprinkle but then you can also come to Arkhé, Africola or Shōbōsho
some Burnt Ends magic around the world via pop-up and have a really beautiful lunch. I love Adelaide.”
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 61
UNDER
THE
From Pino’s in Newcastle to Cornersmith in
Sydney’s Annandale, more and more eateries
are opting not to trumpet their plant-based
credentials. NADIA BAILEY finds out why.
RADAR
A
t most restaurants, if diners get up and walk “We see people come
out on a regular basis, it’s cause for alarm. through and be shocked
At Pino’s – a charming Italian spot in the
Newcastle suburb of Islington – it’s something that it’s vegan – and
of a matter of course. then they end up
“At least once a week, we'll get tables that just walk becoming regulars.”
straight out,” says director and chef Dion May. On top of
the walk-outs, there’s a pretty good chance of copping an
earful of negative feedback. “It happens at least a good few
times a week, if not nightly,” he says.
These strong reactions aren’t about the quality of the
food. Or even what’s on the menu. Rather, it’s what’s not
on the menu that sends diners into a tailspin. Because
although Pino’s is classically Italian – serving up a small, who are already vegan or vegetarian than he is in people
seasonally driven offering of bruschetta con caponata, cacio who assume that a plant-based restaurant has nothing
e pepe, gnocchi fra diavolo and the like – nothing on the to offer them.
menu contains dairy or meat. He’s found that once diners have gotten over their
Of course, this is hardly a radical act in the year 2022. initial reticence and start eating, there are no more walk-
But where other restaurants put their vegan credentials front outs. “We see people come through and be shocked that it’s
and centre, Pino’s takes the opposite approach. Terms like vegan – and then they end up becoming regulars,” he says.
vegan, vegetarian and plant-based go unmentioned on its The same strategy is working for Golden Gully,
website and social media. The staff don’t hype up the fact a neighbourhood bar in Sydney’s inner west. Here, the
that the ragù derives its umami from mushrooms or that the atmosphere is unpretentious, the drinks list extensive, and
cheese is made from cashews. But Newcastle is not Sydney the snacks approachable, skewed towards locally grown,
– the population is smaller and tastes can be more seasonal produce married with native Australian flavours.
conservative. Hence the walk-outs: there are certain Despite the fact there are no animal products on the menu,
assumptions people tend to make when they realise co-owner Daniel McBride describes the choice as “not
what kind of restaurant it is. something that defines us”.
Though the strategy at Pino’s may seem counterintuitive “A lot of our customers are not vegan or vegetarian,”
– it risks missing out on the crowd who are actively seeking he explains. “And we’re not a vegan restaurant.” Instead, he
plant-based options, as well as alienating customers who prefers to highlight other aspects of the menu, like its focus
just want to have a traditional Bolognese – for May, there’s on locally grown and seasonal ingredients – which just
a specific type of diner he’s hoping to reach. happen to be vegetables.
“It’s people who might not have eaten here in the first Though McBride’s personal ethics means he eats
place if they knew,” he explains. He’s less interested in those a vegetarian diet in his own life, he says he doesn’t like to
get too caught up on the philosophy. Nor does he want to
PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID GRIFFEN (PINOS).
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 63
“Plant-based has become
a term that almost doesn’t
mean much, in that there’s
lots of issues within our into considering their food choices in the context of an
industrialised food system.
food system, and meat is “Cornersmith’s whole ethos is about education,” she
not always the problem.” explains. Though people are welcome to simply come and
get their coffee and put no more thought into it, she hopes
they’ll be inspired to dig a little deeper. “I’m really hoping
that over the 10 years we’ve sparked a bit of thought in
people about making better environmental decisions.”
This is what Elliot-Howery is passionate about – all of
The trend seems to have been born out of a changing her thinking comes from an environmental standpoint,
sensibility around the way people think about diets that rather than the lifestyle-driven, wellness-focussed approach
don’t include animal products. Even the language has that’s currently in vogue. “Plant-based has become a term
shifted, with words like vegan and vegetarian giving way that almost doesn’t mean much anymore, in that there’s lots
to terms like plant-based. of issues within our food system, and meat is not always the
“They’re quite loaded words,” acknowledges chef and problem,” she says. “Packaged foods, imported foods; there’s
educator Alex Elliott-Howery. “They’ve got associations to so many other issues – just saying it’s vegan or plant-based
them.” At her café Cornersmith, she’s tried to steer clear of doesn’t make it good.”
what she describes as “90’s, hippie-ish, Badde Manors She sees Cornersmith’s mission as a kind of quiet
[Glebe vegetarian café] vibes”, in favour of a more inclusive activism. “We’re trying to make change with people who
approach. She believes there’s more to be gained by aren’t already in that scene,” she says. “We need to be
educating people on the value of eating locally, seasonally mindful that people need baby steps and they need entry-
and sustainably, rather than “ramming any kind of ideology level decision making.” She hopes that if a lot of people
down their throat”. make incremental changes towards a more sustainable
Cornersmith has evolved in step with Elliot-Howery’s way of eating, it’s something that, over time, will have
personal ethics – when she and her partner James Grant profound impact.
opened Cornersmith’s original outpost in Marrickville, the Overwhelmingly, people are motivated by what tastes
menu included meat. “Reducing meat and how to eat meat good, as opposed to loftier concerns like what’s ethical or
ethically was the conversation we were having 10 years ago,” sustainable. And sometimes turning people onto more
she says. “We were really clear that meat was free-range, that responsible ways of eating isn’t about screaming veganism
we understood where it came from – we only used butchers – it’s just a matter of getting them open to the idea of trying
and suppliers that we trusted and admired the work they something new. Or, as May puts it, “If good food is good
were doing.” food, it doesn’t need to be marketed to a vegan crowd. If
But when they opened Cornermith’s Annandale outpost you just show them that you can have something that’s not
five years ago, Elliot-Howery felt that serving meat no longer gonna kill ya or be terrible, they might come around.”
aligned with her professional values (the café still serves eggs
and dairy, however).
“I think we have a responsibility in the food industry –
as anyone does in whatever industry they’re in – to make
environmental choices that are better,” she explains. But like
May and McBride, she wanted to let the menu speak for
itself rather than branding it as specifically meat-free.
Across both the café and the Cornersmith cooking
school, where she leads classes with a sustainable and
waste-free bent, Elliot-Howery tries to gently guide people
64 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Clockwise from left: Cornersmith in
Annandale; the dining room; spring toast
with goat’s curd and charred zucchini;
a selection of jams and preserves.
PHOTOGRAPHY JESSIE ANN HARRIS & NIKKI TO (PRODUCE BOX).
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 65
Lessons in balance
When it comes to cuisine, balance can mean different things to different people.
ANNE HASEGAWA explores the concept across six unique Asian cultures.
B
alance isn’t just about flavours, textures and them so strikingly distinct from the Western palate.
ILLUSTRATIONS ADOBE STOCK.
colours on a plate. It’s not just following steps on Philosophies rooted in balance may be impossible to grasp
a page or ensuring perfectly precise measurements. without lived experience, but putting them into practice in the
Rather, balance comes from within. It is shaped by kitchen is an easier task. To help us better understand how, we
our experiences, environments and memories. speak to six experts who share the guiding principles for their
In eastern Asia, seeking harmony is a way of life. It is region’s cuisines. From flavours and ingredients, to history
what gives the multitudes of cuisines a complexity that makes and culture, here are some key lessons.
66 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
KOREA
Bibimbap. Japchae. Gujeolpan. Banchan. Korean food is known
for its distinct vibrancy and expertly harmonised dishes. Its roots
can be traced back to Obangsaek – the Korean colour
spectrum, which consists of white, black, blue, yellow and red,
and represents the five natural elements of the universe. It is
said that cooking with these colours ensures a healthy and
varied meal.
Obangsaek isn’t just an approach to food, it extends to
having balance within life. These colours can be found across
Korean culture from hanbok (traditional attire) to architecture,
paintings and symbols.
Kenny Yong-soo Son, manager of Sydney’s popular
Korean restaurant Sáng by Mabasa, explains that Obangsaek
isn’t necessarily actively considered when cooking. Rather,
it’s something innate, a concept that’s deeply embedded in
Korean culture.
“It is a very spiritual way of thinking about our cuisine.
At Sáng, we do not specifically intend or think about the
Obangsaek philosophy, however it is something that naturally
exists within our mind and vision. Balance is everything in
Korean food. Not just in regards to the recipe or the taste, but
also taking into account the timing and ageing of the food.”
In response to the harsh seasons experienced in the
country, says Son, Korean people developed many ways to
ferment, age and preserve food. “If you take our Temple food as
an example, it is very much about finding the core flavours that
naturally exist within the ingredients and discovering the CHINA
changes of flavours that take place in time.” China is home to some of the oldest and most diverse food
This all draws upon balance: of foods, practices and timing. cultures in the world. While the country is known for eight major
Ultimately for Son, balance is something much more cuisines, there are in fact over 55 ethnic minority groups that
personal. Especially so at his restaurant, where his mother and exist, each with their own culinary traditions and practices.
father head up the kitchen. “At Sáng, the balance is measured Despite the diversity of its cuisine, a common thread running
by what our family grew up eating, seeing, experiencing and, through its dishes can be found in the ancient Chinese
most importantly, what we believe in as a family.” philosophy of yin and yang.
Believed to exist in everything, and guided by two
opposing-yet-complementary energy forces, the principles of
yin and yang are all about balance in life. David Zhou, owner
of Melbourne’s popular Chinese eateries David’s Restaurant
and Oriental Teahouse, notes, “Yin and yang play a significant
role in Chinese culture, health, food, teas – and health is
affected by what we eat.”
Yin represents cooling foods, often bitter, sour or salty, with
a high water content. Yang represents warming foods, often dry,
sweet, spicy or pungent. “Tofu, moon bean, watermelon, pears,
banana and green tea are all yin foods. Whilst chilli, ginger, lamb
and black tea have warming effects and are considered yang
foods,” explains Zhou.
It is through this duality that we can create equilibrium in our
body, in our lives and, of course, in the kitchen.
“It’s about having a good relationship with food. Eat what
we feel like, when we’re hungry, to nourish ourselves. Not what
and when we feel we have to, due to limitations or fear. The
compass is to find balance.” ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 67
JAPAN
Umami is the Japanese word for “deliciousness”. Identified by
Japanese scientist Dr Kikunae Ikeda in 1908, it is the hidden
fifth taste that is central to Japanese cuisine. Discovered
through dashi – a simple stock made of kelp, water and fish or
mushrooms – umami is what leaves our taste buds wanting more.
Balance is everything when it comes to drawing out umami.
Takako Tamura, chef and co-owner of Melbourne’s Tamura
Sake Bar, explains that umami’s sensory experience relies on
proportions. “It’s important not to kill the umami flavour by
adding too much of one ingredient [when preparing dashi].
Yet, there’s no standard ratios for dashi. The balancing of
ingredients is intuitive and passed down through generations,
leaving it almost impossible to define – much like umami.
“Our ancestors or my mum didn’t know the science behind it.
It’s just something that is inherited. Every family has a slightly
different combination of dashi. But when you taste it, it
reminds you of home.
If dashi is the foundation for Japanese food, the seasons
are the blueprint.“I think the most important thing in Japanese
food is to bring out the best of the ingredients,” she explains.
“We have four distinct seasons in Japan that allow us to enjoy
its seasonal ingredients. For that reason, we tend to celebrate
these ingredients as is, with a touch of something, to draw out
the perfect marriage of texture, flavour and something to
entertain the eye. Balance is how we show respect for our crops THAILAND
and how much we care for the people we are cooking for.” Thai food is a long-standing favourite here in Australia but, as
a nation, we’re only just starting to understand the cuisine
beyond its popular pad thai and green curry.
Thai cuisine has incredible complexity and depth that’s
brought to life through layers of five core flavours (sweet, sour,
salty, bitter and spicy), texture and ingredients – a harmonious
balancing act.
“Balance is the very essence of Thai cooking, and more
complex than many cuisines,” explains Nu Suandokmai, owner
and executive chef of Lantern by Nu in Adelaide’s CBD.
