The

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..

mojo sauce and chicken salad with

flatbread ................................98
Yuzu cream tarts with
ginger strawberries ..........100
Blackberry, Ginger and
Lime Virgin Spritz ............. 101
sesame dressing................ 115
Jane Strode’s honey tart
with peanut butter
ice-cream ............................. 115

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.
SUBSCRIBE
magshop.com.au/GMT

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.

134 CHECKING IN Sofitel, Adelaide.

146 STYLE Home, fashion and beauty.
154 OBJECTS OF DESIRE Exercise essentials.

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.
This issue of Gourmet Traveller is published by Are Media Pty Ltd (Are Media). Are Media may use and disclose
your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or
services and to keep you informed of other Are publications, products, services and events. Our Privacy Policy is
located at aremedia.com.au/privacy/. It also sets out how you can access or correct your personal information and
130 NEW WORLD ORDER
With international trips on the horizon, Anna Hart gives
a refresher on how to have a more rewarding holiday
lodge a complaint. Are Media may disclose your personal information offshore to its owners, joint venture partners,
service providers and agents located throughout the world, including in New Zealand, USA, the Philippines and the
in 2022 and beyond.
European Union. In addition, this issue may contain Reader Offers, being offers, competitions or surveys. Reader
Offers may require you to provide personal information to enter or to take part. Personal information collected for

136 CHANGE OF PACE

Reader Offers may be disclosed by us to service providers assisting Are Media in the conduct of the Reader Offer
and to other organisations providing special prizes or offers that are part of the Reader Offer. An opt-out choice is
provided with a Reader Offer. Unless you exercise that opt-out choice, personal information collected for Reader
Offers may also be disclosed by us to other organisations for use by them to inform you about other products,
Freed from the daily grind, Fiona Donnelly finds herself
services or events or to give to other organisations that may use this information for this purpose. If you require falling in step with nature while trekking Tasmania’s
further information, please contact Are’s Privacy Officer either by email at privacyofficer@aremedia.com.au or mail
to Privacy Officer, Are Media Pty Ltd, 54 Park St, Sydney, NSW 2000. wild Three Capes Lodge walk.

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
Advertising
Group Commercial Brand Manager Rhyl Heavener (02) 8114 9420
Advertising Production Manager Kate Orsborn (02) 9282 8364
Brand Executive Amelia Paterson (02) 9282 8038
Senior Events Manager Cate Gazal (02) 8116 9342
Director of Sales (NSW) Karen Holmes (02) 9282 8733
Director of Sales (Vic, SA, WA) Jaclyn Clements (03) 9823 6341
Victoria Head of Direct Sales Demi Martello (03) 9823 6368
Queensland Head of Sales Judy Taylor (07) 3101 6636
Creative Director Clare Catt (02) 8116 9341
Production Controller Sally Jefferys (02) 9282 8321
Advertising Production Coordinator Dominic Roy (02) 9282 8691
Marketing, Research & Circulation
Marketing Director Louise Cankett
Senior Marketing Manager Jillian Hogan
Circulation Manager Dariya Kaing
Senior Research Analyst Ania Falenciak
General Manager Subscriptions Sean McLintock
Senior Subscriptions Campaign Manager Ellie Xuereb
Junior Subscriptions Campaign Manager Anjali Israni
Syndication Content Sales Manager Tanuja Singh
Are Media
Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley
Executive General Manager Sarah-Belle Murphy
Group Publisher Nicole Byers
Director of Sales Andrew Cook
General Manager Brands
& Commercial Solutions Jane Waterhouse
Business Manager Rowena Silva Das
Editorial office GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia phone +61 2 9282 8758

Published by Are Media Pty Limited. ABN 18 053 273 546. 54-58 Park St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, (02) 9282 8000.
The trade mark Gourmet Traveller is the property of Are Media Pty Limited and is used under licence. ©2022 All
rights reserved. Printed by Ovato, 8 Priddle St, Warwick Farm, NSW, 2170. National distribution by Gordon and
Gotch Australia Pty Ltd. 1300 650 666. Gourmet Traveller cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.
If such materials are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. Price in Australia, $9.99; in New Zealand,
NZ$10.99; digital edition, $3.99. Subscription rates: 1 year (12 issues) $74.99 via automatic renewal; 1 year (12
issues) $79.99 via credit card or cheque; NZ (airspeed) 1 year, $120; overseas (airspeed) 1 year, $180; digital
edition monthly, $2.99; 6 months, $9.99; 1 year, $19.99. Vol 20 No 5 ISSN 1034-9006

Subscriptions
Gourmet Traveller, Reply Paid 5252, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia, phone 136 116,
email magshop@magshop.com.au

@gourmettraveller askgourmet@aremedia.com.au
GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU
 Editor’s letter

As I sit down to write this in early 2022, the world is

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.

SUBSCRIBE NOW
magshop.com.au/gmt
Details p116
PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY (PORTRAIT), TANIKA BLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY (EMRO DESIGNS)

RE WE
HE ’

VE
R ME
OU

BEEN
G

WHAT GT LOVES THIS MONTH

A

ED

P
PROV

Emro Designs Chappy’s

Bundjalung artist Christine Slabb You’ll be a very happy chappy
drew inspiration from the coast for when you treat yourself to
her new collection of wool rugs for a bag of these premium kettle
Emro Designs, a First Nations- chips, handmade in Melbourne.
owned and operated business. Flavours include mango habanero,
Fishing Season is one of three dill pickle and prawn cocktail.
unique designs available. chappysnacks.com.au
emrodesigns.com.au

The Gold Coast

& ELISE HASSEY (MOUNT MULLIGAN).

Malmo bar trolley Our recent travel guide to the

Whether laden with Champagne Gold Coast was put to good use
and cocktails or set up poolside as I headed north for a summer
as a sunscreen and hydration getaway. Highlights included
station, this outdoor cart is the dinner at Labart, cocktails at
ultimate summer accessory when Jimmy Wah’s and meeting koalas
it comes to alfresco entertaining. at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
cocorepublic.com.au Joanna Hunkin, editor

EMAIL ASKGOURMET@AREMEDIA.COM.AU // FOLLOW @ GOURMETTRAVELLER // ONLINE GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 9
Contributors
Essen by Artisans
of Barossa
p 41
ANNA HART
writer
New travel rules, p130
Belfast-born writer and broadcaster
Anna Hart is Gourmet Traveller’s
travel columnist, a globetrotting
adventurer dedicated to helping
travellers have more rewarding and
responsible trips. “The past two
years have been a truly surreal time
to be a travel writer, with borders
closed, lockdowns and restrictions
across the world,” she says. “With
international travel finally on the
horizon, it’s time to re-think the
holidays we want to enjoy in 2022.
And the sort of travel industry we
want to see in five years’ time.”
10 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
KATIE SPAIN
SA state editor
Essen restaurant review, p41
A connection to produce started
early for Katie Spain. She grew up
on a dairy farm in South Australia
before working in journalism in
Europe. These days, she writes
about wine. For her efforts, she
was named Wine Communicators
of Australia’s 2021 Wine
Communicator of the Year. As our
new South Australia state editor,
she highlights some of the best
places to explore in Adelaide and
beyond. “I’m a farm girl at heart.
Start in the city, then hit the regions
and meet the growers.”
PETRINA TINSLAY
photographer
PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW CROWLEY (HART) & DUY DASH (ESSEN).
Twice as nice, p110
Two Good is a social enterprise
that equips disadvantaged women
with both cooking skills and
confidence. This month we share
an excerpt from Two Good
Cookbook Two, which features
imagery by Australian food and
lifestyle photographer, Petrina
Tinslay. She captured recipes from
both Australia’s best chefs and the
nourishing, nutritious Two Good
kitchen. “To see first-hand the work
[they do] transforming the paths of
so many people’s lives is really
inspiring,” says Tinslay.
 Create one aesthetic statement.

The difference is Gaggenau.

Gaggenau appliances: individually accomplished, exceptional together.
Every Gaggenau piece is distinctively designed, crafted from exceptional
materials, offers professional performance, and has done so since 1683.
Make a statement: www.gaggenau1683.com.au

9LVLWXVDWRXU‫ﺫ‬DJVKLSVKRZURRPLQ6RXWK0HOERXUQHIRUWKHIXOO*DJJHQDXH[SHULHQFH
&RYHQWU\6WUHHW6RXWK0HOERXUQH9LFWRULD_
 Dishes and destinations
The Gourmet Traveller team share where
they’ve been and what they’re eating.

Carrington Falls, Southern Highlands, NSW

The Southern Highlands is home to some
unsuspecting summer havens, like these tranquil
watering-holes hidden behind the town of Robertson.
Streams run ice-cold, providing sweet relief from the
heat for locals and visitors alike.
Georgie Meredith, writer and editorial coordinator

Shabooh Shoobah, Melbourne

Named after the 1983 INXS album,
Shabooh Shoobah fills West
Brunswick’s obvious wine bar gap with
aplomb. The stracciatella number is
a great example of how to get it right,
teaming the fresh cheese with silky
braised peppers, crisp curry leaves and
Ulur-u-Kata Tjut- a National Park, NT a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
There has never been a better time 59A Melville Rd, Brunswick West, Vic.
to tick off some of those bucket list Michael Harden, Vic state editor
destinations in our own backyard.
A trip to the Red Centre proved
both replenishing and revitalising
with its big skies, striking landscapes
and rich, powerful history. A spiritual
and eye-opening experience.
Lauren de Sousa, art director
PHOTOGRAPHY HOOTAN HEYDARI (SHABOOH SHOOBAH)

Federal Doma Café, Northern Rivers

Di Stasio Pizzeria, Melbourne
This lobster, lard, fior di latte and herb
pizza was $48. Was it worth it? Was
I even a lobster on pizza kind of guy?
Yes. And yes. Carlton is Australia’s pizza
heartland, and it just crowned a new king.
224 Faraday St, Carlton, Vic.
Callum McDermott, acting digital editor
This indoor-outdoor Japanese eatery made for
a well-earned pit stop following a hike to nearby
Minyon Falls. Karaage-style nubs of cauliflower
crowned a vibrant salad of compressed
watermelon, rice noodles and slivers of capsicum,
topped with a coriander and coconut sauce.
3/6 Albert Street, Federal, NSW.
Jordan Kretchmer, writer

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
Clockwise from above: Bistro
Livi’s Nikky Wilson (left),
Ewen Crawford (middle) and
Danni Wilson (right); cocktail
honey bugs with tarragon and
the retro dining booths at Jane.
16 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
NEW SOUTH WALES
Despite an enormously trying start to
2022, the hospitality industry continues
to power on with several new openings.
Parlar is a new 50-seat Mediterranean
diner in Potts Point from the team
behind neighbouring Franca. Promising
a refined, luxury fit out, the kitchen will
focus on Catalan dishes, overseen by
Franca’s executive chef José Saulog.
The menu will be full à la carte with
a strong bar snacks component, ideal
for dropping in and pairing with a glass
of Spanish wine.
Ex-Sagra owner and chef Nigel Ward
is set to open Passeggiata in Waverley.
Ward has taken over an entire building
and stripped it from top to tail to create
a restaurant and wine bar that draws
on his past and serves locals. “I’m trying
to build the restaurant I want to go to
a few times a week,” says Ward.
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-
grown sustainable ingredients, dishes
include wallaby saucisson, blackberries
and cipollini onion; kangaroo tartare
with bush tomato and shoestring fries;
and duck with pencil leeks and
Davidson’s plum.
Elsewhere, Bondi is now home to
the second outpost of Chaco Ramen,
bringing its mouth-tingling chilli
coriander ramen and yakitori to the
beachside suburb.
Down south, Merivale has opened
Queen Chow in Narooma. Expect
Cantonese classics including Peking
duck pancakes and dim sum alongside
locally sourced seafood.
And in the Northern Rivers,
Murwillumbah will welcome Bistro Livi.
Headed up by two ex-Movida and
Carlton Wine Room chefs, it’s set to
hone in on European small plates, while
Flack Studio is looking after the interiors.
 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).

installations, fiery eats and music to

“There is no restaurant in Australia that
a historic Federation building. Her is
will offer better seafood than us. This is
a globetrotting affair: on the first level
something I can hang my hat on. We’ve
you’ll find a Parisian-style cocktail bar
done it for a long time, and we have
with an all-day bistro menu, followed by
those contacts in place”, says Gloftis.
a bar that will focus on music, drawing
Across the road, Sunshine promises
upon the listening bars of Tokyo and
to be a bright and casual vegetarian
London (think high-end audio equipment
eatery serving the Mediterranean food
and vinyl records as the soundtrack,
Gloftis enjoys cooking at home. The
rather than a nightclub). Next you’ll find
menu will include moussaka, chickpea
BKK, a Thai barbecue canteen headed
soup and bean salads, alongside
up by Sungeun Mo (ex-Red Spice Road).
cocktails, wine and Spritzes.
Expect bowls of khao soi and sai ua
(Chiang Mai sausage) grilled over coals. Clockwise from top: Patsy’s dining room;
co-owners Mathew Guthrie (left) and
And finally, there’s a rooftop bar to top it
Clinton Trevisi (right) with chef Dallas Reilly;
all off, where you can expect slick light snacks at Patsy’s; crab at Queen Chow.
installations and a focus on music.
The team behind Mornington
Peninsula restaurants, Bistro Elba and
Donna Maria has made its way into the
CBD, opening Patsy’s. A Northern
Mediterranean-leaning wine list by
Sebastian Zotti (previously Prince Wine
Store) will see 18 wines by the glass
available at all times, joined by
a meat-free menu. Produce will be the
hero, with much of it sourced from the
owners’ gardens and farm in Daylesford
along with vendors at the Queen
Victoria Markets just across the road.
Head chef Dallas Reilly developed the
menu to match the wines, learning
about vegetarian dishes from the
different winemaking regions.

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

Byron Bay is increasingly becoming known for its quality

produce – how are you hoping to bring this into your new
role as head chef? Getting to know the farmers here has been
a really natural progression. There is an abundance of really
intelligent farmers who are thinking along the same lines of
what I want to promote. These were things we thought about
a lot at Arc Dining and we were making a huge effort behind
the scenes to make sure things were nutrient dense and
ethical, but I always made sure we weren’t pushing that onto
the customer. Now we’re in Byron I don’t need to shy away
from it, we can lean into that side of things a lot more and
be really proud of it.

There’s also a vibrant restaurant scene developing – what’s

that been like to step into? There’s a genuine community of
like-minded hospitality people here. We’re even talking about
– further down the line once Beach has been established –
maybe doing chef swaps between restaurants. It’s pretty
exciting to be able to have these conversations with other
local chefs and see how we can all help support one another.