“The first balance is between sweet, sour, salty, bitter
and spicy. The second balance is texture – crunchy, chewy,
surprising. It’s also a very regional style of cooking and this
demands finding ways to combine the vegetables, fruits, meats,
fish and spice found in each specific region.”
Suandokmai has been a professional chef for 34 years,
but his understanding of balance comes from a deeper place
of generational knowledge and experience.
“I learnt to cook from my mother on our family farm in
central Thailand. We had at least 60 ingredients – fish, rice,
coconuts, poultry, herbs, fruit – within 100 metres of our kitchen.
That’s what I learnt to cook with. My mother taught me how to
balance all those flavours, textures and subtleties into our
traditional dishes.”
When it comes to practising these learnings in his kitchen,
the rules are simple: “No shortcuts.”
68 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
SRI LANKA
There’s a reason why Sri Lanka has become a gastronomic hub.
Home to one of the oldest sciences of cooking, its rich culinary
history dates back thousands of years, shaped by an ancient,
Indigenous medical system known as Ayurveda.
Ayurveda, Sanskrit for “science of life”, is grounded in the
belief that health and wellbeing flow from the balance between
three energies, known as doshas, that make up our bodies and
all living things: vata (air and space), kapha (water and earth)
and pitta (fire and water).
Sriyan Wedande, executive chef and owner of St Kilda
restaurant Araliya, has been taking cues from Ayurvedic
practices in his cooking for 46 years. “It’s more of a lifestyle
than a strict regimen to follow. It involves concepts of
moderation, mindful eating and seasonal produce while
minimising processed foods,” he states.
He explains how Ayurveda’s inherent sense of balance
fosters a holistic approach to eating, and has formed the basis
of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, particularly through its use of PHILIPPINES
spices. “[Ayurvedic food] involves a blend of spices, which Filipino cuisine is having a moment in Australia – and rightfully
are cooling, warming, astringent, sweet and salty, to provide so. Known as the original fusion cuisine, Filipino food has been
a well-balanced meal.” influenced by many different cuisines as a result of migration
The key is not to overload the digestive system, practising and colonisation throughout its history. But it was the Indigenous
restraint by ensuring the flavours aren’t too loud or competing peoples, and the native foods they cooked with, that shaped
with each other. “Balance everything in moderation,” the core of Filipino cuisine and its balance of flavours.
emphasises Wedande. It is these principles of Ayurveda that Sydney Cebu Lechon owner Will Mahusay says the
are important in the kitchen – and in life. philosophy of balance in Filipino cuisine has three key flavour
profiles: “You’ve got sour because the Philippines has an
abundant supply of vinegar, like coconut vinegar or cane
vinegar, because Indigenous communities relied on preserving
and fermenting foods to make them last longer. Salty because
the Philippines is surrounded by the ocean, as it’s made of more
than 7000 islands, making it easy for the locals, again, to
preserve. And sweet because sugarcane is also in abundance,
especially where I’m from [in Cebu].”
As new cuisines were introduced, they were adapted by
a mix of these flavours in order to suit the local palate. “These
three flavour profiles have always been, and will always be, part
of the Filipino culinary philosophy.”
Mahusay’s knowledge and understanding of balance came
from watching his grandmother cook when he was just six.
“She would take me to the wet markets in Cebu to buy produce
to cook for the family, and I would be her assistant carrying
the shopping bags. She would cook chicken humba, which
is a dish I serve in my restaurant – it’s an homage to my
grandmother. It’s her recipe. When she cooked it, the aromatics
and the sweet flavours would just flow through the corners of
the home. That’s how I developed that sense of balance.”
It was this profound sensory experience that sparked
Mahusay’s culinary curiosity, kickstarting his journey into the
balance of tastes and cultures.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 69
THE
Styling OLIVIA BLACKMORE
SCIENCE
Why do some flavours work well together
and others not? It’s all a matter of science,
discovers JORDAN KRETCHMER.
of
F L AV O U R
I
t’s the sensory reaction that can deliver pure joy or abject
horror. For chefs, it can define careers. And while it can’t
be taught, you can train yourself to appreciate different
flavours. So just what exactly happens when you put food
in your mouth and why do we all experience it differently?
“Taste and aroma work together to make flavour, but they “The important one here is called OR6A2, which detects
are in fact different things,” explains molecular nutritionist aldehydes, a group of chemicals responsible for the coriander
Dr Emma Beckett. There are five basic tastes that occur in the flavour, but also part of what makes soap ‘soapy’. So for some
mouth, which we are all familiar with: sweet, savoury, bitter, of us, the structure of our receptors means the soap taste is
salt and sour. At the same time, we experience aroma through the main taste.”
our nose.“This gives you the rest of the complexity of the food Consider yourself a chilli fiend? It’s not just the flavour
flavour experience – all the unique flavours like vanilla, chicken you’re chasing, but the chemical response to it. Capsaicin,
or strawberry. These exist in our mind because of aroma.” a chemical in chillies, stimulates the same receptors that
Beckett suggests a simple at-home experiment to detect things that might cause damage or pain. “While chillies
understand the difference. “Get a bag of lolly snakes and do have flavours, the hot burning part of chillies is its whole
close your eyes and hold your nose. Randomly pull out own chemical sense,” explains Beckett.
a lolly snake, without looking and while your nose is held. And what about always having ‘room’ for dessert? It’s
Take a bite from the snake and guess what flavour you have a thing, and the reason why is known as sensory specific
– if you are holding your nose properly then it will taste sweet satiety. “It means that after we finish our savoury meals, we
but you won’t know what flavour you feel satisfied and don’t want more of the
have – when you let your nose go then “Repeat exposure with meal, but we are open to foods that
you will get the flavour and you can no harmful consequences stimulate a different sense, like the
open your eyes and check.” You can sweetness of a dessert.” This feeling also
also do this with apples and pears, can teach us to like, accounts for why we can graze on cheese
or different types of citrus. This or at least not dislike, boards or linger across snack courses
experiment demonstrates certain foods.” of dégustations for much longer than
just how complex flavour is and a single plate. “I call it flavour fatigue – if
how important smell or olfaction is. I eat just one thing where each bite is the
According to The Art and Science of same, I feel like I don’t want any more to
Foodpairing, we can distinguish up to 10,000 different odorant eat much more quickly than if I have an assortment of foods
molecules associated with fragrances and aromas. This is why and flavours,” says Beckett.
we’re terrible at making authentic tasting synthetic flavours, Taste also evolves with time and training. “Some things
and our ability to discern flavour is unparalleled by taste ‘bad’ because they have bitter compounds that in large
technology. Our perception of aroma is also influenced by the amounts would be bad for us – bitter is an aversive taste and
presence of water, air, alcohol or fat, plus different temperatures probably evolved to stop us eating poisonous plants,” explains
at which we experience it. Then add in our own psychosocial Beckett. “But we can also train our tastes by eating something
experiences and there’s many layers to the simple idea of over and over.” This explains why strong tastes, such as coffee,
something being delicious. Beyond the intricate world of blue cheese or durian fruit may be unpleasant initially, but
aroma, there are other scientifically established factors that can slowly transform into some of our most desired tastes.
alter the way we taste. “Salt makes most things taste better “Repeat exposure with no harmful consequences can
because it reduces aversive taste signalling, by blocking teach us to like, or at least not dislike, certain foods,” says
bitterness and reducing the water activity, which makes all the Beckett. “Most coffee drinkers start with lots for milk or
good flavours stronger,” explains Beckett. Coriander is sweeteners and ease off those over time. This teaches our
another curly one, with some people tasting soap-like flavours brain it’s not a poison and the environment in our mouth,
and others enjoying a zesty, bright herb. It’s not simply the enzymes and the microbes also adapt.
a preference that determines this, but rather, genetics. “We also need to remember that food is something that
“We can all have slightly different versions of the DNA is diverse culturally, and our training – which foods we are
that codes for our smell receptors,” says Beckett. exposed to – teaches us what we like, tolerate and accept.”
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 71
From classic to quirky, these food pairings
are scientifically proven to work well on
both the plate and the palate.
72 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
CHAMPAGNE AND OYSTERS
Oysters have a complex aroma that’s
marine-like, along with fruit and citrus notes.
But according to The Art and Science of
Foodpairing, it’s the popcorn-scented
molecules, plus notes of mushroom and
potato that bring a savoury element, which
pairs so well with Champagne. The mineral
flavours imbued by the waters from which
oysters are harvested result in a double hit
of umami and salinity that naturally lends
itself to a glass of bubbles.
74 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
AVOCADO AND CITRUS
The acidity of citrus and the fattiness of avocado
work together in pure harmony – think avocado on
toast with a squeeze of fresh lime. “The acid stops
the fat from being ‘too much’ and helps dislodge the
coating from your tongue,” says Beckett. As
avocados mature, they also develop more fruity
esters (chemical compounds) and a rounder,
nuttier aroma.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 75
W
W
A S
AN
T E
T N
N
PHOTOGRAPHY RÉMI CHAUVIN (RABBIT) & JESSE HUNNIFORD. IMAGES COURTESY MONA MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART,
Clockwise from left:
The Source; Eat the
Problem at MONA;
Black Margarita.
Opposite: rabbit saddle,
potatoes, cauliflower
comte, turnips by Vince
Trim (recipe from Eat
the Problem).
W
hat does it mean to eat sustainably
today? A commonly accepted
definition is that sustainable eating
is choosing food that is healthy for
both your body and the environment. And, given the deer, but illegal to sell it for consumption.
that raising livestock consumes one-third of the Instead, wild-harvested venison is flown in from
world’s fresh water, guidelines often suggest New South Wales for restaurants to cook and
moving to plant-based eating. What if we reduced serve. There’s a meeting in Hobart tonight to
our reliance on traditional agriculture by learning discuss how to best manage the state’s tens of
to love invasive species instead? That’s the premise thousands of wild deer. “We should wear flannies,”
of artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele’s project and she says to Vince Trim, MONA’s executive chef
lavish art book, Eat the Problem. “It’s the practice of and a willing collaborator in Kaechele’s adventures
turning shit into gold,” she writes in the book’s in turning perceived problems into edible dishes.
introduction. “And solving multiple problems at “It sounds like they’re not giving in to this idea
once, which is what systems-based thinking is. An that a hunter can’t sell invasive deer that they’ve
action has to do more than one thing. Which also killed,” explains Kaechele. “You can only eat them
gets us off the hook for the failure of any single yourself. At The Source, we’re trying to go towards
goal: it catapults us out of a moral quandary (What this local sustainable menu. [Wild-harvested
is invasive? Should humans intervene once an venison] is just this incredibly abundant meat
invasive species takes hold?) and allows us to act. source that would be so elegant to be able to serve.
Eat the Problem is an idea that give us permission We think there should at least be concessions
to be a part of the system while appreciating its towards local restaurants. At least some boutique-
complexity. But ultimately it’s about transforming level industry. It doesn’t have to be huge.”
a flaw into a feature.” While Eat the Problem may not solve the
Seated in the golden-hued dining room of The world’s food issues – the global population is
Source, the fine-dining restaurant at Hobart’s predicted to rise to 10 billion by 2050 and require
MONA, where Kaechele lives and works, the flaw an increase in food production of 70 per cent – it
she’s focused on today is the issue of feral (or is designed to prompt conversations about what we
fallow) deer in Tasmania, where it’s legal to hunt can eat and why we don’t. The beautifully ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 77
photographed book includes recipes from some of
Australia’s and the world’s best-known chefs
including Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz’s soup
of tender garlic flowers and cloves with bacalao
and Matt Stone of Harvest’s fragrant yellow curry
of carp. Other ingredients featured include
starfish, lantana, prickly pear and feral horse with
recipes from Christine Manfield, Tetsuya Wakuda,
Peter Gilmore and others.
Clockwise from above: Grand
And, while there are plenty of accessible dishes
Feast, Eat the Problem at MONA;
in there, Kaechele and Trim admit that there were a dish at The Source; Eat the
also some challenges. “Cat. We did cook cat,” she Problem book spreads.
says matter of factly. “That was the most
challenging by far. Vince cooked the cat for the
performative feast. It was really hard. David which is obvious and easy – is the nutria fur. Fur is
[Walsh, MONA founder and Kaechele’s husband] a sustainable fabric. Fake fur ages quickly, real fur
loves cats.” As he did with starlings and other small lasts decades. So when it ages, you throw it away
birds, Trim used feral cat (cats kill 1.7 billion and it ends up in landfill, turning into microplastic
native animals in Australia each year ) to create that pollutes the water and ends up in the fish we
a consommé. “It would have been a step too far eat. Not a good alternative. Is fur great? Yes. Can
to have a leg there with meat on it,” he says with we wear it ethically? No. Can we wear it ethically if
a wince. “But, using very classical techniques, we it comes, from the most part, from culled nutria?
got a beautiful result.” Yes. I think it’s the most compelling popular
Eating invasive species was championed by product in here. In Paul Prudhomme’s generation
American chef Paul Prudhomme in the early ’90s people weren’t ready for [eating nutria], but
when he attempted to get diners interested in now we’re all looking for the next exotic
eating nutria – an orange-toothed water rat culinary experience.”
common in Louisiana. He failed, but it was the While cat consommé is not on the menu
nutria that piqued Kaechele’s interest as, in at The Source, Trim and his team have made
addition to its meat, it’s also an ethical source of changes. “We pulled beef off the menu a long
fur. “I think, of everything in the book, what I find time ago,” he says, “and replaced it with harvested
most compelling as an industry – besides deer animals to show that you can still come here and
have a hell of a good time. You’re not turning
yourself into a radical greenie, it’s luxurious to
come here and have wild harvested animals. It’s
beautiful and delicious. There’s an incredible
wine cellar here that matches beautifully with
wild game.”
Kaechele agrees. “Nothing’s been lost in terms
of the glamorous experience. No-one feels like
they’ve given anything up. In fact I think they find
it exciting to have different options or be
challenged a little bit.” And, as she writes in Eat the
Problem, “We live in a time where our procurement
of resources wreaks havoc on the environment.
The way we eat is taking a tremendous toll on the
environment. So if you can reframe an invasive
species and suddenly see that you’ve struck gold
– you’ve won the lottery – there’s tons of these
things and no carbon-based energy has gone into
creating them, no forest has been cleared, no
fertilisers applied. It’s free food and the faster
you can eat it the better.”
78 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
PHOTOGRAPHY JESSE HUNNIFORD. IMAGES COURTESY MONA MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
79
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G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
81
Photography BEN DEARNLEY
Mango
Styling AMBER DE FLORIO
82 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Lemongrass
prawns with
goi xoài
p 87
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 83
84 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Thai chilli and mango mud crab
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 50 MINS // COOK 35 MINS
Mangoes are key to this dish as they provide two of the four essential
flavours of Thai cuisine; a hit of sourness balanced with a little sweetness.
Goi xoài is a traditional Vietnamese green mango salad with a punchy zesty
dressing. We used ripe sweet mangoes to balance the sharpness. Pictured p85 Push a metal skewer lengthways through
each prawn to make a channel. Skewer
1 green mango (see note), flesh peeled 16 green king prawns prawns on lemongrass stalks following
into long strips DRESSING the channel, then place on a tray. Brush
1 Calypso mango, cheeks thinly sliced 80 ml (1⁄3 cup) rice wine vinegar prawns with chilli paste. Barbecue,
1 young coconut, drained, flesh cut into 80 ml (1⁄3 cup) lime juice turning occasionally, until charred and
long strips (see note) 40 gm caster sugar cooked through (3-5 minutes).
60 gm roasted salted peanuts, chopped, 40 gm chilli paste with soy bean oil 4 Add peanuts, radish, onion, shallot, chilli
plus extra to serve 2½ tbsp fish sauce and herbs to remaining dressing in bowl,
4 baby radishes, halved lengthways 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped season with pepper; toss to combine.
2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the 5 To serve, add yellow mango and
diagonal 1 For dressing, whisk ingredients in coconut flesh to green mango; toss
2 red shallots, shaved on a mandolin a bowl until sugar dissolves; season. to coat then divide among plates with
2 long red chillies, thinly sliced 2 Place half the dressing in a separate prawn skewers. Scatter over herbs
1 cup each loosely packed mint, bowl. Add green mango and toss to and extra peanuts.
coriander and Thai basil leaves coat; set aside at room temperature. Note Green mango is available from
LEMONGRASS PRAWNS 3 For lemongrass prawns, preheat select greengrocers. If unavailable,
80 gm chilli paste with soy bean oil a lightly greased barbecue or char-grill substitute green papaya. Reserve
16 thin lemongrass stalks, cut into 15cm pan to high. Meanwhile, whisk chilli paste drained coconut water and refrigerate
lengths, for skewers and 2½ tbsp hot water in a large bowl. for another use. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 85
Spiced squid with sweet and sour mango sauce
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 35 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
Spicy native Australian pepperberries pair perfectly with the sweet and sour mango sauce.
1.5 kg whole baby squid, hood and 1 For sweet and sour mango sauce, heat 4 Place a clean wok or frying pan over
tentacles separated, cleaned oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. high heat. Add 2 tbsp extra oil, and when
300 gm rice flour Add shallots and stir occasionally until oil begins to smoke, add ginger, chillies
15 gm ground pepperberries (see note) softened (5 minutes). Add vinegar, sugar, and spring onion; stir-fry until fragrant
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons lime leaves and three-quarters of mango; and light golden (1-2 minutes). Add fried
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying, cook, stirring occasionally until thickened squid, season and toss to combine.
plus extra for frying (18-20 minutes). Season and refrigerate 5 Transfer squid to a platter. Serve with
6 cm piece ginger, cut into julienne until cooled; stir in remaining mango. mango sauce and lemon wedges.
1 each long red and green chilli, sliced 2 Meanwhile, halve squid hoods Note Pepperberries, a native Australian
2 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths lengthways and score the inside in ingredient, are available from spice
Lemon wedges, to serve a criss-cross pattern, then cut into 5cm shops and specialty food stores.
SWEET AND SOUR MANGO SAUCE pieces. Place rice flour, pepperberries
2 tbsp peanut oil and lemon zest in a bowl; season
3 red shallots, finely chopped generously with salt and stir to combine.
130 ml rice wine vinegar Add hoods and tentacles; toss to coat.
100 gm caster sugar 3 Heat oil in a large wok to 180˚C. Shake
2 makrut lime leaves off excess flour from squid then deep-fry,
3 large Calypso mangoes, flesh in batches, until golden just cooked
coarsely chopped (750gm) (2-3 minutes); drain on paper towel.
86 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Coconut-poached chicken with mango and perilla
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 30 MINS (PLUS RESTING)
Use the freshest of mangoes to make these chicken rolls a standout snack.
70 gm dried rice vermicelli noodles DIPPING SAUCE liquid. Reserve remaining poaching
1 spring onion, thinly sliced 160 ml (2⁄3 cup) lime juice liquid for another use, such as a soup.
2 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling 140 ml fish sauce 2 Meanwhile, for dipping sauce, whisk
½ cup each firmly packed coriander 65 gm (¼ cup) finely grated light ingredients in a bowl until combined.
and Vietnamese mint leaves palm sugar Taste the dressing; it should be sweet
4 baby cucumbers, shaved widthways 3 garlic cloves, finely grated and sour, hot and salty, adjust if desired.
on a mandolin 2 long green chilli, finely chopped 3 Place vermicelli in a large bowl, pour
2 R2E2 mangoes, thinly sliced over enough boiling water to cover and
12 each large betel and perilla leaves 1 For coconut-poached chicken, place stand until tender (3-4 minutes). Drain
(see note) ingredients in a large deep frying pan well, then using scissors, cut into rough
Micro amaranth, toasted black over high heat. Bring to the boil, 3cm lengths. Add noodles, spring onion,
sesame seeds and lime wedges, skimming any impurities that rise to sesame oil, herbs, cucumber, mango
to serve surface (5 minutes). Reduce heat to and a quarter of the dipping sauce to
COCONUT-POACHED CHICKEN medium-low, cover with a cartouche the chicken; toss to combine.
400 ml coconut milk and simmer gently, turning halfway, until 4 To serve, top betel and perilla leaves
250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock three-quarters cooked (12-15 minutes). with 2 tbsp chicken and mango filling
1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, bruised Remove pan from heat and stand, and scatter with amaranth and sesame
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger covered with cartouche, until cooked seeds. Serve with remaining dipping
1 garlic clove, crushed through (20-25 minutes). Remove sauce and lime wedges.
2 skinless chicken breasts chicken with a slotted spoon and shred Note Betel and perilla leaves are
(220gm each) into a large bowl. Add 60ml poaching available from select Asian grocers. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 87
Sticky pork ribs with mango and jalapeño salsa
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 2 HRS 45 MINS (PLUS BRINING, STANDING)
This mango salsa is the perfect accompaniment for slow-cooked smoky pork ribs. Begin this recipe a day ahead.
500 ml (2 cups) beef or chicken stock 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into deep roasting pan in a single layer.
400 ml each tomato and barbecue sauce rounds Pour over barbecue sauce and turn
80 gm brown sugar ½ cup firmly packed coriander leaves, to coat ribs in sauce. Cover pan with
60 ml (¼ cup) cider vinegar finely chopped foil and cook until tender (2¼-2½ hours).
100 gm chipotle chillies in adobo sauce, 100 gm pickled jalapeños Remove foil, increase oven to 240˚C
finely chopped Zest and juice of 2 limes and continue to cook, basting with
1½ tsp each smoked paprika, ground 80 ml (1⁄3 cup) lemon-infused sauce, or until ribs are browned and
cumin, coriander and fennel extra-virgin olive oil sauce has thickened (25-30 minutes).
1 tsp each mustard powder, garlic 3 Meanwhile, to make salsa, preheat
powder and onion powder 1 To marinate ribs, place vinegar, a lightly greased barbecue or char-grill
Lime wedges, to serve HP sauce, lime zest and juice with spices pan to high. Cook corn, turning frequently,
MARINADE and 100gm salt flakes in a bowl; whisk until blackened all over (6-8 minutes).
500 ml (2 cups) apple cider vinegar to combine. Place ribs in a non-reactive Cool slightly then slice kernels from
125 ml (½ cup) HP sauce container, pour over marinade and add cobs. Place in a bowl with remaining
Zest and juice of 2 limes enough cold water to cover ribs (about ingredients, season to taste and toss
2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander 3 litres). Cover and refrigerate overnight. gently to combine.
and fennel 2 Preheat oven to 150˚C. To make 4 Cut ribs into pieces and brush with
2 kg American-style baby back pork ribs barbecue sauce, place stock, sauces, cooking sauce. Serve with mango, corn
SALSA sugar, vinegar, chipotle chillies, spices and jalapeño salsa, and lime wedges.
3 large corn cobs, husks removed and powders in a large bowl, and whisk
3 Kensington Pride mangoes, flesh to combine. Remove ribs from marinade
coarsely chopped (discard marinade) and place in a large
Mangoes that are about to ripen are best for this dessert. They should be slightly sweet but with a firm sourness to cut through
the sticky sweetness of this Filipino leche flan, which is like a dense crème caramel. Begin this recipe a day ahead. Pictured p92
200 gm caster sugar a dark amber caramel (8-10 minutes); refrigerate until set (4 hours or overnight).
395 gm sweetened condensed milk pour into prepared tin to coat base. 5 Heat a large frying pan over medium-
200 ml pouring cream 2 Combine condensed milk, cream high heat. Dust mango wedges liberally
100 ml evaporated milk and evaporated milk in a saucepan with sugar and cook, flesh-side down,
5 eggs, plus 4 yolks, lightly whisked over medium heat; stir gently and until caramelised (3-4 minutes).