Beach has been in Byron for more thab 20 years – how
does it feel to join the family? It just feels like the perfect
group is here. You’ve got co-owners Ben and Belinda
Kirkwood. They’ve been here for two decades, and are so
passionate and have an amazing lay of the land. Fink group
also joined, they are partners, so you’ve got that kind of
support and knowledge from a big business perspective as
well. I just can’t believe my luck. I’m really, really excited to
be part of it.
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
I do?” I think we can get further collectively.
What we can expect to see on the menu? It will be hyper
seasonal, what’s in the area. I just want to immerse myself in
Byron, see what they’ve got and then work from there. It will
be very heavily seafood, not all seafood, but being on the
beach, it’s a bit of a no-brainer and what I love.
Beach Byron Bay, 2 Massinger St, Byron Bay, NSW,
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).

confit meat. The Bay Smokehouse uses sustainably sourced

wild-caught fish – perhaps mullet, trevally or Spanish mackerel
depending on what’s available from local fishermen – and hot
smokes it. These fillets are then blended with raw cashew cream
(making it dairy-free) and topped with olive oil, resulting in an
unctuous and smooth dip that’s well worth seeking out.
thebaysmokehouse.com.au

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

PHOTOGRAPHY ANNIKA KAFCALOUDIS (GOLDEN GROVE) & NIKKI TO (OZHARVEST).

reinvigorate, Refettorio is a satellite concept borrowed from
world-renowned chef Massimo Bottura, who launched the original
Refettorio Ambrosiano in Milan.
“Massimo is delightful and everything he stands for is in
alignment with what we believe in,” says Kahn. It didn’t take long for
Kahn to ask if she could bring the concept to Australia.
While the space will serve free meals to those in need during the
day, by night it will serve as a function space to fund those meals.
“Every dollar that comes in, goes on to feed more people,” says
Kahn. And guests – no matter what time of day – will all be treated
to the same high-quality experience. “People enjoying the free
lunches won’t be short-changed. It’s the same food, same plates,
same experience. That is really quite beautiful because that’s
where dignity lies.”
Head chef Jez Wick and sous chef Lauren Evers rise to the
challenge of cooking flavour-packed vegetarian-leaning food, that
does the rescued produce justice. An entrée may include whipped
goat’s cheese with burnt spring onion oil-tossed tomatoes with
fermented tomato dressing, tamari seeds and nori; followed by
a mustard seed and sweet shallot-studded potato croquette served

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

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
TASMANIA
Located in the centre of Hobart’s
Midtown, The Rox is a new luxury
self-contained accommodation option
in the CBD. With interior concepts
completed by Tess Newman-Morris,
(best known for her work on Satellite
Island), each apartment showcases
Tasmanian furniture makers, ceramicists
and designers. The Rox has also joined
forces with Sonny. Matt Breen and the
team will deliver a slice of Hobart’s
Clockwise from coolest vinyl and wine bar straight
left: The Jackson to your room, with a daily changing
Ranch at Bawley set menu.
Point; Osborn
House’s cabin
room; and
NEW SOUTH WALES
interiors at The Southern Highlands is getting its
Hobart’s the Rox. own Cotswolds-inspired luxury boutique
News
getaway via Osborn House. The 22-suite
property in Bundanoon is being
overseen by Adam Abrams (Matteo
Double Bay and The Island) and Eddie
Levy (Lobo Plantation and Kittyhawk).
London-based designer Linda Boronkay
(former lead creative at Soho House) has
worked with Sydney-based Mac Design
Studio to transform the original 1892
guesthouse into a playful yet elegant
hideaway, replete with fireplaces,
balcony baths, well appointed European
vintage furnishings and views over the
neighbouring Morton National Park.
Dining will include Dinah’s restaurant and
George’s bar, with chefs Segundo Farrell
and Luz Gimenez, both who spent time
under the tutelage of fire-cooking
trailblazer, Francis Mallmann. They will
helm frequent outdoor fire-cooking
events, alongside a traditional dining
offering, with a cooking school set to
open later this year.
On the coast, the team behind
Bannisters in Port Stephens and
Mollymook has opened The Jackson
Ranch in Bawley Point. Located on
37 acres of natural forest with serene
views of Willinga Lake and taking cues
from the ranches of Montana, the five
newly renovated cabins, include a grand
four-bedroom homestead, plus extensive
event spaces.
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.

Interview HANNAH-ROSE YEE

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

If you want to eat good Indian

food, you have to go to Harris
Park, which is the hub of
Indian food in Sydney.

The most affordable, delicious and diverse

cuisine in Sydney is out west. I will take on anyone
who wants to debate me about that! I’m a fanatic for
knowing what kind of food I want to get and
knowing where to get it. If I want really good
Mexican food, I’ve discovered this Mexican joint
Tamaleria and Mexican Deli in Dulwich Hill. I love
Chinese food, so I love to go to Shanghai Night,
a famous cheap eats establishment in Ashfield.
I grew up eating at New Star Kebabs – a lot – in
Auburn. If you want to eat good Indian food you
have to go to Harris Park, which is the hub of Indian
food in Sydney. Not Just Curries has brought the
real flavours of Delhi to Sydney. But anywhere in
Harris Park, honestly, is top-notch cuisine.

The way Here Out West was made is really

unique. [The eight screenwriters] all entered an
initiative that was looking for emerging voices
from western Sydney, and when I got in I met
everyone for the first time. So we didn’t know
each other, and then basically on day zero we
had to create something.

I was looking back at my Instagram stories of the

days we were writing, and we actually had the best
food. We did our writing sessions in western Sydney,
one in Strathfield and the other in Parramatta, and it
goes to show you if you have good food around,
maybe you produce better work. I remember eating
sushi platters, I remember eating really good
Lebanese food: za’atar breads, labneh, kibbeh,
a lot of hummus.

We were all happy, we were eating well and we

were getting along – but it was hard work. It was
a really difficult task. But having that sense of
community around us, and feeling like we had
each other’s backs in the room, helping each
other through this collaborative process. We all
shared one thing in common: we were all from
western Sydney. And we understood it. There wasn’t
anyone in the room that didn’t get western Sydney.
And that’s what shines through in the film. 

Here Out West is in cinemas from February 3.

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

In India, the holy basil or ‘tulsi’ plant is sacred
to the god Vishnu. It can be seen gracing his altar
in Hindu temples, and prayer beads are made from
the wood of this slightly shrubby species. You might
have eaten the seeds of the tulsi plant, which are
used in Indian, Malaysian and Singaporean drinks,
and Iranian sherbets. When the tiny black seeds
are put into liquid, they swell up and develop
a gelatinous exterior, imparting a unique slippery
texture and a little crunch with each chew.
Thai basil is actually another variety of sweet
basil, used as a garnishing herb in Southeast Asian
cuisines. Vietnamese phò‚ is not the same without
Thai basil leaves tossed in the second before eating.
Warming the leaves releases the delicious perfume,
which cooking tends to diminish.
There are several cultivars of basil available.
Lettuce-leaved sweet basil has enormous,
ILLUSTRATIONS GETTY IMAGES.
seersuckered leaves. You can’t beat ‘Genovese’ for
Simon is a pesto. Opal basil, with its dark claret red foliage is
professional very ornamental, but its perfume is not as intense.
gardener, ‘Siam Queen’ is a richly scented Thai basil. There
author and
baroque
are also novelty basils with aromas resembling
bassoonist. cinnamon and lemon. Personally, if I wanted
@simon_rickard cinnamon or lemon flavour in my cooking, I’d
Grow your own
use cinnamon or lemon. Whereas the aroma of
sweet basil is truly unique. There is no substitute
for it. Even dried basil simply won’t do.
Fortunately, growing basil is easy. Just remember
that it’s a tropical plant. It needs plenty of water,
food and heat at all times. When your basil plant
starts to flower, the fragrance of the leaves becomes
a little coarse. It’s best to pinch out the flower
heads as they appear, to encourage more foliage
to grow. Even so, sweet basil is an annual plant,
and doesn’t live forever. Greek and holy basils are
longer lived and more cold tolerant than sweet
and Thai basils. They are good standbys to have
on hand, although their scents are not as heady
and luxurious as their sweet relatives. Luckily, all
basils are fast growing, and take well to pot culture.
So even if you only have a window box to garden in,
you can still be blessed with this holiest of
herbs all summer long. 
Basil needs plenty of
water, food and heat at all
times. It’s best to pinch
out the flower heads as
they appear, to encourage
more foliage to grow.
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.

Having José Roca

on our shores in
Sydney is the
greatest and most
welcome gift. His
global experience,
compassion, and

eloquent way of
seeing the world is entirely unique.
I particularly love José’s collaborative
approach to his work, which has seen
him enlist a local team of curators to
enhance his concept for the Biennale
of Sydney, weaving in their local
knowledge and ideas. Humble,
spacious and truly sustainable.
J
ust like watercolour, acrylic or sculpture, exhibition is
a medium in itself – a type of artwork, as well as the
materials used to create it. This idea is central to José
Roca’s approach to the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, set
to take place between March and June.
“The outcome is the exhibition, which is a creation that
wasn’t there before,” says Roca, who is the artistic director of
this year’s Biennale. “It is the result of the interaction of the
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
of Modern Art.
“I realised then that I was far more interested
in museums than I was in designing buildings,”
he says. “I could see how the exhibitions were
concocted. It’s a very interesting alchemy of
different things; you’re not just showcasing work,
there’s something extra that’s created by the
display. So, I went into exhibition design and
worked as an exhibition designer for many years.”
Over his 30-year career, Roca
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).
project has been the inspiration for Roca’s
Sydney Biennale, which is titled UČ̄vus.
“I wanted to take the ideas behind
Waterweavers and use them as the premise for
the Biennale, expanding them to the world at
ODUJH´KHVD\V³5ČØYXVLVWKH/DWLQURRWIRU
stream; and that root is present in many other
words, including rivalis which stems from the
connotation of rivalry. I thought this idea of
water and conflict was very intriguing.”
Rivers, wetlands and other

Pompidou in Paris, Tate in-the-flesh centre, with artists asked to

0RGHUQLQ/RQGRQDQGWKH experiences. And consider how these ecosystems
Institute of Contemporary Art might think, or what they might
in Philadelphia, and has curated this Biennale is say if they were given the
large-scale exhibitions in São a sensorial opportunity. The homepage of
Paulo, San Juan in Puerto Rico, experience – things the website asks: “Can a river sue
and Philadelphia. He was also on us over psychoactive sewage?
the judging panel of the 52nd that cannot be Will oysters grow teeth in aquatic
Venice Biennale, and in 2012 conveyed digitally.” revenge? What do the eels think?
FRIRXQGHG)/25$DUVQDWXUDLQ Are the swamp oracles speaking in
Bogotá – an art space that aims to explore the tongues? Do algae reminisce about the days of
deep connection between arts and nature. primordial soup? Are waves the ocean’s desire?”
“I’ve always been very interested in nature, In Sydney, and around the world, we have been
and many of my projects have conveyed that,” physically separated from other human beings for
says Roca. so long. Roca believes this Biennale will reconnect
One of those projects was Waterweavers – the community through physical immersion.
an eclectic display of works capturing life along “People are craving in-the-flesh experiences. And
Colombia’s major rivers – exhibited at Bard this Biennale is a sensorial experience – things that
Graduate Center Gallery in New York. That cannot be conveyed digitally. They’re immersive,
being in a space totally surrounded by the work.”
UČ̄vus is also an anagram for virus, something
Roca didn’t realise until after selecting the theme.
Perhaps this Biennale will also showcase how even
during the darkest times, there is a bright, creative
light at the end of the tunnel. 

The Biennale of Sydney takes places from March 12

to June 13.

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

2. SOUTH COAST KIMCHI CO

DAIKON RADISH KIMCHI
Kkakdugi, as it’s known
in Korean, is defined by its
solid cubes of radish; here,
they’re sourced from the
Southern Highlands and offer
a bright, crunchy freshness.
Fragrant garlic chives elevate
the mix and add a herbaceous
complexity, while ganjang
(soy sauce) helps to round
out the flavour.
$16 for 500gm,
southcoastkimchico.com.au
Kimchi
Salted, seasoned and fermented, this Korean
3
staple will power up your culinary artillery.

ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING OLIVIA BLACKMORE.

3. MOON MART KIMCHI 4. KIMCHI CLUB 5. SOUL DELI
WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY

Condiment queen Eun Hee An HOT HOT KIMCHI STIR-FRIED KIMCHI

harnesses skills taught by her
grandmother to produce
a beautifully balanced kimchi,
fuelled by Australian-grown
gochugaru (chilli powder) and
locally sourced plum syrup.
She adds her own dashi, along
with salted krill and two types
of fish sauce, which bring
everything together with just
the right amount of funk.
$12 for 300gm,
moonmart.com.au
Minka Park has fond memories
of making kimchi with her
family during Korea’s annual
kimchi festival season,
Kimjang. Here, it’s an assertive
blend of cabbage and carrot,
sweetened by shreds of apple
and tricked up with chilli and
garlic. It brings a creeping
heat, and adds all the right
spice to soups and stews.
$14.95 for 350gm,
kimchiclub.com.au
This Sydney-based Korean
deli takes its classic wombok
cabbage kimchi and gives it
the royal treatment: stir-fried,
with sesame oil and sugar. The
result is a deeply savoury
flavour bomb, with an almost
caramelised texture that will
have you finishing the jar in
one sitting. A knockout on
toast with a slice of cheddar.
$14 for 400gm,
souldeli.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.

PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING LAUREN DE SOUSA.

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

M ANIA
T AS
RN
HE
RT
NO
Pipers River
Tamar
Valley
Launceston
the Huon Valley, and the northern regions of Tamar Valley
and Pipers River. It keeps things simple: “If you’re buying
Chatto, you’re buying pinot,” he jokes. However, this
singular focus on pinot highlights the distinct regional
differences in Tasmanian wines.
“Pipers is significantly cooler and wetter than
a region like West Tamar, so we see wines with
a racier and higher acidity alongside a red-fruited spectrum.
Whereas the Tamar, where the bulk of the northern
vineyards are, produces more muscular wines with
a darker fruit spectrum.”
Someone who knows about the magic of pinot noir
from the northern region of the Tamar Valley is Rebecca
Duffy, winemaker and co-owner of Holm Oak, who crafts
four different styles of pinot from the one site. With vines
dating back to 1983, Holm Oak is one of the oldest
vineyards in the north. Duffy has seen the variation of
wines from different locations along the Tamar River.
“This variation is what makes Tassie wine so much fun,”
says Duffy. “The fluctuations in temperature, with us being
warmer on the valley floor means we can ripen other
varieties that might not work so well in other parts of
Tasmania – such as cabernet franc and arneis. It’s the
defining feature of our site.”
Chatto sums up the diversity of the epicurean experience
that is Tasmania: “Diversity within the state is really exciting
– it adds layers and makes the Tassie wine story stronger.
You want to know where you are and what’s grown there;
you want to be eating Pyengana cheese and washing it down
with a Pipers River pinot. That’s the story of Tasmania.” ●
Launceston was the heart of the Stoney Creek peoples;
the Therrernotepanner, Leterrermairrener and Panniher
clans, who lived above the flood plains where the three
rivers – Kunermurlukeker, Pleepertommeler and
Lakekeller – meet. For generations, the clans lived along
these river ways co-existing in harmony with the seasons.
Today, they are remembered as the traditional owners of
the northern parts of Tasmania surrounding Launceston.
Wine country
NORTH T
OF AS
TE
M
S
AN
A TA
IA
NV House of Arras ‘A by Arras’ Rosé,
Tasmania, $35
Sourced from premium vineyards across Tasmania,
this new label by the House of Arras showcases the
exceptional fruit the Apple Isle has to offer. This
sparkling rosé is a blend of 55 per cent pinot noir,
32 per cent chardonnay and 13 per cent pinot
meunier. The result? 100 per cent delicious.
houseofarras.com.au
2020 Holm Oak Arneis, Tamar Valley, $28
Holm Oak boasts Tasmania’s only arneis, planted
in 2007 after a long search for an “alternative
variety” to grow on the estate. Originally hailing
from Piedmont in Italy, the wine exhibits lean,
riesling-like mineral characters, while fermentation
in ceramic eggs and older barrels adds texture.
holmoakvineyards.com.au
2020 Two Tonne Tasmania ‘TMV’ Chardonnay,
Tamar Valley, $35
Crafted from two distinct sites within the sub-region
of the Tamar, this complex and layered wine sees
sea spray meet ripe white peaches for an exciting
example of modern Australian chardonnay.
tttwine.com.au
2021 Stoney Rise ‘No Clothes’
No S02 Pinot Noir, Tamar Valley, $32
Don’t let the jolly, naked man on the label scare
you off – this pinot is nothing short of phenomenal.
No additions, no subtractions, no fining or filtering.
In short, ‘no clothes’ to create a pure and pristine
example of pinot noir bursting with fresh red fruit.
stoneyrise.com.au
2020 Chatto ‘Marion’s’ Pinot Noir,
Tamar Valley, $65
This wine is made with grapes from vineyards
planted in West Tamar in 1979 and the second
incarnation of Jim Chatto’s Tamar project wines.
Chatto says: “Marion’s wine has darker fruit
expressions and is a muscular, more brooding”
style of pinot. The perfect choice for those who
prefer a more structured, full-bodied style of wine.
chattowines.com
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.

WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING LAUREN DE SOUSA.

Make this one at home – it’s just the
ticket for an after-work pick-me-up that will
keep you feeling fresh the next day. For weekly cocktail
inspiration, follow
us on Instagram
@gourmettraveller

The original Brunswick

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
ZE
own unique flavour rather
than mimic that of gin. It’s
a nice, clean addition.
$45 for 700ml
lyres.com.au
Africa, this gin uses
juniper and lemongrass
to capture the essence
of a traditional dry gin.
$50 for 700ml
sansdrinks.com.au
will satisfy just as well as
the hard stuff. Sip with
tonic to appreciate its
full flavour potential.
$40 for 750ml
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,

FRENCH Café de Paris butter, ciabatta

Cep by Cep Chenin Blanc, Loire

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.

Brought to you by Oceania Cruises

VENUE: Franca Brasserie, Shop 2/81 Macleay St, Potts Point, Sydney
DATE: Tuesday, 22nd March 2022
TIME: 6.30pm
PRICE: $150 pp including four courses and paired wines

TO BOOK: Visit gtfrenchclass.eventbrite.com.au

EXQUISITELY CRAFTED CUISINE.
or email rsvpgt@aremedia.com.au CURATED TRAVEL EXPERIENCES. SMALL SHIP LUXURY.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS AT GTFRENCHCLASS.EVENTBRITE.COM.AU

PHOTOGRAPHY DUY DASH.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 37
Review
Sydney,
NSW
A R E A L P EA R L
Top-shelf dining in a sundress-and-sandals setting?
How Sydney is that, writes ALEXANDRA CARLTON.
A shell is a sort of disguise for
whatever lives inside. Such is
the case with the multi-level
Shell House complex that has finally
cracked open in the centre of Sydney’s
CBD. The historic building was once
the headquarters of Shell Oil Co
before converting to the Menzies
Hotel in the 1970s. Today it retains its
heritage stone façade, while all sorts
of modern alchemy goes on inside,
across four distinct spaces.
At street level, Menzies Bar has
a smooth art deco vibe. On level nine,
the sumptuous Clocktower Bar is
dominated by a soaring ceiling that
reaches dramatically to the historic
1930s clock from which the bar takes
its name. And on level 10, Sky Bar is
a little slice of Manhattan nestled into
the Sydney skyline. But the pearl in
38 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
this oyster is the Shell House Dining
Room & Terrace, also on level nine.
And it’s perhaps the most surprising
and joyful bait-and-switch of them all.
On arrival the space feels breezy
and approachable. A sleek marble
counter sits at its centre, behind which
a team of chefs efficiently preps and
plates, pausing to smile and greet
guests as they arrive.
Floor-to-ceiling glass doors
dominate an entire wall, leading out
to a sandstone terrace dotted with
olive and citrus trees and lush white
sun lounges that feel lifted from a
Greek island. With this sort of laidback
ambiance, you might expect food
that’s polished (of course; it comes
from the hands of ex-Aria head chef
Joel Bickford and Sixpenny’s Aaron
Ward) but casual.
Turns out this is yet another secret
inside this shell; what you see at first is
not what you get.
I realise as I peruse the luxurious
caviar menu (beluga, oscietra), and
then take the first taste of my pre-
lunch snack – a refined bite of pickled
mussels with green garlic and
guanciale on a suave little rectangle of
miche bread – the setting may be
relaxed but this is proper high-end
cooking. And what a delightful pairing
that turns out to be.
A beef tartare with oyster cream is
accompanied by fresh nasturtium
leaves for wrapping, giving it a sexy,
peppery bite (wine director Shun Eto
stops when he hears what I’ve ordered
and suggests pairing it with a charming
Piedmontese arneis that hits the mark).
Pastas – like a pork sausage ravioli
– are rich and silky. And then comes
another surprise: the tastiest dish of
all is not meat but something from
the generous vegetarian section,
a concertina of coal-roasted beetroot,
black fungus, blueberry and chive.
Vegetable dishes can be one note but
this trumpets a whole symphony.
Nothing about the atmosphere
feels overly grand or over-the-top.
People are kicking back in linen and
sunglasses. It’s simply a relaxed place
to eat very, very good food. And that
feels just right for Sydney right now. 
 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

S M O OTH O PE RATO R from here, prettily arrayed over ice on

a silver platter, a dish of mignonette at
the centre, lemon to the side.
A feisty fillet steak tartare, crowned
Debonaire newcomer Rothwell’s is tailored to deliver with a beautifully fresh egg yolk, packs
good times, writes FIONA DONNELLY. oomph. Abetted by a bowl of potato
crisps for scooping, which come
showered in paprika.
Oval monogrammed plates display
a sea urchin-topped tangle of tagliarini

T here’s jazz queen Ella Fitzgerald

on the sound system, an icy
Gin Martini at my elbow and
oysters and steak tartare on order.
As introductions to new restaurants
go, this one’s starting well.
You’d expect nothing less given the
operators’ pedigree. Named for
the heritage building it calls home,
Rothwell’s is a stylishly urbane
undertaking, conjured by Dan Clark, of
1889 Enoteca, and Ben Russell, former
head chef at Aria Brisbane.
These owners are veterans,
sharing an impressive array of
know-how between them. Perhaps
It’s fitting alcohol comes first here,
as drinks are taken seriously. In
addition to being co-owner of 1889
Enoteca, Clark’s other day job is Addley
Clark Fine Wines. Buffs will likely want
the long and short wine list – although
the shortlist is studded with more than
sufficient choice for most, including an
interesting blanc de blancs by the glass
by Champagne house Barrat-Masson.
The dining room is swish. There
are chandeliers, an abundance of
mirrors, green leather horseshoe
booths and a profusion of silver
accoutrements all in tune with the
building’s storied exterior.
to advantage. The pasta strands are
generously coated with a citrus-forward
sauce dressed with finely chopped
chives, delicate urchin lobes and
a sprinkle of black fish roe. The
seasoning needs adjustment but
there’s pepper and salt to hand.
Service is measured, almost
leisurely. Waitstaff, smartly attired in
retro box-style jackets, look the part.
Our server notices the rib-eye we’ve
ordered to share is unsliced and offers
to return it. But the tricky cut of beef
lands on the rarer side of medium-rare,
particularly where flesh meets bone.
It’s cooling fast, so we carry on.
PHOTOGRAPHY DEAN SWINDELL.

as a consequence Rothwell’s feels
established, even though it only
arrived in November.
A 30-seat lobby bar with a
dramatic copper-topped counter sits
just inside the front door, with large
windows to Edward Street offering
views of shiny Gucci advertisements.
The décor chimes with the menu
too. This pays tribute to the golden
age of dining – rich beef Wellington
with red wine sauce, celebratory
seafood platters for two and Moreton
Bay bugs shiny with Café de Paris
butter. An assortment of steaks are
served simply with onion rings and
There’s a return to form when
dessert appears. Dark, crisp-edged
madeleines are hot and buttery and
don’t strictly need the glossy whisky-
laced caramel they’re accompanied
by. But at Rothwell’s you’re unlikely
to feel compelled to hold back.
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.
Tanunda,
SA
G ood things come to those who
wait, and chef Ryan Edwards
waited three years for the
Artisans of Barossa to find (or as the
case may be, build) the perfect home.
Artisans is a collective of sorts,
comprising eight family-owned
wineries devoted to preserving and
promoting the art of small-batch
Barossa wine. Their new, purpose-built
tasting room and restaurant, Essen
(named after the German word for “to
eat”), opened its doors on the outskirts
of Tanunda in September 2021.
It is a veritable explosion of local
talent. Barossa-based JBG Architects
designed the building, local family
business Ahrens built it, and acclaimed
interior designer Claire Kneebone
achieved the rustic chic aesthetic.
The repurposed tin and century-
old Oregon timber used throughout is
a reflection of the “waste nothing”
PHOTOGRAPHY DUY DASH.
attitude that is imbued in the Barossa.
History permeates the ironstone wall
leading the way to the entrance; made
with stones sourced from a nearby
vineyard, each one carefully laid in
place by local stonemasons.
It is an evocative place to make
your way through Edwards’ fixed price
dining menu. Designed to share, the
three- or four-course options put
a spotlight on what he refers to as
“true local seasonality”.
Edwards grew up on a Barossa
vineyard and was previously
executive chef at Appellation at
The Louise. He’s dedicated to
reflecting the region’s culinary
traditions with a contemporary twist:
working closely with Barossa farmers,
sourcing Jersey Fresh milk from
Greenock, Gumshire Pork from
Keyneton; foraging bitter almonds,
wild mushrooms and sour cherries
from the side of the road. The
Artisans kitchen garden fills in the
gaps. It is a small but beautifully
executed menu. Vegetables sing in
lighter dishes, like zucchini flowers
heaving with ricotta and pine nuts.
Pork belly with morcilla, cauliflower
and sherry-soaked muscadelles is
warm Barossa hospitality on a plate.
Menu selections are listed in
descending order according to palate
weight, from lightest to boldest, which
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
PRICE GUIDE $$$
BOOKINGS
Recommended.
VERDICT
A taste of rural charm.
helps with wine pairing. The offering
is all Artisans – John Duval Wines,
Spinifex Wines, Purple Hands Wines,
Lienert Vineyards, Chaffey Bros Wine
Co, Schwarz Wine Co, Hobbs of
Barossa Ranges and Sons of Eden.
Pair the kimchi-dusted pork crackling
with the Chaffey Bros 2021
Tripelpunkt textural riesling for an
example of how heat and the right
white can work. The crunchy snacks
aren’t always on the menu but if your
timing is right, order them.
Equally charming is the simple but
expressive pavlova, an example of
beautifully cooked meringue, lemon
curd, strawberries from the garden
and Jersey Fresh cream. There’s
a decent kids’ menu too.
Adjacent to the restaurant is
Delikatessen, a providore serving
Hark Coffee and local produce with
a vineyard view that’s open daily
from 8am. The whole experience is
charming and despite opening just
a few months ago, the service led by
front of house Sam Varcin feels
seamless. There’s a lot to be said for
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.

Inside Yakimono’s bar and

dining area. Opposite, from left:
pork and ginger gyoza with
sansho and parmesan ponzu;
the vibrant interiors.

42 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Melbourne,
Vic
B R IG H T L I GH TS
You’re in for high-octane fun at Chris Lucas’s neon-lit
Melbourne newcomer, writes MICHAEL HARDEN.
N obody goes to a Chris
Lucas joint for a night of
contemplative chin-stroking.
After all, he’s the man who perfected
the art of restaurant-as-nightclub at
Chin Chin. Even when Lucas goes
PHOTOGRAPHY TOM BLACHFORD (INTERIORS) & JULIAN LAL (FOOD).
upmarket, as he emphatically,
extravagantly has most recently at
Society, party vibes remain front and
centre on his mood board. At Society’s
neighbour Yakimono, it’s like
mainlining sugary, jittery good times.
Yakimono is loosely based on the
izakayas of Tokyo, but it’s a turbo-
charged version, more art installation
than faithful recreation. It starts the
moment you walk in from the street,
via a “laneway” that funnels you into
the 80 Collins Street precinct.
Yakimono first douses you in baby
pink and blue neon and reflective
surfaces and then, as you climb the
stairs, adds charcoal smoke and
thumping beats to the (re)mix.
The place is huge. Spread over two
levels, the main dining space is centred
around a giant open kitchen with its
maelstrom of eddying, branded-T-shirt-
wearing chefs deftly wrangling meat on
charcoal grills. For optimum pleasure,
get a seat at the bar and make good
use of the extensive drinks list.
The list understands its task. It’s
brash, fun and full of good quality
booze – whether you’re talking
on-theme cocktails (Harajuku mashes
together tequila, sake, lychee, ginger,
vanilla, lime and smoked salt), an
impressive showing of Victorian craft
beers, more than decent sake or
a wine list that piles on the good stuff
but never strays from easy drinking.
Chef Daniel Wilson (of Huxtable
and Huxtaburger fame) keeps the food
Review
on-theme too: playful, sweet, crowd-
pleasing. The list’s extensive but
divided into user-friendly categories;
from Bites there are cute-as-a-button
moji waffles filled with a very sweet
yuzu crème fraîche refreshed with
salty salmon roe or excellent pork
and ginger gyoza with a lip-smackingly
good, salty parmesan-assisted
ponzu sauce.
There are rice-forward handrolls,
topped rather than filled with
combinations like spanner crab and an
underwhelming sweetcorn custard,
and not-to-be missed things on sticks,
think sausage-like chicken tsukune
accompanied by a lush egg yolk sauce
and fatty-sweet wagyu intercostals.
Those with larger groups or appetites
should direct their attention to the
signature miso-glazed whole chicken.
Order it with excellent sides like a
thoroughly satisfying smoked chicken
fat fried rice and a cabbage slaw with
a kicking spicy mayo dressing.
The service is great – accurate and
attentive – some kind of miracle given
the pachinko parlour-channelling
atmosphere. But this is how Chris
Lucas excels. No matter how high the
fun and frivolity dial gets cranked, he
never stints on the hospo essentials.
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

From weeknight suppers to simple entertaining, these

everyday recipes keep things fresh, fast and simple.