100 gm brown sugar frequently until mixture comes to 6 To serve, run a knife around edges of
Finely grated zest from 1 lime, plus a simmer (3-4minutes). flan to release, then invert onto a platter.
extra zest and lime halves, to serve 3 Whisk eggs and yolks, brown sugar, Arrange a few caramelised mangoes on
2 tsp vanilla extract lime zest and vanilla in a large heatproof top, scatter with extra zest and serve
4 Kensington Pride mango cheeks, bowl just to combine. Gradually pour with remaining mangoes to the side.
skin removed, cut into thick wedges cream mixture into egg mixture, while Note Llanera tins, traditional oval metal
Caster sugar, to dust whisking gently without aerating the Filipino leche flan moulds, are available
mixture until combined. Strain through in assorted sizes from Filipino grocers
1 Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease a fine sieve into prepared tin. and Asian supermarkets. ➤
a 1.5-litre llanera tin or 15.5cm x 23cm 4 Place tin in a deep baking dish and
oval ovenproof dish. Place sugar and fill with hot water to halfway up the sides
80ml water in a saucepan over medium of the tin. Bake, uncovered, until edges
heat and stir occasionally until sugar are set and there is a slight wobble in
dissolves (3-4 minutes). Increase heat the centre (50 minutes to 1 hour). Cool
to high and cook, without stirring, until on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then
88 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Sticky pork ribs
Napkins from
Bonnie and Neil,
used throughout.
All other props
stylist’s own.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 89
Leche and lime
flan with burnt
mango
p 90
Mango halo-halo with pistachio praline ice-cream
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 35 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS COOLING, FREEZING)
“Halo-halo, a refreshing Filipino dessert, means mix mix,” says Gourmet Traveller food editor Dominic Smith. “In my family version,
I layer sweet beans, coconut jelly and strips of jack fruit and mango with shaved mango ice.” Begin this recipe a day ahead.
2 Calypso or R2E2 mangoes, flesh and cook until golden and caramel in 200ml water and ¼ tsp salt flakes in
coarsely chopped, plus extra to serve colour (8-10 minutes). Add nuts and pour a blender until smooth, then pour into
2 tbsp honey over prepared tray. Stand until cool and a shallow metal tray and freeze (6 hours).
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime set (30 minutes). Pulse in a food processor Using a fork, scrape and fluff the mixture.
340 gm halo-halo fruit mix in syrup, until coarsely chopped; set aside. Transfer to a container and return to the
drained (see note) 2 For ice-cream, whisk cream in the bowl freezer until required.
150 gm young coconut strings in syrup, of an electric mixer to soft peaks; transfer 4 To serve, layer halo-halo fruit mix,
drained (see note) to a large bowl and chill until required. In coconut strips, jackfruit and extra fresh
150 gm canned jackfruit in syrup, drained a separate clean bowl, whisk egg whites chopped mango in chilled glasses. Top
PISTACHIO PRALINE ICE-CREAM on high to soft peaks; gradually add extra with mango ice and a scoop of ice-cream.
220 gm (1 cup) caster sugar sugar and whisk until thick, glossy and Scatter with remaining praline.
100 gm slivered pistachios sugar is dissolved (6-8 minutes). Using Note Halo-halo fruit mix in syrup and
2 cups (500ml) pouring cream a large spatula, gently fold meringue into young coconut strings in syrup are
6 egg whites whipped cream. The mixture will look as available from Filipino and Asian grocers.
175 gm caster sugar, extra though it has not combined properly, If unavailable, substitute fresh mixed
however this is the way it is supposed to berries. Leftover mango ice and pistachio
1 For praline, grease and line a large be. Fold in three-quarters of praline until ice-cream will keep in the freezer for up
oven tray with baking paper. Combine combined. Transfer to a 3-litre container, to 3 months.
sugar and 60ml water in a small cover and freeze until firm (6 hours).
saucepan, stir over high heat until sugar 3 Meanwhile, for mango ice, blend
dissolves (5 minutes). Bring to the boil mango, honey, lime zest and juice,
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 91
Recipes MAX ADEY
GARDEN
Make vegetables and fresh produce the star of your next
dinner party with these plant-forward dishes made to share.
S TAT E
Photography CON POULOS Styling OLIVIA BLACKMORE
Blackberry,
ginger and
Mushroom lime spritz
skewers with
mojo sauce
p 101
p 98
Dukkah-crusted
cauliflower
Carafe and pink glass bowl with tahini
from Maison Balzac. Gold
bamboo teaspoon from
Bonnie and Neil. Brass fork
from Studio Visser. All other
props stylist’s own. p 98
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 93
Japanese egg cups
with miso dressing
MAKES 16 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 6 MINS
8 eggs
16 large butter lettuce leaves
32 shiso leaves (see note)
4 baby French breakfast radishes, cut
into wedges
2 spring onions, cut into julienne
1 sheet nori, toasted and finely
chopped
Togarashi (see note), to serve
(optional)
SPICY PICKLED CUCUMBER
1 tbsp each yuzu juice, tamari and rice Roasted beetroot carpaccio
vinegar
SERVES 6 AS A STARTER // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 1 HR (PLUS SOAKING, COOLING)
2 tsp mirin
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced This playful yet elegant plant-forward take on carpaccio blends earthy beets
3 baby cucumbers, thinly sliced into (both cooked and raw) with a spice mix reminiscent of pastrami and a silky nut cream.
rounds on a mandolin It’s balanced with peppery nasturtium leaves and an orange juice vinaigrette.
MISO DRESSING
1 tbsp each shiro (white) miso paste 8 golden and red beetroots (about water and set aside until cooled to room
(see note), sesame oil, maple syrup 1.2kg), trimmed and scrubbed temperature (15 minutes). Transfer
and rice vinegar 2 target beetroots (see note), trimmed soaked hazelnut mixture and remaining
2 tsp finely grated ginger 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ingredients to a high-speed blender and
1 tbsp red wine vinegar blend until smooth; season to taste. Set
1 For spicy pickled cucumber, combine Finely grated zest and juice of ½ aside at room temperature until required.
yuzu, tamari, rice vinegar, mirin and chilli orange 3 For spiced pepper mix, dry-roast fennel
in a bowl. Add sliced cucumbers and set Red baby nasturtium leaves and seeds and black peppercorns in a small
aside to lightly pickle (15 minutes). society garlic flowers, to serve frying pan over medium-high heat until
2 For miso dressing, whisk ingredients HAZELNUT CREAM fragrant (1 minute). Transfer to a mortar
in a bowl; season with pepper to taste. 150 gm roasted hazelnuts and pestle; add pink peppercorns and
3 Cook eggs in a saucepan of boiling 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil coarsely grind. Stir in thyme and ½ tsp
water until cooked to your liking (6 1 tbsp aged red wine vinegar sea salt.
minutes for soft-boiled). Refresh in 1 small garlic clove, finely grated 4 Place oil, vinegar, orange zest and
ice-water, then peel and halve SPICED PEPPER MIX juice in a sealed jar and season to taste;
lengthways. 1 tsp each fennel seeds, black shake well to combine.
4 Place lettuce leaves on a large platter; peppercorns and pink peppercorns 5 Thinly slice roasted and target
top each with two shiso leaves, an egg 2 tsp thyme leaves beetroot using a mandolin.
half, radish and spicy pickled cucumber. 6 Spoon hazelnut cream over a platter,
Drizzle with miso dressing and scatter 1 Preheat oven to 160˚C fan-forced. Wrap top with roasted and raw beetroot,
with spring onion, toasted nori and each beetroot in baking paper then foil; drizzle with orange dressing and scatter
togarashi to serve. place on a tray and roast until tender (50 with pepper mix, nasturtium leaves and
Note Shiso leaves, togarashi and shiro minutes – 1 hour). Cool slightly, then peel. society garlic flowers.
miso are available from Japanese 2 For hazelnut cream, place hazelnuts in Note Target beetroot is available from
grocers. a small bowl; cover with 150ml boiling select greengrocers. ➤
94 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Beetroot carpaccio
Orange plate from Mud
Australia. Napkins from
Bonnie and Neil.
Opposite: Pink glass
(part of carafe set) from
Maison Balzac. All other
props stylist’s own.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 95
Zucchini tart Napkins
from Bonnie and Neil.
Orange plate from Mud
Australia. Champagne
coupe from Maison
Balzac. All other props
stylist’s own.
96 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Whipped tofu and 1 For chia seed pastry, pound chia
zucchini tart with seeds with a mortar and pestle or grind
in a spice grinder until finely ground.
fennel salad Combine ground chia and 60ml water
SERVES 4-6 AS A STARTER // PREP TIME 30 MINS // in a small jug; stand for 30 minutes.
COOK 1 HR 45 MINS (PLUS CHILLING, RESTING)
Process flours, 1 tsp sea salt, chia
This tart has the richness and creaminess mixture, oil and 1 tbsp water to form
of quiche, minus the eggs and dairy. a rough dough. Turn dough onto a
Whipped tofu fills the void, along with bench; knead lightly until smooth. Form
the savoury sweetness of leeks and into a log and wrap in plastic wrap.
thyme, and an umami quality courtesy Refrigerate until chilled (30 minutes).
of nutritional yeast flakes. Roll pastry between sheets of baking
paper to 3mm thick and large enough to
140 ml extra-virgin olive oil line a greased 12cm x 35cm fluted
2 large leeks (white part only), thinly loose-based rectangular tart tin. Line tin
sliced with pastry and trim edges. Refrigerate
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped for 30 minutes to rest.
1 tsp fennel seeds 2 Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line pastry
1 tbsp finely chopped thyme, plus extra with foil, fill with dried beans or
to serve uncooked rice; blind-bake tart case (15
375 gm firm tofu, drained, chopped minutes), remove foil and weights, bake
60 ml (¼ cup) soy milk (we use Happy until golden (15 minutes).
Happy Soy Boy) 3 Meanwhile, heat 60ml olive oil in
50 gm (¼ cup) nutritional yeast flakes a large frying pan over medium heat.
(see note) Cook leek, garlic and seeds, stirring
1¼ tbsp Dijon mustard frequently until softened (8 minutes). Add
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon thyme; stir until fragrant (1 minute). Cool.
6 zucchini flowers with baby zucchini 4 Process tofu, soy milk, yeast flakes,
attached, separated 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp mustard and
2 zucchini (yellow and green) lemon zest in food processor, scraping
2 patty pan squash down the side, until smooth. Season to
2 tsp white wine vinegar taste. Spoon mixture level into pastry
2 tsp lemon juice case. Slice all zucchini and squash on
1 baby fennel bulb a mandolin, then arrange one-third over
75 gm (3 cups) frisée the tart. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil,
½ cup small parsley and mint leaves season to taste, then bake until golden
¼ cup each dill and chervil sprigs and set (30-35 minutes).
1 tbsp finely chopped chives 5 Whisk vinegar and lemon juice with
CHIA SEED PASTRY remaining 1 tsp mustard and 1 tbsp olive
1 tbsp white chia seeds oil in a bowl; season to taste. Add fennel,
150 gm (1 cup) plain flour frisée and remaining zucchini and herbs;
100 gm (2⁄3 cup) wholemeal spelt flour toss to coat. Serve quiche scattered with
125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil some of the fennel-herb salad and
zucchini flowers. Serve remaining salad
separately.
Note Nutritional yeast flakes, also
known as savoury yeast flakes, are
available from health-food shops and
select supermarkets. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 97
Dukkah-crusted cauliflower with tahini
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN OR 6 AS PART OF SHARED MENU // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 45 MINS
Pictured p93
1 tsp coriander seeds TAHINI SAUCE 3 Cut each cauliflower through the stalk
½ tsp cumin seeds 90 ml extra-virgin olive oil into two 3cm-thick steaks and reserve
45 gm (1⁄3 cup) slivered pistachios 70 gm hulled tahini remaining cauliflower for another use.
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted Finely grated zest and juice of 1½ Place cauliflower slices and chickpeas
3 tsp sumac lemons on a large oven tray lined with baking
2 large cauliflowers (1.2kg each) 1 small garlic clove, finely grated paper. Combine oil, garlic and chilli
400 gm canned chickpeas, drained flakes in a small bowl and season to
80 ml (1⁄3 cup) olive oil 1 For grain salad, cook freekeh and taste; brush over cauliflower then scatter
2 garlic cloves, finely grated barley together in a saucepan of boiling with the dukkah pressing down to
½ tsp chilli flakes water until tender (20 minutes); drain and adhere. Roast cauliflower until golden
Juice of 1 lemon cool. Combine dates and vinegar in a and tender (25-30 minutes).
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into large bowl; set aside to lightly pickle (5 4 Meanwhile, combine lemon juice and
rounds minutes). Just before serving, add grains remaining 1 tsp sumac in a small bowl;
GRAIN SALAD and remaining ingredients; season to add onion and toss to coat; season to
125 gm each freekeh and pearl barley taste and toss to combine. taste. Set aside until required.