Photography JOHN PAUL URIZAR Styling STEVE PEARCE

VEGETARIAN GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE
Recipes & food preparation JESSICA BROOK
Everyday

Pollo al mattone with

peach and barley salad
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 30 MINS

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

1 Make 4 slashes crossways into skin of

each chicken Maryland. Grind garlic,
½ cup mint leaves, lemon zest and 1 tsp
salt flakes in a mortar and pestle until
finely ground, then stir in 2 tbsp each
olive oil and lemon juice, and season
mixture with freshly ground pepper.
Transfer half the mixture to a small
bowl; set aside. Rub chicken with
remaining mixture.
2 Wrap three house bricks with foil. Place
on a barbecue and heat barbecue to
medium (180˚C). Place chicken in groups
of two, slashed-side down, cover each
with 2 sprigs rosemary then with a brick,
and grill until char marks appear. Turn
chicken, replace rosemary and brick, and
grill until cooked through (8-10 minutes).
3 Meanwhile, cook barley in lightly
salted boiling water until tender with
a chewy texture (25 minutes). Drain well
and cool. Whisk remaining lemon juice,
mustard and ¼ cup olive oil into reserved
mint mixture until combined. Season to
taste. Toss barley with dressing, olives,
COOKING TIP
caperberries, truffle pecorino and
If you don’t have any remaining mint leaves.
house bricks use two 4 Divide barley salad between plates
cast-iron frying pans to and top with peach and chicken. Scatter
cover the Marylands with extra pecorino.
in threes. Note If Truffle pecorino is unavailable,
substitute pecorino or parmesan.

46 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Khobz with crushed white beans,
lemon, fig and haloumi
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 30 MINS
120 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to
serve
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves, peeled, bruised
½ tsp each ground cumin and coriander
1.2 kg canned white beans, drained,
rinsed
2 tbsp hulled tahini
2 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra
to serve
3 small figs, quartered
200 gm stringy haloumi (see note)
½ tsp sumac
2 tsp nigella seeds, toasted, plus extra
to serve
Micro lemon balm, to serve
KHOBZ
150 gm each wholemeal flour and plain
flour
1 tsp each dried yeast and baking
powder
200 gm Greek-style yoghurt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 For khobz, sift dry ingredients and 2 tsp
salt into the bowl of a food processor.
Whisk yoghurt, oil and 100ml hot water in
a jug, slowly pour in the yoghurt mixture
while pulsing until mixture comes
together. Place in a clean bowl, cover with
plastic wrap and set aside to stand at
room temperature until required.
2 Meanwhile, heat 60ml olive oil in
a frying pan over low-medium heat, add
lemon and garlic, and cook, stirring
occasionally, until garlic is golden.
Discard garlic. Add cumin and coriander,
stir until fragrant (1 minute). Add beans;
stir to coat in oil, then cook, crushing
with a potato masher until coarsely
crushed and warmed through. Remove
from heat; stir through tahini, juice of
1 lemon and yoghurt, then season to
taste. Set aside and keep warm.
SWAP IT OUT
Try substituting grated
haloumi, buffalo
mozzarella or feta for
stringy haloumi.
3 To cook khobz, pinch off golf ball-
sized pieces of dough and roll out to
3mm-thick rounds on a lightly floured
surface. Heat a large frying pan over
high heat until very hot and cook bread
one at a time until lightly scorched
(1-2 minutes), then turn and cook other
side (1 minute).
4 Spread khobz with crushed beans.
Layer with figs and stringy haloumi, then
scatter with sumac and nigella seeds.
Combine remaining 60ml olive oil and
juice of 1 lemon; drizzle over the tops of
the flat breads. Serve scattered with
lemon balm and with yoghurt drizzled
with nigella seeds and oil to the side.
Note Stringy haloumi is lightly salted and
stretched into long thin strands. Unlike
other haloumi it is eaten fresh. Available
from Middle Eastern grocery stores and
select delicatessens. ➤
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)

150 gm lightly salted butter, at room

temperature
2 tbsp harissa paste
2 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon
2 sirloin steaks (250gm each), at room
temperature
GREEN TOMATO AND MELON SALAD
2½ tbsp sherry vinegar
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil,
plus extra for drizzling
1 small red shallot, finely chopped
3 small green tomatoes, thinly sliced
350 gm honeydew melon, peeled and
thinly sliced (approx ¼ melon)
1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
20 gm picked watercress
Baby parsley leaves, to serve

1 Place butter in a bowl with harissa

paste and preserved lemon; season to
taste and mix to combine.
2 Preheat a lightly greased barbecue or
char-grill pan to high. Season steaks with
sea salt flakes, then barbecue, basting
with butter, turning once until browned
and cooked to your liking (2-3 minutes
each side for medium-rare). Transfer to
a plate and rest loosely covered with foil,
for 10 minutes before serving.
3 Meanwhile, for salad, whisk vinegar,
oil and shallot in a small bowl until
combined. Season to taste and toss
to coat; stand for 5 minutes. Place
tomatoes, melon and cucumbers on
a serving platter. Slice the steak and
arrange over salad. Serve with shallot
dressing and extra butter and scatter
with watercress and parsley.

48 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Everyday

Eggplant and pineapple curry

SERVES 2 //PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 35 MINS

50 gm ghee 1 Heat ghee in a wok over medium heat

1 tsp brown mustard seeds until melted and starting to shimmer.
6 cardamom pods, bruised Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, cardamom and
2 sprigs fresh curry leaves, leaves curry leaves and stir until seeds start to
picked pop (30 seconds). Add shallots and 1 tsp
2 red shallots, thinly sliced salt; cook, stirring frequently until shallots
31⁄2 tsp Sri-Lankan curry powder start to colour (2-3 minutes). Add curry
8 small Lebanese eggplant, thickly powder and stir until fragrant (2 minutes)
sliced 2 Add eggplants to the wok; and cook
50 gm pea eggplants turning occasionally until golden
200 gm peeled yellow-fleshed pineapple, (5 minutes). Add pineapple and beans;
sliced stir-fry to combine (3 minutes). Add
200 gm snake beans, trimmed to 15cm coconut milk; bring to a simmer, reduce
lengths heat slightly then cook, covered until
400 ml canned coconut milk tender (8 minutes); add tomatoes and
150 gm cherry tomatoes, halved cook until just heated through
75 gm grated fresh coconut (2 minutes)
Steamed rice and fried curry leaves, 3 Serve eggplant and pineapple
to serve curry with steamed rice and grated
coconut on the side. Scatter with
fried curry leaves. ➤

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
with tomato water oxheart tomatoes and place in the sieve,
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 20 MINS
lifting any juices from the chopping
board with your knife into the sieve.
4 ripe oxheart tomatoes (200gm each) Sprinkle with 11⁄2 tsp crumbled flaked sea
1 golden shallot, very finely chopped salt, add half the chopped shallot and
5 large basil leaves, plus extra small scrunch basil leaves, then toss well to
leaves to serve combine. Set aside while preparing the
2 cooked lobster (450gm) rest of the recipe, stirring occasionally to
50 gm butter release tomato water; you will need
60 ml (1⁄4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil 200ml tomato water.
1 garlic clove, crushed 2 Meanwhile, remove all meat from
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
over medium heat, add garlic, remaining
shallot and capers; stir until fragrant
(1 minute).
4 Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling
water 2 minutes less than packet
instructions (4 minutes). Drain, add to
the frying pan with tomato water, cook,
tossing pasta frequently until glossy
and cooked to al dente. Add chopped
tomato, sliced basil and lobster; toss just
to combine. Divide among bowls and
scatter with extra basil leaves.

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)

2 swordfish steaks (300gm each)

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
150 gm sugarsnap peas, trimmed
Micro red and green shiso, to serve
HONEY AND CITRUS KOSHO DRESSING
1 lime, zest finely grated, segmented
2 long red chillies, seeded, finely
chopped
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp tamari
2½ tbsp lemon-infused extra-virgin olive
oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 For dressing, finely chop lime

segments and place in a small bowl with
zest, chillies, honey, tamari and lemon-
infused olive oil. Season to taste and
whisk to combine.
2 Preheat a non-stick frying pan to high.
Drizzle swordfish with oil and season to
taste. Cook steaks turning halfway, until
flaking easy on outside but still pink in
centre (3-4 minutes). Alternatively cook
to your liking. Rest 5 minutes before
serving.
3 Cook broccolini and sugarsnap peas
in salted boiling water until just tender
(3-4 minutes). Drain. Divide between
plates and top with swordfish. Spoon
over dressing and scatter with shiso. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 51
Everyday

Cherry and cardamom

yoghurt fool with
honeycomb
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 6 MINS
(PLUS CHILLING, COOLING)

500 gm pitted cherries, halved

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp ground cardamom
110 gm (½ cup) caster sugar
500 gm Greek-style yoghurt
180 ml (¾ cup) thickened cream
55 gm (1⁄3 cup) icing sugar, sieved
Scraped seeds from 1 vanilla bean
Store-bought honeycomb and baby
lemon balm leaves, to serve

1 Combine cherries, lemon zest, sugar

and cardamom with 100ml water in
a saucepan over high heat and bring to
a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and
simmer, lightly crushing cherries with
a wooden spoon and stirring
occasionally until thickened (6 minutes).
Transfer to a bowl and freeze stirring
occasionally until chilled (10 minutes).
2 Meanwhile, whisk yoghurt, cream,
icing sugar and vanilla bean seeds in
an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up
before using.
3 To serve, spoon a little cherry mixture
into each glass. Swirl remaining cherry
mixture through yoghurt cream mixture
and spoon into glasses. Scatter with
honeycomb and baby lemon balm
leaves, to serve. 

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.

finely chopped coriander, 1½ tbsp lime Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a

1  To make roti, combine 40gm

desiccated coconut with 1 tbsp warm
water in a large bowl. Stand for 5 minutes.
juice, 2 tsp chilli powder and 1 tsp sweet
paprika in a medium bowl. Season to
taste and toss well to combine.
large frying pan over medium-high
heat. Cook roti in two batches until
lightly golden (2-3 minutes each side).
Add remaining 1 finely chopped red Repeat with 2 tbsp coconut oil and roti.
shallot to coconut mixture with 300gm
plain flour, 1 tbsp finely chopped curry
leaves, 1 finely chopped long green
4  On a lightly floured work surface,
roll dough into a rectangle
roughly 30cm x 40cm and 1mm thick.
Serve roti warm with pol sambol and lime
wedges. Top with fried curry leaves.

chilli and 1 tsp fine sea salt; stir until Roll up tightly from short side; cut into
well combined. 8 even pieces.

2  Gradually add 170ml water; knead

dough lightly until smooth and
shape into a ball. Dough should be soft
but not too sticky; stand for 15 minutes.
5  One by one, place a piece of dough
cut-side down onto baking paper
and flatten with the palm of your hand.
Top with a sheet of baking paper and roll
into a 5mm thick, rough oval. Transfer to
Maldive fish flakes
Made from skip jack tuna, Maldive
fish flakes are produced in three
stages: boiled, smoked and then
sun-dried. They are an essential

3  Meanwhile, to make pol sambol,

combine 15gm Maldive fish flakes
with 110gm fresh grated coconut,
a lined tray and repeat with remaining
dough (makes 8).
ingredient when it comes to Sri
Lankan cooking and can be found
in select grocers and Asian
100gm roughly chopped cherry tomatoes, supermarkets. For a vegetarian
3 small red shallots sliced on a mandolin, or vegan option, simply omit.
1 thinly sliced long green chilli, 2 tbsp

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.

Sang choi bau These liquids should be added to the

filling as it’s being cooked to create
a slightly sticky, caramelised sauce.

A beloved Chinese classic, these

fresh yet flavour-packed lettuce
parcels sing with balance.

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.

Find
one
XOPP in Sydney sees scallop
and edamame take centre
stage, while David’s in
Melbourne offers a version
with crackling pork made
with a hoisin glaze.
THE LETTUCE
Fresh iceberg or baby cos lettuce is
key here. The leaves, which create
little parcels for the filling, should be
crunchy. Soaking the whole head in
iced water before peeling each leaf
will help to achieve the perfect bite.
THE FILLING
While pork mince
is traditional, there are
an abundance of other fillings
that do the job. Duck or prawns
will bring a touch of luxe, while
diced shiitake or broccoli offer a
flavourful vegetarian alternative.
Throw in aromatics, water
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

ANNITA POTTER, VIAND
David Thompson’s former right-hand woman
brings her intimate, personal expression of Thai
dining to Sydney’s Woolloomooloo neighbourhood.
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
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
tables because people don’t get the experience that they’re
paying for.”
Like most hospitality workers, the last two years haven’t
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
After two decades cooking and living
abroad, this veteran Perth chef is back on
Australian soil and waving the flag for
Mexican-European-Japanese food.
60 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Paul Bentley was only meant to be in Perth for three weeks
when he passed through in March 2020 en route to Tokyo.
(He was due to run a taqueria during the Olympics.) Almost
two years on and the softly spoken chef now calls WA home.
Again. And Perth eaters dined happily ever after.
Initially they toasted their good fortune at Si Paradiso,
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.
“I feel we’re now comfortable in not having an identity
and just cooking good food,” says Bentley. “It’s okay if
you’re a really good dumpling restaurant. It’s okay if you’re
a really good French bistro. It’s okay to sit in the middle.
At the end of the day, food has to be honest and it has to
be credible. Just cook. Just do you.”