4 pitted medjool dates, coarsely 2 Preheat oven to 220˚C fan-forced. 5 For tahini sauce, place ingredients
chopped For dukkah, dry-roast coriander seeds and 11⁄2 tbsp water in a small bowl;
1 tbsp red wine vinegar and cumin seeds in a small frying pan season to taste and whisk to combine.
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until fragrant 6 Divide grain salad and cauliflower
Finely grated zest and juice of (1 minute). Place spices, pistachios, slices among plates; top with pickled
½ lemon sesame seeds and 2 tsp sumac in a onion and crisp chickpeas. Drizzle with
2 cups mixed soft herbs (such as small food processor; pulse until coarsely tahini sauce to serve.
parsley, mint and dill) chopped. Note Tahini sauce and grain salad can
be prepared up to 4 hours ahead.
1 kg mixed mushrooms (see note) 1 For mojo sauce, blend ingredients in a 5 Preheat a lightly greased barbecue
6 radishes, shaved on a mandolin blender until smooth; season to taste. or chargrill pan to high. Divide dough
3 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated 2 Thickly slice mushrooms, and if using into 12 and roll out on a lightly floured
MOJO SAUCE oyster mushrooms, tear into pieces, then surface to 2mm thick. Brush each flat
1 cup firmly packed coriander leaves thread mushrooms onto soaked bamboo bread with remaining oil. Grill flatbreads,
½ cup firmly packed mint leaves skewers. Place skewers in a shallow in batches, turning once, until cooked
160 ml (2⁄3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil dish, pour over half the mojo sauce and and slightly charred (2-3 minutes). Wrap
Zest and juice of 2 limes turn to coat. Set aside at room in a tea towel and set aside to steam.
Zest and juice of 1 orange temperature to marinate (30 minutes). 6 Drizzle skewers with extra oil, season
3 garlic cloves, finely grated 3 Meanwhile, for wholemeal flatbreads, to taste, then barbecue, turning
2 long pickled chillies (see note), plus combine flour, 1 tbsp olive oil, 250ml occasionally, until charred and tender
extra to serve water and 2 tsp sea salt in a bowl and (8 minutes). Serve with flatbreads,
2 tsp ground cumin mix to form a rough dough. Turn out onto whipped avocado, baby cos lettuce,
WHIPPED AVOCADO a lightly floured surface and knead until radish, extra pickled chillies and
3 avocados smooth (3-4 minutes). Set aside to rest remaining mojo sauce.
2 tbsp lime juice (10 minutes). Note We used mild Turkish pickled
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 4 For whipped avocado, process chillies and a mixture of Swiss brown,
WHOLEMEAL FLATBREAD ingredients in a food processor until shiitake, oyster and king brown
225 gm (1½ cups) wholemeal plain flour smooth; season to taste. mushrooms. ➤
225 gm (1½ cups) plain flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
98 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Mushroom skewers
Glass bowl from Maison
Balzac. HK Living wine
glass from House of
Orange. Orange small
sauce jug from Mud
Australia. All other props
stylist’s own.
Spritz Champagne coupe
from Maison Balzac. All
other props stylist’s own.
100 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Blackberry, ginger
and lime spritz
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 5 MINS //
180 gm blackberries
2½ tbsp maple syrup
1½ tbsp finely grated ginger
12mint leaves
Finely grated zest of 3 limes
and juice of 5 limes
750 ml (3 cups) cranberry juice, chilled
(see note)
Soda water, chilled
Blackberries and lime twists, to
garnish
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 101
S I M P LY
seasonal
The beauty and elegance of seasonal produce is
at the centre of Simple Fresh Veg, which
celebrates plant-based cooking.
p 105
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 103
Crispy rice sushi
MAKES 20
PREP + COOK TIME 50 MINS (PLUS STANDING, CHILLING)
104 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Crisp Thai salad with turmeric cashew dressing
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS (PLUS STANDING)
2 tbsp lime juice 1 Place lime juice and coconut sugar in 5 Drain radishes and herbs well.
2 tsp coconut sugar a medium bowl; season. Stir until sugar Arrange lettuce wedges and pineapple
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into has dissolved. Add onion; toss to coat. on a large serving platter; top with
rounds Stand for 15 minutes to pickle. Drain. pickled onion, radishes and herbs.
4 red radishes, thinly sliced 2 Meanwhile, place radishes and herbs To serve, drizzle with dressing and
½ cup mint leaves in iced water to crisp. sprinkle with cashews.
½ cup Thai basil leaves 3 To make turmeric cashew dressing, Note Use a mandoline or V-slicer to
½ cup coriander sprigs blend ingredients in a blender until very thinly slice radishes and pineapple.
1 small iceberg lettuce smooth. Stand at room temperature until Vegan fish sauce, sometimes referred
1 small pineapple (900gm) ready to serve. to as ‘fysh’ sauce, is available from Asian
1⁄3 cup (50gm) dry-roasted cashews, 4 Remove outer leaves of lettuce; cut grocers and select supermarkets. ➤
coarsely chopped into wedges. Peel pineapple, halve and
TURMERIC CASHEW DRESSING slice thinly.
40 gm dry-roasted cashews
20 gm fresh turmeric, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only,
chopped
4 makrut lime leaves, stalk trimmed
3 small cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp finely grated lime rind
100 ml lime juice
2 tbsp vegan fish sauce (see note)
2 tbsp coconut sugar
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 105
Mushroom broth with
green tea noodles
SERVES 4 // PREP + COOK TIME 55 MINS
106 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Brussels sprouts and
blue cheese pizzas
MAKES 2 // PREP + COOK TIME 50 MINS
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 107
Eggplant with nam
prik sauce
SERVES 4 // PREP + COOK TIME 25 MINS
108 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Roasted broccoli
with almond
ajo blanco
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 109
Dan Hong’s
Sichuan poached
chicken salad with
sesame dressing
p 115
AS NICE
110 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Maggie Beer’s
fig and goat’s
cheese pastries
with vino cotto
p 112
T
wo years ago we released our first Two Good
Cookbook, which celebrated gathering around
a table to share good food and great stories.
We only learned the word “commensality”
during the making of the book – it means fellowship
at the table; the positive social interactions associated
with people eating together – but it is what we have
unknowingly been practising for 15 years, since Two
Good Co started life as a soup kitchen in Kings Cross.
Two Good Co exists to fight gender inequality
through rebuilding independence and self-worth.
We do this through the careful creation of delicious,
nutritious food and high-quality, sustainable products.
You will hear many chefs talk about cooking with love;
we are no different. Through good food and good things,
we strive to remind those who need it most that
everybody deserves to feel worthy of love and respect.
By harnessing the power of commensality, we
believe we can demonstrate that food is more than
food; that it can bring people together to fill hearts
as well as hungry bellies.
Our latest cookbook shares recipes from our
Two Good Co team, plus recipes from some of the
chefs who share our values. The meals champion
the relationship between food and love; they explore
the space between simplicity and luxury. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 111
Fig and goat’s cheese pastries with vino cotto
RECIPE BY MAGGIE BEER // MAKES ABOUT 30
These pastries are a little bit savoury and a little bit sweet and perfect to make
when figs are at their best, in late summer and early autumn. Pictured p111
375 gm store-bought butter puff pastry, brush lightly with beaten egg.
thawed if frozen 3 Dollop 1 tsp of goat’s cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten in the middle of each round, leaving
200 gm goat’s cheese a small border around the pastry edge.
15 small figs, halved, or 8 large figs, 4 Gently toss together fig, oregano and
quartered some freshly cracked black pepper in
2 tbsp chopped oregano a bowl, then place a piece of fig on
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil each dollop of goat’s cheese. Whisk
2 tbsp vino cotto together olive oil and vino cotto and
Oregano leaves or thyme flowers, drizzle a little over each fig.
to serve (optional) 5 Bake for 15-20 minutes until pastry
is puffed and golden, rotating the trays
1 Preheat oven to 180°C and line two if necessary for even baking. Check
large baking trays with baking paper. pastries after the first 5 minutes and
2 Roll out pastry on a lightly floured push any figs that have been dislodged
surface to a 36cm x 27cm rectangle, back into the centre of the cheese.
about 3 mm thick. Using a 5cm round Scatter over oregano leaves or thyme
pastry cutter, cut out 30 rounds and flowers and finish with a grinding of
place on prepared trays. Use a fork to pepper. Serve immediately.
prick each round about six times, then
The Two Good Co team.
114 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Honey tart with peanut
Sichuan poached chicken salad butter ice-cream
with sesame dressing RECIPE BY JANE STRODE // SERVES 8-10
RECIPE BY DAN HONG // SERVES 4 We were lucky to have Jane Strode work
in the Two Good Co kitchen in 2020.
This flavourful salad is best served at room temperature. You can prepare This is a recipe from her days at Bistrode,
most of the dish while the chicken is resting. Pictured p110 which she ran with her late husband
Jeremy. The combination of peanut
3 cm knob of ginger, peeled, coarsely 1 Fill a medium saucepan with water, butter ice-cream with the rich honey tart
chopped add ginger, garlic, onion and star anise is inspired. Start this recipe a day ahead.
2 garlic cloves, peeled and season well with salt. Bring to the
1 onion, coarsely chopped boil over high heat, then reduce heat to 300 gm store-bought shortcrust pastry
5 star anise low and simmer for 20 minutes to infuse. 5 eggs
3 chicken marylands 2 Lightly season chicken with salt and 200 gm brown sugar
1 tbsp white or black sesame seeds, carefully drop into poaching liquid. Bring 160 gm unsalted butter
toasted back to the boil, then reduce heat and 400 gm honey
50 gm (¼ cup) Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli simmer gently for 8 minutes. Remove 30 gm dried breadcrumbs
oil condiment with peanuts, plus pan from heat and cover with a lid. Leave 1½ tbsp plain flour, sifted
extra to serve (see note) chicken to finish cooking in liquid for 1 hour. 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice
1 tbsp grapeseed oil 3 Lift chicken out of liquid and place PEANUT BUTTER ICE-CREAM
1 telegraph cucumber, seeds removed, on a board. When it is cool enough to 500 gm store-bought vanilla ice-cream
cut into thick matchsticks handle, remove meat from bones and 115 gm crunchy peanut butter, at room
100 gm enoki mushrooms, bases trimmed, loosely tear into strips. If you like skin, temperature
separated tear that up as well and mix it through
50 gm fresh wood ear mushrooms, chicken meat, otherwise discard the skin 1 The day before you want to bake the
trimmed, roughly torn and bones. Reserve 1 tbsp of liquid for tart, roll out pastry on a lightly floured
1 bunch coriander, washed, roots the dressing. (Keep the rest of the surface to 5mm thick. Line a 26cm round
discarded, cut into 3cm lengths poaching liquid and use as a light stock tart tin with the pastry and wrap well in
4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly for other recipes. It will keep in an airtight plastic wrap. Rest in the fridge overnight.
sliced into strips container in the fridge for up to 3 days 2 Meanwhile, scoop ice-cream into
SESAME DRESSING or in the freezer for 1 month.) a bowl; let it soften at room temperature.
70 gm (⅓ cup) Chinese sesame paste 4 Combine Lao Gan Ma condiment Stir through peanut butter and return
60 ml (¼ cup) Chinese black vinegar and grapeseed oil. Set aside. to the freezer to firm up.
75 ml light soy sauce 5 For sesame dressing, place sesame 3 Preheat oven to 170°C.
2 tbsp caster sugar paste in a medium bowl and stir in 4 Line pastry shell with two layers of
reserved poaching liquid. Add remaining foil and trim edges so foil is about 2cm
ingredients and whisk until smooth. higher than pastry edge. Fill with pastry
6 Place shredded chicken, cucumber, weights, uncooked rice or dried beans
enoki and wood ear mushrooms, and blind-bake for 25 minutes or until
coriander and spring onion in a large golden brown. Remove foil and weights.
bowl and lightly mix with your hands. Lightly beat one egg in a bowl and brush
Add enough of the sesame dressing over pastry. Return to oven for another
to coat all the ingredients, followed by 5 minutes to set egg. Set aside to cool.
a few spoonfuls of chilli oil, then mix 5 Reduce oven temperature to 140°C.
again. Garnish with sesame seeds and 6 Whisk sugar and remaining four eggs
serve with extra Lao Gan Ma on the side. in a large bowl. Melt butter and honey
Note Lao Gan Ma is available from select together in a medium saucepan over
supermarkets and Asian grocers. low heat. Add breadcrumbs, flour and
a pinch of salt to egg mixture and stir
well. Stir in honey mixture and lemon
juice until completely combined.