JAKE KELLIE, ARKHÉ
The one-time head chef of Singapore’s
World’s 50 Best-ranked Burnt Ends brings the heat
to Adelaide’s hottest newcomer.
“It’s like running a steam engine every day.” That’s how Jake
Kellie describes running the wood-burning ovens at Arkhé,
the 160-person bar and restaurant he opened in November
with Adelaide’s Palmer Hospitality Group (2KW, Fishbank).
Every day, wood is loaded into two custom-built ovens, lit,
then left to slowly burn for around three hours to produce
the coals that fuel the grills, hearth, smoker and even
deep-fryer in the restaurant’s open kitchen.
Making your own coals daily is a not-insignificant
commitment, but it’s a non-negotiable aspect of barbecue
PHOTOGRAPHY DUY DASH.
cooking that Kellie learned during his time at Burnt Ends,
Singapore’s World’s 50 Best-ranked modern barbecue
restaurant. In addition to overseeing operations at their
former Chinatown headquarters, Kellie also helped sprinkle
some Burnt Ends magic around the world via pop-up
“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.”
dinners and events. Despite this pedigree, Kellie wants
Arkhé to be an inclusive rather than exclusive proposition
for guests, as evinced by a food offering that runs from bar
snacks (bread with Taleggio, say, or chicken liver parfait) to
wood-fired lobster.
“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
Mayura Station beef and Eyrewoolf abalone among the
restaurant’s predominantly South Australian larder. To
Kellie, the local people are just as important as the produce.
“The core of the industry, they’re all legends,” says
Kellie. “The Paul Bakers, the Emma McCaskills, the Karena
Armstrongs. The amount of support thrown behind this
restaurant has been so humbling.”
Best of all, Arkhé isn’t South Australia’s only hot place
to eat. “I feel like, over the next two to three years, Adelaide
is going to be Australia’s dining capital, I really do,” says
Kellie. “You’ve got places in the city and wine regions
ranging from high-end restaurants like Magill Estate and
Restaurant Botanic where you can sit and dine for hours,
but then you can also come to Arkhé, Africola or Shōbōsho
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
out on a regular basis, it’s cause for alarm.
At Pino’s – a charming Italian spot in the
Newcastle suburb of Islington – it’s something
of a matter of course.
“At least once a week, we'll get tables that just walk
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,
seasonally driven offering of bruschetta con caponata, cacio
e pepe, gnocchi fra diavolo and the like – nothing on the
menu contains dairy or meat.
Of course, this is hardly a radical act in the year 2022.
But where other restaurants put their vegan credentials front
and centre, Pino’s takes the opposite approach. Terms like
vegan, vegetarian and plant-based go unmentioned on its
website and social media. The staff don’t hype up the fact
that the ragù derives its umami from mushrooms or that the
cheese is made from cashews. But Newcastle is not Sydney
– the population is smaller and tastes can be more
conservative. Hence the walk-outs: there are certain
assumptions people tend to make when they realise
what kind of restaurant it is.
Though the strategy at Pino’s may seem counterintuitive
– it risks missing out on the crowd who are actively seeking
plant-based options, as well as alienating customers who
just want to have a traditional Bolognese – for May, there’s
a specific type of diner he’s hoping to reach.
“It’s people who might not have eaten here in the first
place if they knew,” he explains. He’s less interested in those
PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID GRIFFEN (PINOS).
Opposite, clockwise from top left:
roasted skin-on pumpkin herbed
yoghurt and the moody viridescent
interiors at Golden Gully; fresh
pasta laden with asparagus, rocket
and capers and a foam-capped
Espresso Martini at Pino’s.
“We see people come
through and be shocked
that it’s vegan – and
then they end up
becoming regulars.”
who are already vegan or vegetarian than he is in people
who assume that a plant-based restaurant has nothing
to offer them.
He’s found that once diners have gotten over their
initial reticence and start eating, there are no more walk-
outs. “We see people come through and be shocked that it’s
vegan – and then they end up becoming regulars,” he says.
The same strategy is working for Golden Gully,
a neighbourhood bar in Sydney’s inner west. Here, the
atmosphere is unpretentious, the drinks list extensive, and
the snacks approachable, skewed towards locally grown,
seasonal produce married with native Australian flavours.
Despite the fact there are no animal products on the menu,
co-owner Daniel McBride describes the choice as “not
something that defines us”.
“A lot of our customers are not vegan or vegetarian,”
he explains. “And we’re not a vegan restaurant.” Instead, he
prefers to highlight other aspects of the menu, like its focus
on locally grown and seasonal ingredients – which just
happen to be vegetables.
Though McBride’s personal ethics means he eats
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
force his beliefs on anyone else. Instead, he hopes people
will judge the food on its deliciousness rather than what it
was made from.
“I don’t think you need to beat people over the head
with it,” he says. Instead, he wants to create a space where
people don’t feel judged for their dietary choices. “You can
eat plant-based five times a week and then have some nice
fish on the weekend. I don’t like to take too hard a stance
on it, you know?” ➤
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
food system, and meat is
not always the problem.”
The trend seems to have been born out of a changing
sensibility around the way people think about diets that
don’t include animal products. Even the language has
shifted, with words like vegan and vegetarian giving way
to terms like plant-based.
“They’re quite loaded words,” acknowledges chef and
educator Alex Elliott-Howery. “They’ve got associations to
them.” At her café Cornersmith, she’s tried to steer clear of
what she describes as “90’s, hippie-ish, Badde Manors
[Glebe vegetarian café] vibes”, in favour of a more inclusive
approach. She believes there’s more to be gained by
educating people on the value of eating locally, seasonally
and sustainably, rather than “ramming any kind of ideology
down their throat”.
Cornersmith has evolved in step with Elliot-Howery’s
personal ethics – when she and her partner James Grant
opened Cornersmith’s original outpost in Marrickville, the
menu included meat. “Reducing meat and how to eat meat
ethically was the conversation we were having 10 years ago,”
she says. “We were really clear that meat was free-range, that
we understood where it came from – we only used butchers
and suppliers that we trusted and admired the work they
were doing.”
But when they opened Cornermith’s Annandale outpost
five years ago, Elliot-Howery felt that serving meat no longer
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
into considering their food choices in the context of an
industrialised food system.
“Cornersmith’s whole ethos is about education,” she
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
her thinking comes from an environmental standpoint,
rather than the lifestyle-driven, wellness-focussed approach
that’s currently in vogue. “Plant-based has become a term
that almost doesn’t mean much anymore, in that there’s lots
of issues within our food system, and meat is not always the
problem,” she says. “Packaged foods, imported foods; there’s
so many other issues – just saying it’s vegan or plant-based
doesn’t make it good.”
She sees Cornersmith’s mission as a kind of quiet
activism. “We’re trying to make change with people who
aren’t already in that scene,” she says. “We need to be
mindful that people need baby steps and they need entry-
level decision making.” She hopes that if a lot of people
make incremental changes towards a more sustainable
way of eating, it’s something that, over time, will have
profound impact.
Overwhelmingly, people are motivated by what tastes
good, as opposed to loftier concerns like what’s ethical or
sustainable. And sometimes turning people onto more
responsible ways of eating isn’t about screaming veganism
– it’s just a matter of getting them open to the idea of trying
something new. Or, as May puts it, “If good food is good
food, it doesn’t need to be marketed to a vegan crowd. If
you just show them that you can have something that’s not
gonna kill ya or be terrible, they might come around.” 
 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
a page or ensuring perfectly precise measurements.
Rather, balance comes from within. It is shaped by
our experiences, environments and memories.
In eastern Asia, seeking harmony is a way of life. It is
what gives the multitudes of cuisines a complexity that makes
Philosophies rooted in balance may be impossible to grasp
without lived experience, but putting them into practice in the
kitchen is an easier task. To help us better understand how, we
speak to six experts who share the guiding principles for their
region’s cuisines. From flavours and ingredients, to history
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
spices. “[Ayurvedic food] involves a blend of spices, which
are cooling, warming, astringent, sweet and salty, to provide
a well-balanced meal.”
The key is not to overload the digestive system, practising
restraint by ensuring the flavours aren’t too loud or competing
with each other. “Balance everything in moderation,”
emphasises Wedande. It is these principles of Ayurveda that
are important in the kitchen – and in life.
PHILIPPINES
Filipino cuisine is having a moment in Australia – and rightfully
so. Known as the original fusion cuisine, Filipino food has been
influenced by many different cuisines as a result of migration
and colonisation throughout its history. But it was the Indigenous
peoples, and the native foods they cooked with, that shaped
the core of Filipino cuisine and its balance of flavours.
Sydney Cebu Lechon owner Will Mahusay says the
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

Photography ALANA LANDSBERRY

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.

APPLE AND CHEESE

Along with taste and aroma, we
also tend to care about mouthfeel.
This is where contrasting textures,
such as crunchy and soft, or smooth
and crumbly can influence our
enjoyment. Take the pairing of soft
cheese and crisp apple, for example.
Flavour-wise, the tartness of the fruit
helps to cut through the creaminess
of the cheese and works to balance
the fat.

CAVIAR AND WHITE CHOCOLATE

Chef Heston Blumenthal happened upon this
curious pairing while trying to find a salty ingredient
that brought out the flavours of chocolate. The
pair share several aroma molecules, and the
combination is briny, buttery and wonderful. This
unconventional match compelled Blumenthal to
continue experimenting with unusual flavour
combinations, going on to co-found Foodpairing,
a research outfit focused on ‘flavour intelligence’.

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.

COCONUT MILK AND RICE

Coconut milk has a richness
thanks to its high fat content,
which carries flavour through
the mouth and displaces water,
explains Dr Emma Beckett.
According to The Art and
Science of Foodpairing, the
similar green aroma profiles of
these two ingredients mean
they complement each other
in both sweet and savoury
contexts, such as rice pudding
and curries. ➤
 SESAME AND CARROTS
They may be small but sesame seeds are
one of the oldest known oilseeds still in
cultivation, used in both sweet and savoury
cooking and baking across Asia and the
Middle East. Beckett explains that the
Maillard reaction (the chemical reaction
that gives browned food its distinctive
flavour) is responsible for their changing
flavour when roasted, as they become
nutty, caramellic and fragrant, making
them the perfect partner to sweet roast
carrots. The two ingredients can also be
enjoyed together when raw, as they both
possess citrus notes.

ROASTED GARLIC AND BREAD

A hunk of bread is the ideal stage
for showcasing the nutty, tonka-
bean-like notes found in deeply
roasted garlic. “The allium has lots
of bioactive compounds – when
cooked it loses a lot of its
astringency, thanks to the heat
inactivating and converting the
compounds that give it a kick
when raw,” says Beckett.

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.

STRAWBERRY AND PEPPER

Strawberries contain low concentrations of furaneol, a natural
compound also found in pineapple, coffee and even breast milk,
which may explain why humans enjoy it so much, suggests The Art
and Science of Foodpairing. In this pairing, pepper neutralises the
tartness of the berry, enhancing the natural sweetness and allowing
more complex yet subtle fruit flavours to come through. 

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

way to live? ALIX DAVIS investigates.

O
O

Is a plant-based diet really the most sustainable

T
T,

PHOTOGRAPHY RÉMI CHAUVIN (RABBIT) & JESSE HUNNIFORD. IMAGES COURTESY MONA MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART,

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
that raising livestock consumes one-third of the
world’s fresh water, guidelines often suggest
moving to plant-based eating. What if we reduced
our reliance on traditional agriculture by learning
to love invasive species instead? That’s the premise
of artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele’s project and
lavish art book, Eat the Problem. “It’s the practice of
turning shit into gold,” she writes in the book’s
introduction. “And solving multiple problems at
once, which is what systems-based thinking is. An
action has to do more than one thing. Which also
gets us off the hook for the failure of any single
goal: it catapults us out of a moral quandary (What
is invasive? Should humans intervene once an
invasive species takes hold?) and allows us to act.
Eat the Problem is an idea that give us permission
to be a part of the system while appreciating its
complexity. But ultimately it’s about transforming
a flaw into a feature.”
Seated in the golden-hued dining room of The
Source, the fine-dining restaurant at Hobart’s
MONA, where Kaechele lives and works, the flaw
she’s focused on today is the issue of feral (or
fallow) deer in Tasmania, where it’s legal to hunt
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).
the deer, but illegal to sell it for consumption.
Instead, wild-harvested venison is flown in from
New South Wales for restaurants to cook and
serve. There’s a meeting in Hobart tonight to
discuss how to best manage the state’s tens of
thousands of wild deer. “We should wear flannies,”
she says to Vince Trim, MONA’s executive chef
and a willing collaborator in Kaechele’s adventures
in turning perceived problems into edible dishes.
“It sounds like they’re not giving in to this idea
that a hunter can’t sell invasive deer that they’ve
killed,” explains Kaechele. “You can only eat them
yourself. At The Source, we’re trying to go towards
this local sustainable menu. [Wild-harvested
venison] is just this incredibly abundant meat
source that would be so elegant to be able to serve.
We think there should at least be concessions
towards local restaurants. At least some boutique-
level industry. It doesn’t have to be huge.”
While Eat the Problem may not solve the
world’s food issues – the global population is
predicted to rise to 10 billion by 2050 and require
an increase in food production of 70 per cent – it
is designed to prompt conversations about what we
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.
And, while there are plenty of accessible dishes
in there, Kaechele and Trim admit that there were
also some challenges. “Cat. We did cook cat,” she
says matter of factly. “That was the most
challenging by far. Vince cooked the cat for the
performative feast. It was really hard. David
[Walsh, MONA founder and Kaechele’s husband]
loves cats.” As he did with starlings and other small
birds, Trim used feral cat (cats kill 1.7 billion
native animals in Australia each year ) to create
a consommé. “It would have been a step too far
to have a leg there with meat on it,” he says with
a wince. “But, using very classical techniques, we
got a beautiful result.”
Eating invasive species was championed by
American chef Paul Prudhomme in the early ’90s
when he attempted to get diners interested in
eating nutria – an orange-toothed water rat
common in Louisiana. He failed, but it was the
nutria that piqued Kaechele’s interest as, in
addition to its meat, it’s also an ethical source of
fur. “I think, of everything in the book, what I find
most compelling as an industry – besides deer
78 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Clockwise from above: Grand
Feast, Eat the Problem at MONA;
a dish at The Source; Eat the
Problem book spreads.
which is obvious and easy – is the nutria fur. Fur is
a sustainable fabric. Fake fur ages quickly, real fur
lasts decades. So when it ages, you throw it away
and it ends up in landfill, turning into microplastic
that pollutes the water and ends up in the fish we
eat. Not a good alternative. Is fur great? Yes. Can
we wear it ethically? No. Can we wear it ethically if
it comes, from the most part, from culled nutria?
Yes. I think it’s the most compelling popular
product in here. In Paul Prudhomme’s generation
people weren’t ready for [eating nutria], but
now we’re all looking for the next exotic
culinary experience.”
While cat consommé is not on the menu
at The Source, Trim and his team have made
changes. “We pulled beef off the menu a long
time ago,” he says, “and replaced it with harvested
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.” 
 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
 GET THE DIGITAL EDITION OF

12 DIGITAL
ISSUES
FOR ONLY
$19.99
SAVE 62%

Visit magshop.com.au/p/gtd or call 136 116 and quote X221GTD

Savings based on single-issue digital edition price of $5.99. Offer available until 31st December 2022. If you do not want your information provided to any organisation not associated with this
promotion, please indicate this clearly when you subscribe. For terms and conditions visit magshop.com.au/p/gtd and for our Privacy Notice visit aremedia.com.au/privacy/ Apple, the Apple logo
and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Subscription auto-renews every 12 months at $19.99 unless cancelled.
 PHOTOGRAPHY BEN DEARNLEY. STYLING AMBER DE FLORIO

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
81
 Photography BEN DEARNLEY

Mango
Styling AMBER DE FLORIO

From Thai curry to a sweet leche flan, we share our

favourite recipes that showcase the versatility of
summer’s golden tropical fruit in all its glory.

tango Recipes DOMINIC SMITH

Food preparation MAX ADEY

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.

60 ml (¼ cup) peanut oil 2 Add mango; cook, stirring frequently

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 red shallots, thinly sliced
4 long red chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 small Kensington Pride mango, flesh
finely diced, plus extra to serve
2 jars massaman paste (195gm each)
80 gm chilli paste with soybean oil
400 ml coconut milk
400 ml coconut cream
250 ml (1 cup) fish or chicken stock
4 live mud crabs, dispatched humanely
(see note), cleaned, quartered, claws
cracked (see note)
Fried holy basil, steamed rice and
lime wedges, to serve
1 Heat oil in a large wok or saucepan
with a lid over high heat. Add garlic,
shallots, chillies and ginger; stir-fry
until shallots soften (2-3 minutes).
until mango begins to break down. Add
both pastes; cook stirring until fragrant
and combined (2-3 minutes).
3 Stir in coconut milk and cream with
stock and bring to a simmer. Add crab
quarters and turn to coat in sauce.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat
to medium-low. Cook, covered with
a lid, stirring occasionally or until crab
is cooked (20-25 minutes). Season.
4 Top with extra finely chopped
mango and fried basil, and serve
with steamed rice and lime wedges.
Note RSPCA recommendations for
killing crustaceans humanely is to first
render the crab insensible by placing
it in the freezer, then inserting a knife
into its head to destroy its nerve centre.
Use a meat mallet to crack the crab claws
to ensure that the claw meat is cooked
when the rest of the crab meat is.

Lemongrass prawns with goi xoài

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 1 HR // COOK 10 MINS

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
1 green mango (see note), flesh peeled
into long strips
1 Calypso mango, cheeks thinly sliced
1 young coconut, drained, flesh cut into
long strips (see note)
60 gm roasted salted peanuts, chopped,
plus extra to serve
4 baby radishes, halved lengthways
2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the
diagonal
2 red shallots, shaved on a mandolin
2 long red chillies, thinly sliced
1 cup each loosely packed mint,
coriander and Thai basil leaves
LEMONGRASS PRAWNS
80 gm chilli paste with soy bean oil
16 thin lemongrass stalks, cut into 15cm
lengths, for skewers
16 green king prawns
DRESSING
80 ml (1⁄3 cup) rice wine vinegar
80 ml (1⁄3 cup) lime juice
40 gm caster sugar
40 gm chilli paste with soy bean oil
2½ tbsp fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 For dressing, whisk ingredients in
a bowl until sugar dissolves; season.
2 Place half the dressing in a separate
bowl. Add green mango and toss to
coat; set aside at room temperature.
3 For lemongrass prawns, preheat
a lightly greased barbecue or char-grill
pan to high. Meanwhile, whisk chilli paste
and 2½ tbsp hot water in a large bowl.
Push a metal skewer lengthways through
each prawn to make a channel. Skewer
prawns on lemongrass stalks following
the channel, then place on a tray. Brush
prawns with chilli paste. Barbecue,
turning occasionally, until charred and
cooked through (3-5 minutes).
4 Add peanuts, radish, onion, shallot, chilli
and herbs to remaining dressing in bowl,
season with pepper; toss to combine.
5 To serve, add yellow mango and
coconut flesh to green mango; toss
to coat then divide among plates with
prawn skewers. Scatter over herbs
and extra peanuts.
Note Green mango is available from
select greengrocers. If unavailable,
substitute green papaya. Reserve
drained coconut water and refrigerate
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
tentacles separated, cleaned
300 gm rice flour
15 gm ground pepperberries (see note)
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying,
plus extra for frying
6 cm piece ginger, cut into julienne
1 each long red and green chilli, sliced
2 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
Lemon wedges, to serve
SWEET AND SOUR MANGO SAUCE
2 tbsp peanut oil
3 red shallots, finely chopped
130 ml rice wine vinegar
100 gm caster sugar
2 makrut lime leaves
3 large Calypso mangoes, flesh
coarsely chopped (750gm)
86 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
1 For sweet and sour mango sauce, heat 4 Place a clean wok or frying pan over
oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. high heat. Add 2 tbsp extra oil, and when
Add shallots and stir occasionally until oil begins to smoke, add ginger, chillies
softened (5 minutes). Add vinegar, sugar, and spring onion; stir-fry until fragrant
lime leaves and three-quarters of mango; and light golden (1-2 minutes). Add fried
cook, stirring occasionally until thickened squid, season and toss to combine.
(18-20 minutes). Season and refrigerate 5 Transfer squid to a platter. Serve with
until cooled; stir in remaining mango. mango sauce and lemon wedges.
2 Meanwhile, halve squid hoods Note Pepperberries, a native Australian
lengthways and score the inside in ingredient, are available from spice
a criss-cross pattern, then cut into 5cm shops and specialty food stores.
pieces. Place rice flour, pepperberries
and lemon zest in a bowl; season
generously with salt and stir to combine.
Add hoods and tentacles; toss to coat.
3 Heat oil in a large wok to 180˚C. Shake
off excess flour from squid then deep-fry,
in batches, until golden just cooked
(2-3 minutes); drain on paper towel.
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
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ cup each firmly packed coriander
and Vietnamese mint leaves
4 baby cucumbers, shaved widthways
on a mandolin
2 R2E2 mangoes, thinly sliced
12 each large betel and perilla leaves
(see note)
Micro amaranth, toasted black
sesame seeds and lime wedges,
to serve
COCONUT-POACHED CHICKEN
400 ml coconut milk
250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, bruised
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 skinless chicken breasts
(220gm each)
DIPPING SAUCE
160 ml (2⁄3 cup) lime juice
140 ml fish sauce
65 gm (¼ cup) finely grated light
palm sugar
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 long green chilli, finely chopped
1 For coconut-poached chicken, place
ingredients in a large deep frying pan
over high heat. Bring to the boil,
skimming any impurities that rise to
surface (5 minutes). Reduce heat to
medium-low, cover with a cartouche
and simmer gently, turning halfway, until
three-quarters cooked (12-15 minutes).
Remove pan from heat and stand,
covered with cartouche, until cooked
through (20-25 minutes). Remove
chicken with a slotted spoon and shred
into a large bowl. Add 60ml poaching
liquid. Reserve remaining poaching
liquid for another use, such as a soup.
2 Meanwhile, for dipping sauce, whisk
ingredients in a bowl until combined.
Taste the dressing; it should be sweet
and sour, hot and salty, adjust if desired.
3 Place vermicelli in a large bowl, pour
over enough boiling water to cover and
stand until tender (3-4 minutes). Drain
well, then using scissors, cut into rough
3cm lengths. Add noodles, spring onion,
sesame oil, herbs, cucumber, mango
and a quarter of the dipping sauce to
the chicken; toss to combine.
4 To serve, top betel and perilla leaves
with 2 tbsp chicken and mango filling
and scatter with amaranth and sesame
seeds. Serve with remaining dipping
sauce and lime wedges.
Note Betel and perilla leaves are
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

Leche and lime flan with burnt mango

SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 1 HR (PLUS CHILLING, SETTING)

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
395 gm sweetened condensed milk
200 ml pouring cream
100 ml evaporated milk
5 eggs, plus 4 yolks, lightly whisked
100 gm brown sugar
Finely grated zest from 1 lime, plus
extra zest and lime halves, to serve
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 Kensington Pride mango cheeks,
skin removed, cut into thick wedges
Caster sugar, to dust
1 Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease
a 1.5-litre llanera tin or 15.5cm x 23cm
oval ovenproof dish. Place sugar and
80ml water in a saucepan over medium
heat and stir occasionally until sugar
dissolves (3-4 minutes). Increase heat
to high and cook, without stirring, until
a dark amber caramel (8-10 minutes);
pour into prepared tin to coat base.
2 Combine condensed milk, cream
and evaporated milk in a saucepan
over medium heat; stir gently and
frequently until mixture comes to
a simmer (3-4minutes).
3 Whisk eggs and yolks, brown sugar,
lime zest and vanilla in a large heatproof
bowl just to combine. Gradually pour
cream mixture into egg mixture, while
whisking gently without aerating the
mixture until combined. Strain through
a fine sieve into prepared tin.
4 Place tin in a deep baking dish and
fill with hot water to halfway up the sides
of the tin. Bake, uncovered, until edges
are set and there is a slight wobble in
the centre (50 minutes to 1 hour). Cool
on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then
refrigerate until set (4 hours or overnight).
5 Heat a large frying pan over medium-
high heat. Dust mango wedges liberally
with sugar and cook, flesh-side down,
until caramelised (3-4 minutes).
6 To serve, run a knife around edges of
flan to release, then invert onto a platter.
Arrange a few caramelised mangoes on
top, scatter with extra zest and serve
with remaining mangoes to the side.
Note Llanera tins, traditional oval metal
Filipino leche flan moulds, are available
in assorted sizes from Filipino grocers
and Asian supermarkets. ➤

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
coarsely chopped, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp honey
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
340 gm halo-halo fruit mix in syrup,
drained (see note)
150 gm young coconut strings in syrup,
drained (see note)
150 gm canned jackfruit in syrup, drained
PISTACHIO PRALINE ICE-CREAM
220 gm (1 cup) caster sugar
100 gm slivered pistachios
2 cups (500ml) pouring cream
6 egg whites
175 gm caster sugar, extra
1 For praline, grease and line a large
oven tray with baking paper. Combine
sugar and 60ml water in a small
saucepan, stir over high heat until sugar
dissolves (5 minutes). Bring to the boil
and cook until golden and caramel in
colour (8-10 minutes). Add nuts and pour
over prepared tray. Stand until cool and
set (30 minutes). Pulse in a food processor
until coarsely chopped; set aside.
2 For ice-cream, whisk cream in the bowl
of an electric mixer to soft peaks; transfer
to a large bowl and chill until required. In
a separate clean bowl, whisk egg whites
on high to soft peaks; gradually add extra
sugar and whisk until thick, glossy and
sugar is dissolved (6-8 minutes). Using
a large spatula, gently fold meringue into
whipped cream. The mixture will look as
though it has not combined properly,
however this is the way it is supposed to
be. Fold in three-quarters of praline until
combined. Transfer to a 3-litre container,
cover and freeze until firm (6 hours).
3 Meanwhile, for mango ice, blend
mango, honey, lime zest and juice,
200ml water and ¼ tsp salt flakes in
a blender until smooth, then pour into
a shallow metal tray and freeze (6 hours).
Using a fork, scrape and fluff the mixture.
Transfer to a container and return to the
freezer until required.
4 To serve, layer halo-halo fruit mix,
coconut strips, jackfruit and extra fresh
chopped mango in chilled glasses. Top
with mango ice and a scoop of ice-cream.
Scatter with remaining praline.
Note Halo-halo fruit mix in syrup and
young coconut strings in syrup are
available from Filipino and Asian grocers.
If unavailable, substitute fresh mixed
berries. Leftover mango ice and pistachio
ice-cream will keep in the freezer for up
to 3 months. 

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

Packed with crunch and flavour, these

egg cups are infinitely versatile; serve
as an entrée or a light lunch.

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
vinegar
2 tsp mirin
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
3 baby cucumbers, thinly sliced into
rounds on a mandolin
MISO DRESSING
1 tbsp each shiro (white) miso paste
(see note), sesame oil, maple syrup
and rice vinegar
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1 For spicy pickled cucumber, combine
yuzu, tamari, rice vinegar, mirin and chilli
in a bowl. Add sliced cucumbers and set
aside to lightly pickle (15 minutes).
2 For miso dressing, whisk ingredients
in a bowl; season with pepper to taste.
3 Cook eggs in a saucepan of boiling
water until cooked to your liking (6
minutes for soft-boiled). Refresh in
ice-water, then peel and halve
lengthways.
4 Place lettuce leaves on a large platter;
top each with two shiso leaves, an egg
half, radish and spicy pickled cucumber.
Drizzle with miso dressing and scatter
with spring onion, toasted nori and
togarashi to serve.
Note Shiso leaves, togarashi and shiro
miso are available from Japanese
grocers.
Roasted beetroot carpaccio
SERVES 6 AS A STARTER // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 1 HR (PLUS SOAKING, COOLING)
This playful yet elegant plant-forward take on carpaccio blends earthy beets
(both cooked and raw) with a spice mix reminiscent of pastrami and a silky nut cream.
It’s balanced with peppery nasturtium leaves and an orange juice vinaigrette.
8 golden and red beetroots (about water and set aside until cooled to room
1.2kg), trimmed and scrubbed temperature (15 minutes). Transfer
2 target beetroots (see note), trimmed soaked hazelnut mixture and remaining
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
Finely grated zest and juice of ½ aside at room temperature until required.
orange 3 For spiced pepper mix, dry-roast fennel
Red baby nasturtium leaves and seeds and black peppercorns in a small
society garlic flowers, to serve frying pan over medium-high heat until
HAZELNUT CREAM fragrant (1 minute). Transfer to a mortar
150 gm roasted hazelnuts and pestle; add pink peppercorns and
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil coarsely grind. Stir in thyme and ½ tsp
1 tbsp aged red wine vinegar sea salt.
1 small garlic clove, finely grated 4 Place oil, vinegar, orange zest and
SPICED PEPPER MIX juice in a sealed jar and season to taste;
1 tsp each fennel seeds, black shake well to combine.
peppercorns and pink peppercorns 5 Thinly slice roasted and target
2 tsp thyme leaves beetroot using a mandolin.
6 Spoon hazelnut cream over a platter,
1 Preheat oven to 160˚C fan-forced. Wrap top with roasted and raw beetroot,
each beetroot in baking paper then foil; drizzle with orange dressing and scatter
place on a tray and roast until tender (50 with pepper mix, nasturtium leaves and
minutes – 1 hour). Cool slightly, then peel. society garlic flowers.
2 For hazelnut cream, place hazelnuts in Note Target beetroot is available from
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
zucchini tart with
fennel salad
SERVES 4-6 AS A STARTER // PREP TIME 30 MINS //
COOK 1 HR 45 MINS (PLUS CHILLING, RESTING)
This tart has the richness and creaminess
of quiche, minus the eggs and dairy.
Whipped tofu fills the void, along with
the savoury sweetness of leeks and
thyme, and an umami quality courtesy
of nutritional yeast flakes.
140 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 large leeks (white part only), thinly
sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp finely chopped thyme, plus extra
to serve
375 gm firm tofu, drained, chopped
60 ml (¼ cup) soy milk (we use Happy
Happy Soy Boy)
50 gm (¼ cup) nutritional yeast flakes
(see note)
1¼ tbsp Dijon mustard
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
6 zucchini flowers with baby zucchini
attached, separated
2 zucchini (yellow and green)
2 patty pan squash
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 baby fennel bulb
75 gm (3 cups) frisée
½ cup small parsley and mint leaves
¼ cup each dill and chervil sprigs
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
CHIA SEED PASTRY
1 tbsp white chia seeds
150 gm (1 cup) plain flour
100 gm (2⁄3 cup) wholemeal spelt flour
125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 For chia seed pastry, pound chia
seeds with a mortar and pestle or grind
in a spice grinder until finely ground.
Combine ground chia and 60ml water
in a small jug; stand for 30 minutes.
Process flours, 1 tsp sea salt, chia
mixture, oil and 1 tbsp water to form
a rough dough. Turn dough onto a
bench; knead lightly until smooth. Form
into a log and wrap in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate until chilled (30 minutes).
Roll pastry between sheets of baking
paper to 3mm thick and large enough to
line a greased 12cm x 35cm fluted
loose-based rectangular tart tin. Line tin
with pastry and trim edges. Refrigerate
for 30 minutes to rest.
2 Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line pastry
with foil, fill with dried beans or
uncooked rice; blind-bake tart case (15
minutes), remove foil and weights, bake
until golden (15 minutes).
3 Meanwhile, heat 60ml olive oil in
a large frying pan over medium heat.
Cook leek, garlic and seeds, stirring
frequently until softened (8 minutes). Add
thyme; stir until fragrant (1 minute). Cool.
4 Process tofu, soy milk, yeast flakes,
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp mustard and
lemon zest in food processor, scraping
down the side, until smooth. Season to
taste. Spoon mixture level into pastry
case. Slice all zucchini and squash on
a mandolin, then arrange one-third over
the tart. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil,
season to taste, then bake until golden
and set (30-35 minutes).
5 Whisk vinegar and lemon juice with
remaining 1 tsp mustard and 1 tbsp olive
oil in a bowl; season to taste. Add fennel,
frisée and remaining zucchini and herbs;
toss to coat. Serve quiche scattered with
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.