This extract from Two Good
7 Pour honey filling into tart shell, then
Cookbook Two: Recipes for
Resilience (Two Good Co; bake for 45 minutes or until just set in
$45) has been reproduced the centre. Allow to cool completely on
with minor GT style edits. a wire rack before removing from the tin.
8 Serve tart with scoops of peanut
butter ice-cream.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 115
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Reef Room uShaka Lodge Dining
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Mt Mulligan Lodge
p 120
PHOTOGRAPHY ELISE HASSEY.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 119
TRUE
NORTH
120 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Perched on a sacred site, Mt Mulligan Lodge in north
Queensland proves to be a gourmet traveller’s outback
delight, writes FIONA DONNELLY.
122 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Clockwise from
left: inside the
Outback Retreat;
a rustic outdoor
bathtub to soak up
the views of the
outback; a relaxing
corner. Opposite:
gather for a drink
at the Sunset Bar.
grazing in the late afternoon humidity. The only sound is desultory guest
chatter from the pool deck and the occasional splash of a barramundi in
search of its afternoon tea. As I drink everything in, I’m convinced I feel
my pulse rate slowing.
Mt Mulligan Lodge is an all-inclusive property but the pleasures of
staying here are as much about what’s not part of the package. For
example, there’s no formal reception area, check-in fussing or having to
present a credit card to cover extras. With a maximum of 32 guests at any
time, there’s a hyper-personal approach to everything.
Welcome drinks and a chat with affable lodge manager Tegan Stanley
is as casually formal as it gets. Unless you specifically request a key, your
guest suite remains unlocked during your stay.
Stanley shepherds us inside a high-ceilinged communal area with
fold-back floor-to-ceiling windows, cleverly lit river stone-filled gabion
walls and shou sugi ban charred timbers. The airy main pavilion is the
axis on which everything here turns. This is where we meet head chef
Jeremy Fenech.
A Luxury Lodges of Australia member, Mt Mulligan Lodge is part of
the Northern Escape Collection. The group includes Barrier Reef gem
Orpheus Island Lodge, rainforest retreat Daintree Ecolodge and the
luxury motor yacht M.Y. Flying Fish. Dietaries for guests who’ve stayed at
group properties are noted and passed on, but Fenech prefers a personal
touch. He greets every arrival to check food preferences, and as we chat we
snack on locally grown betel leaf wraps topped with caramelised rectangles
of rice, makrut lime and apple.
“Most guests are open and trusting and many have heard about the
food from other guests, so they’re keen to try it. But I’d always rather
make a guest happy than take them out of their comfort zone,” says
Fenech, a native Queenslander raised partly near Rockhampton and ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 123
Clockwise from
far left: chef
Jeremy Fenech;
behind the bar at
Mt Mulligan
Lodge; red claw
chowder, smoked
potato and
Gruyère toast.
Opposite: alfresco
dining at Mt
Mulligan.
broke through a fence to attack citrus trees in the area that’s now being
transformed into a native fruit orchard.
As you’d expect in such a remote location, sustainability is an
important commitment. The resort gets most of its water from the
picturesque weir, which is filled by wet season run-off and a spring then
precision filtered. Power is generated mainly by solar. There’s a tiger worm
farm to handle food waste and a recycling system for cardboard and glass.
Hives to house both European and native bees are en route.
Longer term, Fenech hopes to set up a grill in the garden where he’ll
hold cooking classes while chatting about produce – akin to the set-up at
New Zealand’s Riverstone Kitchen.
Not that there’s a lack of pursuits at Mt Mulligan. You can head out
on self-guided walks, fish for barra, kayak, take helicopter flights or, best
of all, go on tours led by anthropologist and tour manager Simone Phillips.
A pre-dawn expedition to the foot of the mountain is well worth
the early wake-up. Sunrise washes Ngarrabullgan in even deeper tones
of red and gold, creating indelible memories. At the other end of the
day, a timber and tin hilltop sunset bar looking over the expansive
mountain top is an atmospheric spot to discuss the day’s venturing over
convivial sundowners.
Phillips is generous with her knowledge of what she describes as the
contested and complex history of this landscape. She tells of Eekoo,
a malign spirit who lives in a lake at the top of Ngarrabullgan, while taking
time to point out an intricately woven bowerbird’s bower, say, or a tree
traditionally used by the Kuku Djungan to craft dilly bags, or perhaps
a bush whose blooms traditionally mark the arrival of the wet season.
126 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Clockwise from below: skirt steak
with chimichurri; dining on the
As well as giving an insight into the traditional owners, Phillips also deck; views of Mount Mulligan.
tells the stories of the gold prospectors and coal miners who have lived Opposite, from top: seed pods
from the kapok tree; damper made
here. You can visit the remains of an old gold mine, or a deserted coal over the firepit; Simone Phillips.
mining township on the property where 75 miners tragically died in 1921,
the state’s worst mining disaster.
One activity to definitely carve out time for is Dining Under the Stars,
a seven-course dégustation enjoyed alfresco on the grass beside the weir.
It’s Fenech’s chance to put his Michelin expertise to full use, with chefs
ferrying out dishes like coral trout ceviche brightened with the tang of
local passionfruit, a carpaccio of kangaroo with tamarind and wattleseed,
and a showstopping confection of flamed red claw. North Queensland
trevally with tarragon, spears of wild asparagus and a creamy confit egg
yolk pairs beautifully with Brokenwood’s Indigo Vineyard chardonnay;
while a dessert of Atherton strawberries, goat’s cheese and a black olive
sorbet is made sweeter with a Yalumba Botrytis Viognier.
There’s even hot damper – made over a firepit installed alongside the
table and served with Davidson plum butter. Under an almost full moon,
with the soothing sounds of the night as backdrop –
frogs croaking, fish jumping, flying fox wings
flapping – it’s the kind of experience gourmet
travellers dream about.
Getting
there
Mt Mulligan Lodge
is a two and a half
hour 4WD road trip
or a 35-minute
helicopter ride from
Cairns. Prices start
from $1600 per night
for an Outback
Retreat (all-inclusive
for two guests).
mountmulligan.com
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 127
From left: oceanside dining at Kaum;
chef Daryl Wonorahardjo.
ESS E NT IA L I N D O NES IA N
For the best Indonesian food in Bali, go
to Kaum at Potato Head. The menu is
a combination of Indonesian classics and
creations inspired by different islands
across the archipelago. I can’t say no to any
of chef Wayan Kresna Yasa’s sates (satays),
particularly the babi (pork). The rice dishes
blow my mind, and when the moringa soup
is on the menu, it’s a can’t miss.
ZE R O -WAST E SE A FO O D OV ER FIR E
Also at Potato Head is Ijen, a zero-waste
fish-grill restaurant where chef Daryl
Wonorahardjo cooks everything over an
open fire. The new menu is more refined than
the previous but remains simple in nature,
with dishes like local snapper that’s aged
and perfectly grilled. There’s also a fantastic
dish of ravioli made from daikon shavings
with a bisque sauce made from fish bones.
Bali, Indonesia
Cristian’s Chilean, but I would say the food is
more Peruvian. I always have the same thing:
a classic ceviche, a rare grilled steak with PHOTOGRAPHY MARTIN WESTLAKE (DARYL, KAUM, IJEN).
a side of salsa verde and a tres leches
(three milk) cake with passion fruit seeds.
From a zero-waste restaurant to the best
babi guling, chef WILL GOLDFARB shares CO C KTA I L S & SNAC KS
Down the street from Pica, Cristian has
his tips on where to eat and drink in Bali. opened a cocktail bar called Boliche. Tucked
away behind a little secret door, the bar is
F
rom Paris to Catalonia, Will Goldfarb has cooked in high-powered the place to go right now. Inside, there’s
kitchens around the world (including El Bulli) – all while a beautiful terrace overlooking one of the
immersing himself in the local culture. At Room 4 Dessert, his temples in Ubud right by the bridge. It does
dessert bar in Ubud, Goldfarb celebrates the province’s produce Peruvian cocktails and Latin-inspired snacks.
and diverse influences. Here, the nomadic chef shares his top dining The menu is constantly changing, but it’s
recommendations for Bali, his island home for the past 13 years. always fun, party-friendly food.
128 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
B ALI ’S M O ST FAMOU S CH I CK E N
You’ll find the best betutu (chicken Clockwise from
top left: upcycled
cooked in a richly spiced sauce) at
terrazo interiors
Warung Makan Rama Ayam Betutu. at Ijen; chef
There are about six of them all over Cristian Encina;
the south of Bali. It’s like a franchise, Peruvian sashimi
with tamarillo at
but by franchise I mean it’s one woman Pica; wood-fired
with one bowl and one chicken, and carrots at Mason;
they make the sambal fresh in each fried sardines
atop croissant
one. They cook the rice over charcoal
loaf at Ijen.
too, so everything is super smoky.
A MUST-VISIT IN CANGGU
I like to get down to Canggu to see
chef Ben Cross at his restaurant
Mason. The food is fantastic and very
reasonably priced. One dish I really
love is the charcoal eggplant purée with
wood-fired flatbreads. The chefs do all
the charcuterie and butchery in-house
and there’s a strong cocktail and wine
program. At the back of the restaurant
you’ll find a door leading to The Back
Room – a New York-style bar, which is an
insane party place with killer cocktails.
W HERE TO DI N E I N S EM INYAK
At Sangsaka, you can see traces of HE AL I NG TH R O UG H F O OD
chef Kieran Morland’s background from Everything we do at Room 4 Dessert is
New York’s Momofuku Ssäm Bar and built around our garden, which is now in
The Wapping Project in London. He has its fourth year. We just planted another
a true passion for Indonesian flavours 2000 square metres of medicinal herbs,
and products. His wife, Yunika, is the plants and flowers in the last 90 days.
S N AIL S N AC K S real flavour goddess behind the place. Every menu we create has 21 dishes
If I want to have a snack in the afternoon, You can taste her sambal in everything and is built around 21 plants that we
I go to Warung Satay Kakul in Ubud for Kieran cooks, like his lobster dumplings. grow. We’ve been using a book called
freshwater snail satay. It’s fantastic. Like Apotek Hidup, or Living Pharmacy, as the
the name suggests, the eatery serves R O OM F O R D ES SERT base for what we do. It studies Balinese
super fresh barbecue-grilled snails with My guilty pleasure is going to Gaya plants and how they’re used traditionally.
soup made from banana heart. There Gelato in Sayan, just next to my house. Everything we do is built around the
are a lot of rice fields on the island and, My go-to is pistachio and zabaglione plants that we grow and our healing
by extension, a lot of rice field snails. with whipped cream on top. through food.
PHOTOGRAPHY MATI ALLENDES (PICA).
T H E BE ST BA B I G U LI N G
A dish I miss when I’m away from Bali is
babi guling (roast suckling pig). There’s As told to Jessica Rigg for
a lot of debate on who does the best The Local Tongue. For more
babi guling, but Babi Guling Pande Egi chef’s guides from around the
has recently taken it to another level. world, see thelocaltongue.com
I’m also a big fan of Babi Guling Ibu Oka.
It’s touristy, but it’s still great.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 129
New world order
With international trips on the horizon, we all need
a refresher on how to have more rewarding holidays
in 2022 and beyond, writes ANNA HART.
Don’t worry, I’m not here to talk about travel restrictions. We’ve had quite enough of
ILLUSTRATIONS GETTY IMAGES.
rules, and not enough travel, and 2022 is about roaming free, my friends. But I have
Anna is a travel been your travel columnist for two years, during a global pandemic and international
and lifestyle travel ban, and I simply wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t stage some sort of gentle
journalist, and intervention at this crucial point. Because if a single Gourmet Traveller reader goes out
author of the
travel memoir
into the world this year and has a holiday that is anything short of delightful, I shall be
Departures. furious. So please, read on, because holidaying in 2022 is serious business.