Mushroom skewers with mojo sauce and flatbread

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 30 MINS (PLUS RESTING)

1 kg mixed mushrooms (see note)
6 radishes, shaved on a mandolin
3 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated
MOJO SAUCE
1 cup firmly packed coriander leaves
½ cup firmly packed mint leaves
160 ml (2⁄3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Zest and juice of 1 orange
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 long pickled chillies (see note), plus
extra to serve
2 tsp ground cumin
WHIPPED AVOCADO
3 avocados
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
WHOLEMEAL FLATBREAD
225 gm (1½ cups) wholemeal plain flour
225 gm (1½ cups) plain flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 For mojo sauce, blend ingredients in a
blender until smooth; season to taste.
2 Thickly slice mushrooms, and if using
oyster mushrooms, tear into pieces, then
thread mushrooms onto soaked bamboo
skewers. Place skewers in a shallow
dish, pour over half the mojo sauce and
turn to coat. Set aside at room
temperature to marinate (30 minutes).
3 Meanwhile, for wholemeal flatbreads,
combine flour, 1 tbsp olive oil, 250ml
water and 2 tsp sea salt in a bowl and
mix to form a rough dough. Turn out onto
a lightly floured surface and knead until
smooth (3-4 minutes). Set aside to rest
(10 minutes).
4 For whipped avocado, process
ingredients in a food processor until
smooth; season to taste.
5 Preheat a lightly greased barbecue
or chargrill pan to high. Divide dough
into 12 and roll out on a lightly floured
surface to 2mm thick. Brush each flat
bread with remaining oil. Grill flatbreads,
in batches, turning once, until cooked
and slightly charred (2-3 minutes). Wrap
in a tea towel and set aside to steam.
6 Drizzle skewers with extra oil, season
to taste, then barbecue, turning
occasionally, until charred and tender
(8 minutes). Serve with flatbreads,
whipped avocado, baby cos lettuce,
radish, extra pickled chillies and
remaining mojo sauce.
Note We used mild Turkish pickled
chillies and a mixture of Swiss brown,
shiitake, oyster and king brown
mushrooms. ➤

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.

Yuzu cream tarts with ginger strawberries

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 30 MINS (PLUS INFUSING, SETTING)

These gluten-free delicately crusted tarts are best served straight

from the fridge, topped just before serving with strawberries and syrup.
Begin this recipe a day ahead.

120 gm almond meal 2 For yuzu cream, whisk cornflour and

120 gm brown rice flour coconut water in a small bowl until
60 gm maple sugar combined. Add cornflour mixture to a
½ tsp sea salt flakes saucepan with remaining ingredients.
140 gm coconut oil, at room temperature Whisk continuously over medium-high
1 tsp vanilla bean paste heat until mixture boils and thickens
750 gm strawberries, hulled (2 minutes). Divide yuzu cream equally
80 ml (1⁄3 cup) maple syrup among pastry cases. Set aside at room
1 tbsp finely grated ginger temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate
Lemon balm, to serve overnight to set.
YUZU CREAM 3 Slice 500gm strawberries. Place sliced
35 gm (¼ cup) cornflour strawberries, maple syrup and ginger in
60 ml (¼ cup) coconut water a saucepan and cook, covered, over
600 ml coconut milk medium-high heat, stirring occasionally,
140 ml yuzu juice (see note) until juices are released (5-6 minutes).
100 gm maple sugar Remove from heat and set aside to
½ tsp agar agar (see note) infuse (30 minutes). Strain and refrigerate
until ready to serve. Discard solids.
1 Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease six 4 Carefully remove tarts from tins. Serve
12cm fluted round tart tins; line bases tarts topped with remaining halved
with baking paper. Process almond meal, strawberries and lemon balm, drizzled
rice flour, maple sugar and salt in a food with ginger-strawberry syrup.
processor until combined. Add coconut Note Agar agar and yuzu juice are
oil, vanilla and 1 to 2 tbsp water; process available from Asian grocers and
until a dough forms. Divide dough specialty food shops.
among tins and press firmly over base
and up side. Place tarts on tray and bake
until light golden (25-30 minutes); cool.

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

1 Place blackberries, maple syrup,

ginger, mint, lime zest and juice in a tall
jug and muddle gently. Add cranberry
juice and stir to combine.
2 Fill six glasses with crushed ice. Strain
over blackberry mixture and top with
soda water. Garnish each glass with a
blackberry and lime twist threaded onto
a skewer, to serve. Alternatively, serve in
a jug and let guests help themselves.
Note We use Ocean Spray cranberry
juice, which is made from 100 per cent
sustainably grown cranberries. 

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.

Photography CON POULOS

Styling OLIVIA BLACKMORE & AMBER DE FLORIO

 Mixed tomatoes
with whipped tofu
and rice crisps

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)

1½ cups (300gm) sushi rice

¼ cup (60ml) rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp mirin
4 red radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60ml) grapeseed oil
2 cups (160gm) shredded green cabbage
1 large avocado, thinly sliced
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
Shichimi togarashi and toasted black
and white sesame seeds, to serve
MISO LIME SAUCE
2 tsp white (shiro) miso paste
2 tsp tamari
2 tsp mirin
2 tsp grapeseed oil
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp finely grated lime rind

1 Place rice in a sieve and rinse under

cold running water until water runs clear.
Place rice and 450ml water in a medium
saucepan over medium heat and bring
to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook,
covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from
heat; stand, covered, for 15 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, to make miso lime
sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3 Transfer cooked rice to a heatproof
bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold rice,
breaking up any lumps, while gradually
adding 1 tbsp of the rice wine vinegar and
1 tbsp of the mirin until combined and rice
begins to cool. Cool completely.
4 Combine remaining rice vinegar,
mirin and ½ tsp salt in a small bowl. Add
radishes; stir well to cover. Stand, stirring
occasionally, to lightly pickle. Drain.
5 Line two large oven trays with baking
paper. Using lightly oiled hands, roll
2 tbsp rice into balls. Arrange balls on
trays; gently flatten each with the palm
of your hand into a 6cm patty. Cover
and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm.
6 Heat oil in a large frying pan over
medium heat. Cook rice patties, in two
batches, for 3 minutes each side or until
golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel.
7 To serve, top each patty with pickled
radish, cabbage, avocado and green
onion. Drizzle with dressing; sprinkle
with togarashi and sesame seeds. ➤

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

50 gm whole dried shiitake mushrooms

20 gm fresh ginger, sliced
20 gm dried kombu
4 star anise
2 litres (8 cups) vegetable stock
1⁄3 cup (80ml) olive oil
1⁄3 cup (10gm) dried wakame
4 medium portobello mushrooms
180 gm green tea soba noodles
½ tsp gochugaru (see note)

1 Place shiitake mushrooms, ginger,

kombu, star anise and stock in a large
saucepan over medium heat; bring to
the boil. Reduce heat and simmer,
covered, for 20 minutes.
2 Strain into a large heatproof jug then
return stock to saucepan. Reserve
mushrooms; discard remaining solids.
3 Pat reserved shiitake mushrooms dry
with paper towel. Reserve 8 shiitake
mushrooms to serve and thinly slice
remaining. Heat ¼ cup of the oil in
a large frying pan over medium heat
and cook sliced mushrooms for
4 minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper
towel. Add wakame to frying pan and
cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, or until
crisp. Drain then season with salt.
4 Heat remaining oil in frying pan
and cook portobello mushrooms for
4 minutes each side or until tender
and golden. Season.
5 Meanwhile, cook noodles according
to packet directions. Drain.
6 Divide noodles among serving
bowls. Ladle hot broth over noodles.
Divide fried sliced shiitake, reserved
whole shiitake and portobello
mushrooms among bowls; top with
wakame and gochugaru, to serve.
Note Gochugaru, Korean red pepper
flakes, is available from Korean grocers
and select supermarkets.

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

2 cups (300gm) wholemeal spelt flour

1cup (280gm) greek yoghurt
1½ tsp baking powder
1tsp sea salt flakes
300 gm Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
1medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
to drizzle
300 gm creamy blue cheese, torn into
chunks
½ cup sage leaves
2 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 Preheat oven to 200°C.

2 Place flour, yoghurt, baking powder
Brussels and salt flakes in a large bowl; mix until
sprouts and a rough dough forms. Turn onto a lightly
blue cheese floured work surface and knead lightly
pizzas until smooth. Divide dough in half.
3 Roll a dough half between two sheets
of baking paper into a 20cm x 30cm
oval. Remove top paper; slide dough
Mixed tomatoes 1 Process tofu and garlic in a food on paper onto a large oven tray.
processor until smooth. With the motor Repeat with remaining dough half.
with whipped tofu running, slowly add grapeseed oil in 4 Bake bases for 20 minutes.
and rice crisps a thin, steady stream until emulsified; 5 Meanwhile, toss Brussels sprouts,
SERVES 4-6 // PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINS season to taste. Refrigerate whipped onion and olive oil in a medium bowl
tofu until ready to serve. until well coated; season.
Pictured p103 2 To make ginger soy dressing, place 6 Remove bases from oven. Arrange
ingredients in a screw-top jar; shake Brussels sprouts mixture evenly between
300 gm medium-firm tofu, drained well to combine. Season with pepper. bases; top with blue cheese and sage.
1 clove garlic, crushed 3 Heat vegetable oil in a large deep Return to oven and bake for a further
¼ cup (60ml) grapeseed oil saucepan over medium-high heat to 15 minutes or until golden and base is
3 cups (750ml) vegetable oil 180°C. Cook rice paper rounds, one at cooked through. Serve topped with
4 x 22cm rice paper rounds a time, for 10 seconds or until puffed. chilli flakes and a drizzle of extra oil. ➤
1 tsp shichimi togarashi (see note) Remove with tongs; drain on paper
500 gm mixed cherry tomatoes, halved, towel. Sprinkle with togarashi.
quartered if large 4 Place all tomatoes, spring onion
3 heirloom tomatoes (420gm), and half the dressing in a medium
cut into wedges bowl; toss gently to combine.
2 spring onions, trimmed, julienned 5 Spread whipped tofu on a serving
2 tsp black and white sesame seeds, platter and top with tomato mixture.
toasted Drizzle with remaining dressing and
Micro shiso, to serve sprinkle with sesame seeds and shiso.
GINGER SOY DRESSING Serve with togarashi rice crisps.
1½ tbsp soy sauce Note Shichimi togarashi is a chilli
1½ tbsp rice wine vinegar spice blend available from Asian
1 tbsp grapeseed oil and Japanese grocers.
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
3 tsp mirin
2 tsp sesame oil

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 107

Roasted broccoli with almond ajo blanco
SERVES 4 // PREP + COOK TIME 50 MINS
2 medium heads broccoli (600gm),
leaves reserved (see note)
¼ cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes
Smoked paprika, to serve (optional)
ALMOND AJO BLANCO
90 gm blanched almonds, roasted
50 gm white sourdough, torn
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
BROCCOLI LEAF SALSA
½ cup (75gm) blanched almonds,
roasted, coarsely chopped
½ cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley
leaves, finely chopped
½ cup firmly packed mint leaves,
finely chopped
½ cup (125ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
1½ tbsp lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a large
baking tray with baking paper.
108 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Eggplant with nam
prik sauce
2 Finely chop reserved broccoli leaves;
you will need 2 tbsp. Set aside for
broccoli leaf salsa.
3 Trim the stem from the broccoli.
Place broccoli on lined tray; brush all
over with combined oil, garlic and chilli
flakes; season. Roast for 40 minutes or
until broccoli is tender and edges are
browned. Cut in half.
4 Meanwhile, to make almond ajo
blanco, place almonds and bread in
a small bowl with enough boiling water
to just cover. Stand for 15 minutes to
soften. Drain, reserving 1⁄3 cup (80ml)
soaking liquid. Place almond mixture
in a high-speed blender with the oil,
vinegar and reserved liquid; blend
until very smooth. Season to taste.
5 To make broccoli leaf salsa, place
finely chopped broccoli leaves in
a medium bowl with salsa ingredients;
stir well to combine. Season to taste.
6 To serve, spread ajo blanco on plates.
Place half a head of broccoli on each, then
top with salsa and sprinkle with paprika.
Note If you can’t find broccoli with
leaves still attached, use more parsley
and mint in the salsa instead.
Eggplant with nam
prik sauce
SERVES 4 // PREP + COOK TIME 25 MINS
2½ tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp tamarind puree
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 small clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes,
coarsely chopped
⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil
8 japanese eggplants (1kg), halved
lengthways
1 cup Thai basil leaves
2 spring onions, sliced into thin strips
½ cup (40gm) fried shallots
1 To make nam prik sauce, process soy
sauce, lime juice, tamarind, sugar, garlic,
ginger, chilli flakes, tomato and 1 tbsp of
the oil until a coarse mixture forms.
Season to taste with salt.
2 Toss eggplant halves in remaining oil
to coat; season. Heat a barbecue or
char-grill pan over high heat. Cook
eggplant for 3 minutes each side or until
charred and tender.
3 Serve eggplant drizzled with nam prik
sauce. Top with Thai basil, green onion
and fried shallots. 
This extract from
Simple Fresh Veg by The
Australian Women’s Weekly
(Are Media Books; $40) has
been reproduced with
minor GT style edits.
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

TWICE Harness the healing power of food while

supporting women at risk of homelessness
with recipes from Two Good Cookbook Two.