@annadothart
130 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Prioritise people
One of the few silver linings of the
emotional assault course of repeated
lockdowns is that sentimentality is
now a shame-free indulgence: we’re
completely comfortable telling family
and friends that we love and miss
them, like a cuddly bunch of
hippies. Just think of the money
we saved on self-help books and
therapy, becoming in-tune with
Get an agent them, because we were trapped in
I’ve always been an avowed independent traveller, researching hotels the house with our stupid emotions
and experiences online, reading Tripadvisor reviews, even the bonkers for months at a time and had no
ones, and scouring Skyscanner for cheap flights. I sneered at the idea choice. Anyway! It’s no surprise that
of a holiday arranged by a tour operator, or booked through most travellers are planning their
a travel agent. But this year, with travel proving a little bit more of first international travels around
an extreme sport, I’m grudgingly grateful for professional tour faces, not places. Even as an
companies such as Abercrombie & Kent, who help travellers navigate itinerant travel writer, I can’t begin
the inevitable complexities of travel in 2022. I’m not giving up on to think about purely recreational
independent travel, but if you’re in two minds whether to book adventures and breaks until I’ve
a trip yourself or call in the experts, this is a mighty good year to seen my sister in California. My
opt for a tour operator. first priority is playing Jenga with
my nephews at their kitchen table;
after that I can perhaps start
And prioritise yourself dreaming big about dive trips to
A little sentimentality is a useful thing for the Galápagos Islands.
travellers… it gives us the patience to stand
in a queue to see the Sistine Chapel, the
stamina to step jet-lagged into the snow in
pursuit of the Northern Lights, the artistic
ability to romanticise unromantic hotels in
countries where our favourite novels are set.
But please, don’t let sentimentality cloud
your vision of what travelling with
other people is actually like. Group and
multigenerational travel is predicted to be
a huge trend in 2022, but much as I adore
a gathering, I also appreciate an escaping.
Family reunions are rewarding, but rarely
relaxing. And group trips with friends are
often fun and frustrating in equal measure.
I’ve missed my friends and family but I’ve
also missed the sensation of being on
holiday, exploring new places with no
commitments, nimbly nipping around
museums without a herd of companions
who seemingly always need a drink or loo
stop. So remember, sentimentality is
a useful thing for travellers but selfishness
is a holiday essential.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 131
Stay loyal to your local
I know there are some travellers who have gleefully sworn off domestic
tourism for eternity and are making a beeline for Fiji. But for most of us,
these past two years were an opportunity to explore what we have on our
doorstep. Perhaps we have a new appreciation for that regenerated seaside
town we always dismissed as cheap, and a debt of gratitude for the nature
on offer within a couple of hours’ drive. Personally, I’m determined to
never lose my loyalty to my local surroundings, from the beaches that
kept me sane to the small businesses that kept me caffeinated when
there really wasn’t much else to see or do. I will always crave and adore
international travel, but I now well and truly have an appetite for
adventures closer to home.
132 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Travel better, for longer, less often
When it comes to allocating your leave days and travel
budget across 2022, rip up the old strategy sheet; there
is a brand new CEO calling the shots. Even before the
pandemic, most lovers of travel were already moving
Build trips around celebrations away from the smash-and-grab, box-tick tourism that
Like many travellers, I used to has been heavily marketed to us for the past two
fetishise spontaneity; committing to decades. We’d seen a philosophical shift towards
a plan more than a few weeks in slower travel, a rediscovery of the pleasure in immersing
advance made me nervous. This ourselves more deeply in one carefully chosen city
partly comes with the territory of or region rather than skimming the surface of an
being a freelance writer, as I can be entire country.
sent anywhere in the world, And today, travelling internationally now requires
thrillingly, at the drop of a text several joyless secretarial hours filling out online
message. But I imagine a lot of passenger locator forms, collecting QR codes and
dedicated travellers, especially securing test results. The faff is absolutely worth it, but
business owners and freelancers, the hassle-to-holiday ratio only becomes favourable for
will relate to this anxiety about longer trips. International mini-breaks no longer make
committing to celebratory trips or sense for us or for the planet. I’m not an advocate of
accepting invitations months into the flight-free movement, but I believe in having
the future. a healthy respect for long-haul flights, choosing
But then the pandemic happened, international trips consciously and ensuring every
which gave our nerves a lot more to flight I take counts. My resolution for 2022 is to travel
work with. These days I’m much less often, but linger in my chosen destination for
more anxious about the prospect of longer, investing more in the experience.
failing to see family and friends. And
so I’m happily plotting a family
reunion in Ireland in August for
my aunt and uncle’s wedding
anniversary, with my cousin
Caroline, who lives in Melbourne.
We’re even talking about a mass
family trip to Lapland next
Christmas. This would have been
unthinkable to the pre-pandemic
plan-dodging version of me. The
pandemic has turned me into
a forward planner, because after two
years celebrating events on Zoom,
a party is worth travelling for.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 133
CHECKING IN
Sofitel, Adelaide
We take the guesswork out of local travel with our tips on where
to stay, eat, drink and play. This month, GT heads to South Australia.
Adelaide,
SA
Quick
look
Where
A trip to France isn’t exactly easy right now, but there is a way to experience a touch of Bordeaux on 108 Currie St,
local turf. When Sofitel Adelaide opened its doors in November, it delivered a touch of joie de vivre to Adelaide, SA
the city’s CBD. Each of the six Sofitel hotels and resorts across Australia is aligned with a French Facilities
region. Here, it’s all about Bordeaux. Look up at the art installation as you enter the contemporary Prices from
foyer – it flows like a river of red wine. The 32-storey tower boasts 251 luxurious guest rooms and $320 per night for
suites with a choice of city and Adelaide Hills views. Light and flow is everything; from free-standing a superior room.
bathtubs, to open-concept bathrooms, Balmain Paris bath amenities, and walk-in wardrobes. For Gym/pool Yes
S T A Y
something special, Club Millésime (on level 10) offers a private lounge serving complimentary à la Hotel bar Yes
carte breakfast, afternoon tea, evening drinks, canapés, and personalised check in and check out. Restaurant Yes
The indoor heated lap pool is also something to behold. The floor-to-ceiling windows and large Free Wifi Yes
chandeliers are all kinds of ooh la la. sofiteladelaide.com.au
134 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Checking in
E X P L O R E
Catch a show at the many venues across town, or indulge
in retail therapy at The Adelaide Remakery for repurposed
gifts and handmade clothing. Bluey Boronia (presents
Perch) is also within walking distance and sells
a delightfully colourful array of treasures – all with
positivity at heart. Sofitel’s art tours also explore local
street art and the hotel’s own visual delights.
Clockwise from
left: endive,
Roquefort cheese, O U T O F T O W N
raisins and bread
croutons at
Visit Clare Valley wine region via train on The Ghan’s new day trip. The
Garçon Bleu; the
indoor heated epicurean adventure departs from Adelaide Parklands Terminal around
pool; wood-fired 9am (check in at 7am) and returns around 7pm. The journey includes
garfish wrapped in breakfast on-board, a wine tasting at a renowned Clare Vallery winery,
vinegar soaked lunch at the likes of Slate at Pikes Wines, Bush DeVine at Pauletts, or
nori at Shōbōsho;
the Ghan.
Kilikanoon at Watervale Hotel, followed by a glass of wine or port paired
Opposite: dining with cheese and chocolate during the trip home. Memorable stuff.
at Garçon Bleu. journeybeyondrail.com.au
WORDS KATIE SPAIN. PHOTOGRAPHY NEIL SORIANO (SOFITEL).
cloth cheddar and more) and an Army Stew ramen as you watch the fit-out is classy but there’s nothing
impressive Bloody Mary. world go by. Interesting burgers stuffy about the delivery. Bon appétit.
peterabbit.com.au add to the fun. @shomen_ramen garconbleu.com.au
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 135
CH ANG E OF
136 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Freed from the daily grind, FIONA DONNELLY finds herself falling in step
with nature while trekking Tasmania’s wild Three Capes Lodge Walk.
P A C E
P
urgatory Hill. Hurricane Heath. Perdition Plateau. a trek, then having the opportunity to digest the
I’m poring over a map of the Tasman National essence of this remote destination over a languorous
Park at my home in Brisbane, researching six-course dégustation.
a four-day hike I’m about to take – trekking the It’s chef Luke Burgess, who helped to put Tasmania
pristine Three Capes Track in Tasmania. The bleak on the food-lovers map cooking at Hobart’s now legendary
romanticism of the placenames I’m uncovering is giving Garagistes, who’ll be at Cape Pillar Lodge cooking up
me a touch of cold feet about my impending departure. a storm for RATEOTW. He’ll be walking the track
But it’s also ratcheting excitement levels. separately. And he’ll be doing it twice, first delivering a grill
There’s a weather warning current for a polar blast. to smoke the abalone he’ll serve in one of the dishes, then
It’s set to bring freezing temperatures, rain and snow from carrying in the bulk of what he needs for our dinner in
Antarctica to south-east Australia – and could even cause a 23.5-kilo pack, without using any single-use plastic. Now
flurries in sunny Queensland. What on earth is it going that’s an impressive feat which puts my own 10-kilo pack
to be like in already wintery Tasmania? and pre-walk nerves firmly in perspective.
I’m filling in on this story at the last The bus arrives to collect me from my
minute, due to a Covid lockdown I’m not the only one overnight digs in the heritage Henry Jones
interstate, so I’ve had no time to do excited by the prospect Art Hotel. It’s an ideal introduction to
preparatory work. I’ve never done of tackling a trek, then historic Hobart, all rough-hewn walls, cosy
a multiple-day walk before. I’ve never fires burning in the lobby and mist-mired
carried a loaded 10-kilo pack, either.
having the opportunity views across the city’s working docks.
My bedroom is littered with gear to digest the essence of A smiling Clinton Garratt jumps out
borrowed from kind friends, some of this remote destination to say G’day and guide me aboard. It’s
which I have little idea how to use. 10°C. Garratt is wearing light shorts and
over a six-course
Why did I say yes? Well, there’s a short-sleeved T-shirt. I’m clad in
a massive carrot enticing me to fly south dégustation. thermals, walking trousers and a fleece
– provided I can hold my nerve and stay jacket, with my rain jacket on top. My
the course. I’ll be travelling the Three Capes Track guided new Mongrel woollen beanie and thermal gloves are stuffed
by the award-winning Tasmanian Walking Company in my pocket, just in case.
(TWC). And I’ll be doing the trek in sustainable, off-grid Garratt, a former IT professional radiates good health.
luxury, staying overnight at the beautifully appointed yet Normally he works as a guide but broke his leg on a run
low-impact Crescent Lodge and Cape Pillar Lodge enroute. 10 weeks ago, so he’s taking things gently while
Equally motivational is the news that on the third night, recuperating. He’s not even using a stick. It’s a shiny
there’s a seat at the launch of the intriguingly named advertisement for the benefits of exercise.
Restaurant at The Edge of The World (RATEOTW). TWC At TWC’s Hobart headquarters I meet fellow walkers
owns the only private accommodation in Tasman National – retired and practising medics, a radio journalist,
Park. It’s the first time the company has held this event. a facilities manager, an IT worker – an interesting
When it was announced the series sold out in four hours. bunch. The group has come from around Australia,
So, I’m not the only one excited by the prospect of tackling and includes a couple of Tasmanians curious about
their backyard. Our experienced guides, Steph Wilson and Bert
Spinks, give us our first briefing. We’re provided with snacks,
a lightweight Mont rain jacket and a backpack.
When we arrive at Stewarts Bay, a fast boat is already at the dock.
It whisks us to Denmans Cove – an exhilarating yet surprisingly
smooth trip. On arrival, we’re told the recent bad weather means they
can’t land the boat today, so we’re presented with our first challenge
– getting our feet wet. We duly unlace our hiking boots, tug off socks
and wade in.The shock of the freezing dark water is a wake-up call to
any senses that aren’t already twanging.
The ascent to our first overnight stop, Crescent Lodge, is
easygoing. A couple of hours after landing at the Cove, we’re
ensconced in the communal living room, admiring storm-tossed
treetops waving outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of the lodge.
There’s hot coffee and most of us are tucking into fat wedges of pear
and ginger cake, getting ready for early evening drinks – Tassie pinot
and local Josef Chromy bubbles. These are paired with platters of
local cheeses, then followed by braised beef cheeks and panna cotta
and more wine. This is turning into my kind of walking holiday.
The Three Capes Lodge Walk unfolds over four days and three
nights. It entails tramping between two and six hours a day,
interspersed with regular snack breaks and lunch stops pre-catered by
lodge chef Zena Roberts. The track often hugs the peninsula’s dramatic
coastline. It’s a model of discreet construction – an easily traversed
combination of sturdy timber boardwalk topped with wire mesh,
crunchy gravel and pavers made mainly from dolerite, the ancient rock
that features in the dramatic sea cliffs we all marvel over. Soaring to
300 metres, they are the tallest cliffs in the southern hemisphere.
By day two I’ve jettisoned most of my layers and I’m welcoming the
mizzle, enjoying the occasional gusts of driving rain on my face, while
my body stays warm and dry inside the rain jacket. By day three I’m in
Clockwise from top: Crescent Lodge; shorts. My wet-weather trousers never even make it out of my pack.
lodge views; Luke Burgess prepares
the dégustation. Opposite: There’s no snow, but we regularly walk into cloud that’s so thick
Tasmania’s unique scenery. and all-encompassing you barely tell where it ends and the sea below
begins. The moody weather creates a sense of camaraderie and helps
you slip into a meditative state while walking. It forces you to focus
on what’s in front of you – perhaps gnarled lichen-encrusted
branches, or a native shrub like a bushman’s bootlace, or frilly-edged
fungi, or even the colourful seed-laden cast of a Currawong.
Occasionally, sharp silver glints cut through the mist to reveal the
presence of the roiling ocean below.
It’s a transportive moment when we reach Cape Pillar and
PHOTOGRAPHY BRETT BOARDMAN (LODGE).
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 139
The view from
Three Capes
Track. Clockwise
from right:
Burgess prepares
a dish at
Restaurant at The
Edge of The
World; striped
trumpeter crudo
with tomatillo
kosho. Opposite:
native trees
surround the
boardwalk.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 141
A G o ur m e t Tr av e lle r p r o m o t i o n
Gourmet shopping
They’re the flavours of the month, so put these items at the top of your wish list.
1 2 3
The Byng Street Boutique Hotel is located Jamala Wildlife Lodge offers five-star Harvey Norman The NEFF 80 cm Induction
in Orange’s heritage precinct. A beautiful accommodation in the heart of Canberra. Cooktop with Down Draft Ventilation has a
juxtaposition of the historical homestead It’s the ultimate overnight safari, providing sensor-controlled system that automatically
and contemporary architecture, this 4.5 up-close interactions with the zoo’s adjusts the ventilation power level based
star hotel welcomes guests who appreciate residents. $1475 for two people all- on what you’re up to in the kitchen.
unique style and luxurious comfort. inclusive, jamalawildlifelodge.com.au RRP $5599, harveynorman.com.au
4 5 6
Hidden Italy Our 2022 guided and Krosno With its simple design and timeless Art Mob Pioneering styles of artwork
self-guided walking tours of Italy are silhouettes, the Harmony collection brings come from Art Mob with these natural
open for booking. Join us on our Krosno craftsmanship to a range of mixed-media paintings by Torres Strait
adventures: excellent accommodation, tumblers, wine glasses and carafes. islander Dennis Nona using sand, charcoal,
fine food, great walks and good company. Available in sets of six from $29.95. ochre and natural dyes. RRP $3900,
hiddenitaly.com.au krosno.com.au/collections/harmony artmob.com.au
7 8 9
Gaggenau The Gaggenau 400 series Pico chocolate is good for people, Prohibition Blood Orange Gin is back by
Vario Fridge-Freezer exceeds the the planet and your palate. These popular demand, featuring Riverland fruit
standards of function and beauty, and Fairtrade-certified blocks are organic, – distilled within days of picking – with
extends freshness. The RB 492 boasts a vegan and delicious. Look for them in botanicals including strawberry gum,
stainless steel interior and a 5-star energy your supermarket or specialty store today. chamomile and cinnamon myrtle.
rating. From $17,499, gaggenau com.au RRP $6, picochocolate.com RRP $94, prohibitionliquor.co
Gourmet Traveller Marketplace
ACCOMMODATION, FOOD & CLOTHING
We are very excited about our new tour to Naples and Campania (15 to 27
May ’22). It is a stunningly beautiful area with endless surprises, beautiful
scenery and the exuberance of southern Italy. The tour starts with three
nights in Naples, then moves to the foothills of the Apennines for four
nights; then down to the glorious Golfo di Policastro for three nights; and,
as a grand finale, finishes with two nights in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast.
W W W. B Y N G S T R E E T H O T E L . C O M . A U
Full details: www.hiddenitaly.com.au
d Wi
ar
nn
llo, w
Botany
i ng L
NSW
im ce
on ,
What s for
dinner?
banksandsolander.com
currong.com.au zestbyronbay.com.au
@banksandsolander Celebrate & enjoy the holidays
@banks_and_solander with your 15% GT discount
(use code GT15 @ checkout) Offer ends: January 31, 2022
AM 19756/21
Sabrina Nangala Robertson
Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water
Dreaming) 2021
Acrylic on Belgian linen
183 x 91cm
STYLE
Brighter days
Outdoor living, beach
accessories, summer
scents and stylish
exercise essentials.
1
5
9
PHOTOGRAPHER STEPHANIE ROONEY. STYLING KARINA DUNCAN.
14 10
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 147
3
4
2 5
1 8
18
11
10
17
12
16
13
14
15
1 Krosno Symphony wide bottom vase, from $79.95, Temple & Webster. 2 Carter linen cushion in White with Charcoal pencil stripe, $89.95 for cover only,
Eadie Lifestyle. 3 Elysian commercial pull-out kitchen mixer in Brushed Brass, $579.90, ABI Interiors. 4 Andorra rug in Terrazzo (1.7m x 2.4m), $1335,
Armadillo. 5 Dinosaur Designs Bow vase in Cream, $420, The Museum Shop. 6 Normann Copenhagen Bell lamp in Sand, $423 for extra small, Royal
Design. 7 Garrick outdoor dining table (1.7m), $799, Domayne. 8 Kay Bojesen Menageri bowl in Oak (14cm), $87.15, Finnish Design Shop. 9 Cali Coast V
art print (50cm x 70cm), $129 unframed, The Art and Framing Company. 10 Isabella bed head in Classic Cream, $779 for king, Brosa. 11 Luca linen
cushion in Sea Mist, $94.95, Eadie Lifestyle. 12 Salsie French Seam fabric sofa in Dalton Natural, $1899, Freedom. 13 Hanna Saari ‘Halikko’ round cutting
board in Ash, $141, Finnish Design Shop. 14 Mele stool in Natural, $519, Uniqwa Collections. 15 Eclipse sun lounge, $599, Domayne. 16 Woven rattan tall
vase, $149, Pottery Barn. 17 Tangent bar stool in Oak, $349, RJ Living. 18 Alva armchair in White & Byron Dove, $1695, Sarah Ellison.
148 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Home
EASY BREEZY
A cool colour palette pairs with
calm minimalism to set the scene
for holidays at home.
PHOTOGRAPHY ARMELLE HABIB.
ME
HO I
NS
P I R AT
IO
N
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 149
4
6
Sta y
Katikies,
Mykonos
1
Citrus chic
Add a squeeze of colour to your summer
wardrobe with these playful pieces.
150 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Style
Under wraps
Whether poolside or beachfront, stay sun smart
with these colourful and versatile sarongs.
PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING AND MERCHANDISING LAUREN DE SOUSA.
From left to right: Pareo sarong in Scales print, $130, Fella Swim. Limoncello sarong, $199, Rebecca Vallance. Long
sarong in And The Queen Wore Red, $199, Camilla. Sarong in Neo Ivy, $118, and sarong in Jungle, $118, Aila Blue.
Catania sarong, $199, Rebecca Vallance.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 151
Beauty
BRIGHTEN UP
A glowing complexion doesn’t happen by accident.
Smart skincare is the key to unlocking radiance.
EDIT
NT
TELLIGE 2
T A K E Y O U R B U F F A W A Y
V I T A M I N S One reason our skin
becomes dull and looks
N
WORDS BROOKE LE POER TRENCH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING HANNAH BLACKMORE.
(3), with vitamin E and ferulic 4 contain marshmallow and
acid; and Drunk Elephant’s perennial flower to soothe
C-Firma™ Fresh Day Serum, and calm irritated skin.
$111 (4), which nourishes
while gently exfoliating.
C L E A R
S A I L I N G
L I G H T T O U C H
6 One of the hurdles to
Without moisture, skin looks looking more radiant is
5
lacklustre. When we want hyperpigmentation, which
a hit of hydration, nothing makes skin appear mottled
kicks-up glow faster than and prematurely aged. To
111Skin’s Rose Gold Face even skin-tone, Is Clinical
Mask, $35 (6), which Whitening Lightening Serum,
saturates skin with hyaluronic $126.50 (9), is packed with
acid and peptides, alongside powerful botanical extracts
7
other skin-nourishing that buff and brighten,
ingredients. Also look for Sisley’s Phyto-Blanc Le
daily brightening formulas Soin Brightening Protective
such as Verso’s Daily Glow, Moisturiser, $420 (5), helps
$74 (2), which increases 8 to fade spots, and Aesthetics
radiance by restoring skin Rx Ultimate Serum, $109 (8),
9
with retinol and soothing balances complexion
inflammation with vitamin B3. with niacinamide and
salicylic acid.
152 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
2
Fresh
notes
Evoke memories of long days
and balmy nights with these
unique summer scents.
7
4
6
PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING & MERCHANDISING HANNAH BLACKMORE.
GT team
favourite
1 A luxe, warm scent accented with saffron and cedarwood. L’Artisan Parfumeur Legendes du Cedre, $298, Libertine Parfumerie. 2 A floral yet spicy
fragrance bright with patchouli and peach. Splendida Bvlgari Patchouli Tentation EDP, $239, Bvlgari. 3 A fresh bouquet of zesty citrus and Calabrian
bergamot. Acqua di Santa Maria Novella EDC, $198, Santa Maria Novella. 4 A celebration of all things rose-scented. Diptyque Limited Edition Eau Rose,
$264, Mecca. 5 Matcha tea notes blend with creamy fig and soft vetiver. Le Labo Thé Matcha 26 EDP, $279, Mecca. 6 The clean scent of basil meets
Sicilian orange. Paris Deauville Les Eaux De Chanel EDT spray, $195, Chanel. 7 A modern blend of blackcurrant and green fig leaves with olive wood
and cedar. Bottega Veneta Illusione Tonka Solaire For Her EDP, $155, David Jones.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 153
Objects of desire
Health kick
Find balance and update your home gym
with these stylish exercise essentials.
Clockwise from top left: Wavy floor mirror, $1600, Knot Studio. Yoga mat and holder set in Quartz Pink, $160, The Daily Edited. Cork roller, $70, and
cork ball, $60 for set of 2, Meraki Mats. Squireme Y1 Collection water bottle in Mint Green, $49.95, Opus Design. Resin plinth/stool in Pink, $399,
Condo Objects. Spring Wind Sweeps The Blossom Away artwork by Peter Summers, $900, and Awake From Morning Dreams artwork by Peter
Summers, $900, Studio Gallery Group. Bala Beam in Sage, $149, Bala. Baby bolster cushion in Natural Hemp, $125, Mandala Living. Small Pilates ball,
$15, Sculpt By The Sea. The Power Ring Set in Sand, $189, Bala. Align cork yoga mat, $109, Meraki Mats. YR Studio reformer bed in Ivory, $4195,
Your Reformer. Baina Roman pool towel in Sage, $110, Oliver Thom. Wellness ball in Oatmeal, $179, Esfera Designs.
154 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Elegance is an attitude
Regé-Jean Page
Longines boutiques
Melbourne • 256 Collins Street · Chadstone - The Fashion Capital
Sydney • Queen Victoria Building · David Jones Elizabeth Street