Photography PETRINA TINSLAY Styling DAVID MORGAN

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

The Two Good Co team.
Fried prawn sandwiches with jalapeño hot sauce
RECIPE BY CLAYTON WELLS // SERVES 4
Clayton Wells has long been a supporter of Two Good Co, twice hosting the One Plate
for Two Good event at his Chippendale restaurant Automata. This dish was a star of
the lunch menu at his now closed (and much missed) casual diner A1 Canteen.
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
400 gm green prawns, peeled and
deveined
50 gm tapioca flour
3 tsp old bay seasoning
4 long white bread rolls
100 gm (⅓ cup) whole-egg mayonnaise
1 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated
½ bunch of coriander, leaves picked
JALAPEÑO HOT SAUCE
20 gm ginger, peeled, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
100 gm drained pickled jalapeño chillies,
plus 1 tbsp pickling liquid
1 tsp dried thyme
½ bunch coriander, leaves picked
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,
thawed if frozen
1 egg, lightly beaten
200 gm goat’s cheese
15 small figs, halved, or 8 large figs,
quartered
2 tbsp chopped oregano
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp vino cotto
Oregano leaves or thyme flowers,
to serve (optional)
1 Preheat oven to 180°C and line two
large baking trays with baking paper.
2 Roll out pastry on a lightly floured
surface to a 36cm x 27cm rectangle,
about 3 mm thick. Using a 5cm round
pastry cutter, cut out 30 rounds and
place on prepared trays. Use a fork to
prick each round about six times, then
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
½ bunch spring onions, green tops only,
sliced
90 ml lime juice
1½ tbsp Knorr liquid seasoning (see note)
100 ml olive oil
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 For jalapeño sauce, place ginger,
garlic, chillies and pickling liquid in
a blender and blitz until combined. Add
thyme, coriander and parsley and blend
until smooth. Add green spring onion
brush lightly with beaten egg.
3 Dollop 1 tsp of goat’s cheese
in the middle of each round, leaving
a small border around the pastry edge.
4 Gently toss together fig, oregano and
some freshly cracked black pepper in
a bowl, then place a piece of fig on
each dollop of goat’s cheese. Whisk
together olive oil and vino cotto and
drizzle a little over each fig.
5 Bake for 15-20 minutes until pastry
is puffed and golden, rotating the trays
if necessary for even baking. Check
pastries after the first 5 minutes and
push any figs that have been dislodged
back into the centre of the cheese.
Scatter over oregano leaves or thyme
flowers and finish with a grinding of
pepper. Serve immediately.
tops and blend for 30 seconds. Reduce
speed to medium and add lime juice
and Knorr liquid seasoning.
2 Gradually add olive oil until emulsified.
Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until
cool. Whisk ground spices into cooled
sauce and refrigerate until required.
Leftover sauce will keep in an airtight
container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
3 Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or
large saucepan over high heat to 180°C.
4 Dust prawns with tapioca flour,
shaking off excess, then deep-fry for
1½ minutes or until crisp and cooked
through. Remove from oil with a slotted
spoon, drain on paper towel and season
with old bay seasoning.
5 Cut bread rolls in half lengthways.
Spread mayonnaise on inside of rolls.
Add lettuce and coriander leaves, then
fried prawns. Spoon jalapeño sauce over
fried prawns, then close rolls and serve.
Note Knorr liquid seasoning is available
from Asian grocers. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 113
 This is a recipe from Jane Strode’s days at
Bistrode. The combination of peanut butter
ice-cream with the rich honey tart is inspired.

114 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Sichuan poached chicken salad
with sesame dressing
RECIPE BY DAN HONG // SERVES 4
This flavourful salad is best served at room temperature. You can prepare
most of the dish while the chicken is resting. Pictured p110
3 cm knob of ginger, peeled, coarsely
chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 onion, coarsely chopped
5 star anise
3 chicken marylands
1 tbsp white or black sesame seeds,
toasted
50 gm (¼ cup) Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli
oil condiment with peanuts, plus
extra to serve (see note)
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 telegraph cucumber, seeds removed,
cut into thick matchsticks
100 gm enoki mushrooms, bases trimmed,
separated
50 gm fresh wood ear mushrooms,
trimmed, roughly torn
1 bunch coriander, washed, roots
discarded, cut into 3cm lengths
4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly
sliced into strips
SESAME DRESSING
70 gm (⅓ cup) Chinese sesame paste
60 ml (¼ cup) Chinese black vinegar
75 ml light soy sauce
2 tbsp caster sugar
This extract from Two Good
Cookbook Two: Recipes for
Resilience (Two Good Co;
$45) has been reproduced
with minor GT style edits.
1 Fill a medium saucepan with water,
add ginger, garlic, onion and star anise
and season well with salt. Bring to the
boil over high heat, then reduce heat to
low and simmer for 20 minutes to infuse.
2 Lightly season chicken with salt and
carefully drop into poaching liquid. Bring
back to the boil, then reduce heat and
simmer gently for 8 minutes. Remove
pan from heat and cover with a lid. Leave
chicken to finish cooking in liquid for 1 hour.
3 Lift chicken out of liquid and place
on a board. When it is cool enough to
handle, remove meat from bones and
loosely tear into strips. If you like skin,
tear that up as well and mix it through
chicken meat, otherwise discard the skin
and bones. Reserve 1 tbsp of liquid for
the dressing. (Keep the rest of the
poaching liquid and use as a light stock
for other recipes. It will keep in an airtight
container in the fridge for up to 3 days
or in the freezer for 1 month.)
4 Combine Lao Gan Ma condiment
and grapeseed oil. Set aside.
5 For sesame dressing, place sesame
paste in a medium bowl and stir in
reserved poaching liquid. Add remaining
ingredients and whisk until smooth.
6 Place shredded chicken, cucumber,
enoki and wood ear mushrooms,
coriander and spring onion in a large
bowl and lightly mix with your hands.
Add enough of the sesame dressing
to coat all the ingredients, followed by
a few spoonfuls of chilli oil, then mix
again. Garnish with sesame seeds and
serve with extra Lao Gan Ma on the side.
Note Lao Gan Ma is available from select
supermarkets and Asian grocers.
Honey tart with peanut
butter ice-cream
RECIPE BY JANE STRODE // SERVES 8-10
We were lucky to have Jane Strode work
in the Two Good Co kitchen in 2020.
This is a recipe from her days at Bistrode,
which she ran with her late husband
Jeremy. The combination of peanut
butter ice-cream with the rich honey tart
is inspired. Start this recipe a day ahead.
300 gm store-bought shortcrust pastry
5 eggs
200 gm brown sugar
160 gm unsalted butter
400 gm honey
30 gm dried breadcrumbs
1½ tbsp plain flour, sifted
60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice
PEANUT BUTTER ICE-CREAM
500 gm store-bought vanilla ice-cream
115 gm crunchy peanut butter, at room
temperature
1 The day before you want to bake the
tart, roll out pastry on a lightly floured
surface to 5mm thick. Line a 26cm round
tart tin with the pastry and wrap well in
plastic wrap. Rest in the fridge overnight.
2 Meanwhile, scoop ice-cream into
a bowl; let it soften at room temperature.
Stir through peanut butter and return
to the freezer to firm up.
3 Preheat oven to 170°C.
4 Line pastry shell with two layers of
foil and trim edges so foil is about 2cm
higher than pastry edge. Fill with pastry
weights, uncooked rice or dried beans
and blind-bake for 25 minutes or until
golden brown. Remove foil and weights.
Lightly beat one egg in a bowl and brush
over pastry. Return to oven for another
5 minutes to set egg. Set aside to cool.
5 Reduce oven temperature to 140°C.
6 Whisk sugar and remaining four eggs
in a large bowl. Melt butter and honey
together in a medium saucepan over
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.
7 Pour honey filling into tart shell, then
bake for 45 minutes or until just set in
the centre. Allow to cool completely on
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
 SUBSCRIBE TO

AND RECE IVE 6 ISSUES FOR $30!

SU BSCRI B E TO DAY A N D R E CE I V E
+ 6 ISSUES of Gourmet Traveller for $30 via automatic renewal
+ SAVE 50% off the newsstand price
+ FREE DELIVERY of the magazine to your home each month

ALRE ADY A SU BSCRIBE R?

Simply extend your subscription to receive this offer.
Hurry! Offer ends February 20, 2022!

S U B S C R I B E V I A M A G S H O P. C O M . A U / P / M 2 2 2 G M T
 F R E E RY
L I V E
DE

SAVE 50% OFF THE RRP

Offer ends February 20th, 2022

CALL 136 116 AND QUOTE M222GMT

Savings based on cover price of $9.99. For Terms and Conditions, visit www.magshop.com.au/p/m222gmt. Please see contents page for location of our Privacy
Notice. If you do not want your information provided to any organisation not associated with this offer, please indicate this clearly at time of order or notify the
Promoter in writing. Offer valid from 24/01/2022 to 20/02/2022 to Australian residents only. After the first 12 issues, the subscription will automatically renew and be
billed as $30.00 every 6 issues thereafter. Subscription renews unless cancelled.
Reef Room uShaka Lodge Dining

Meet a Cheetah when you stay in

Wild Encounter Room!

WINNER - Best Deluxe Accommodation in Australia

JĂŵĂůĂtŝůĚůŝĨĞ>ŽĚŐĞŝŶĂŶďĞƌƌĂŝƐƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂƐǁŝůĚĞƐƚĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƟŽŶĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ>ŽĐĂƚĞĚǁŝƚŚŝŶƚŚĞŐƌŽƵŶĚƐŽĨ
ƚŚĞEĂƟŽŶĂůŽŽĂŶĚƋƵĂƌŝƵŵ:ĂŵĂůĂďŽĂƐƚƐĨƌŝĐĂŶƐƚLJůĞĚĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƟŽŶŚƵďƐƐƉĞĐŝĮĐĂůůLJĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚƚŽƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ
ŐƵĞƐƚƐǁŝƚŚĂƵŶŝƋƵĞĂŶĚŝŶƚĞƌĂĐƟǀĞĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞDĞĞƚƐŽŵĞŽĨƚŚĞĨĂǀŽƵƌŝƚĞnjŽŽƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚƐǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŽƉƟŽŶƚŽŚĂǀĞ
ĂŐŝƌĂīĞůŝŽŶƐƟŐĞƌƐĂĐŚĞĞƚĂŚƐƵŶďĞĂƌƐŵĞĞƌŬĂƚƐŽƌŵŽŶŬĞLJƐŽƵƚƐŝĚĞLJŽƵƌǁŝŶĚŽǁdžƉůŽƌĞƚŚĞĐŽŵďŝŶĞĚnjŽŽ
ĂŶĚĂƋƵĂƌŝƵŵĂŶĚĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĂŵĂnjŝŶŐƵƉ%ĐůŽƐĞĂŶŝŵĂůĞŶĐŽƵŶƚĞƌƐĂŶĚƚŽƵƌƐ
ŶŝŵĂůƐ WůĞĂƐĞŶŽƚĞƚŚĂƚǁŚŝůĞƚŚĞĂŶŝŵĂůƐŐĞŶĞƌĂůůLJũŽŝŶŐƵĞƐƚƐĂƐƐŚŽǁŶŶŽŐƵĂƌĂŶƚĞĞŽĨƚŚĞŝƌĂƩĞŶĚĂŶĐĞŽƌůĞŶŐƚŚŽĨĂƩĞŶĚĂŶĐĞĐĂŶďĞŐŝǀĞŶ

02 6287 8444 &ǁǁǁũĂŵĂůĂĐŽŵĂƵ

ŝŶĨŽΛũĂŵĂůĂǁŝůĚůŝĨĞůŽĚŐĞĐŽŵĂƵ&ĂŶďĞƌƌĂ Canberra
 TRAVEL
FEBRUARY

Walk on the wild side

Exploring Mount Mulligan, a chef ’s guide to
Bali, trekking through Tasmania’s Three Capes
Lodge Walk, how to holiday in 2022 and
checking in to the Sofitel, Adelaide.

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.

Photography ELISE HASSEY


It’s a sacred site, revered as
the birthplace of the creator
being, the Rainbow Serpent.
122 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
A
fter bouncing about on a hot dirt track, there are few sights
more welcome than a smiling lodge host bearing a chilled glass
of bubbles. It’s an apt introduction to Mt Mulligan Lodge,
a unique north Queensland getaway, which genuinely merits
the description “outback escape”.
Our original plan was to helicopter in – a quick 35-minute trip from
Cairns – but a sudden tropical storm grounded air traffic, so we’ve switched
to a 4WD. Since turning off at the small township of Dimbulah, we’ve
passed just one dusty ute and a handful of floppy-eared Bos indicus cattle.
I’ve been hanging out for a first glimpse of Mount Mulligan, our
destination lodge’s namesake, since leaving Brisbane. This massive
tabletop mountain, known to First Nations Australians as Ngarrabullgan,
sits on Djungan land. It’s a sacred site, revered as the birthplace of the
creator being, the Rainbow Serpent. Cave shelters located on the
mountain have been dated back 37,000 years.
We’ve journeyed up through 180-million-year-old rainforest on our
climb out of Cairns, pushing past papaya orchards and dairy farms on the
Atherton Tablelands, before finally heading into the bush.
At Mt Mulligan, a 28,000-hectare working cattle station, we turn the
corner of the main pavilion, Champagne flutes in hand and it’s like
walking onto a film set – with towering, widescreen views of the mighty
Ngarrabullgan, the undisputed star.
Kempt green lawns lead down to a dark, almost mirror-like body of
water, prettily edged with water lilies, in which Ngarrabullgan is partially
reflected. There are weeping paperbarks and red gums, and across on the
other side of the weir, a small mob of wallaroos and wallabies is lazily
 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.

partly on Brampton Island in the Whitsundays, where his dad

managed an exclusive resort. “Mt Mulligan has a unique Australian
identity and I want to keep that in the food we serve.”
On Brampton Island, Fenech recalls being inspired by the sense
of fun and creativity shown by the chefs. Since completing his own
apprenticeship in Brisbane, he’s been honing skills overseas,
including at three-star Michelin restaurants (Dieter Müller, Germany)
and paddock-to-plate destinations (Riverstone Kitchen, New Zealand;
Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island). These experiences have made
him purpose built for Mt Mulligan.
Covid ended Fenech’s most recent role, as executive chef at
a Bavarian castle hotel, Schloss Liebenstein. Now he’s luxuriating in
the Australianess of his new surroundings, waiting for his German
wife Mascha and their puppy to join him. “I just love how Aussie
this feels to me,” says Fenech. “It’s so easy to switch off here. There’s
a waterfall I head to every morning before starting work and the
other day when I drove in, there were wild brumbies on the track.”
Since arriving mid last year, Fenech’s been doing more than
appreciating the wild, rugged setting. His produce list already reads
like a rollcall of the best growers from across this surprisingly varied
region – everything from rich biodynamic dairy products, tomatoes,
lychees and dragon fruit from the Atherton Tablelands, to cassava
and galangal from Innisfail and bananas from Tully.
There’s a pristine haul of reef fish on regular dispatch from
Cairns and in time Fenech hopes to use cattle raised at the property
on the menu. He’s also about to add a community of native redclaw
to the weir’s barramundi population – although this will require
careful logistics to prevent the barra eating the baby cray, as guests
are not the only ones keen to taste Fenech’s food. Recently, feral pigs ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 125
 Sunrise washes
Ngarrabullgan in even deeper
tones of red and gold,
creating indelible memories.

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

A CHEF’S GUIDE TO…
Bali, Indonesia
From a zero-waste restaurant to the best
babi guling, chef WILL GOLDFARB shares
his tips on where to eat and drink in Bali.
F
rom Paris to Catalonia, Will Goldfarb has cooked in high-powered
kitchens around the world (including El Bulli) – all while
immersing himself in the local culture. At Room 4 Dessert, his
dessert bar in Ubud, Goldfarb celebrates the province’s produce
and diverse influences. Here, the nomadic chef shares his top dining
recommendations for Bali, his island home for the past 13 years.
128 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
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.
A D E STI NAT I O N D INN E R
If I have an evening free, I go to Pica South
American Kitchen by Cristian Encina in Ubud.
The food is super fresh and super delicious.
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.
CO C KTA I L S & SNAC KS
Down the street from Pica, Cristian has
opened a cocktail bar called Boliche. Tucked
away behind a little secret door, the bar is
the place to go right now. Inside, there’s
a beautiful terrace overlooking one of the
temples in Ubud right by the bridge. It does
Peruvian cocktails and Latin-inspired snacks.
The menu is constantly changing, but it’s
always fun, party-friendly food.

S N AIL S N AC K S
If I want to have a snack in the afternoon,
I go to Warung Satay Kakul in Ubud for
freshwater snail satay. It’s fantastic. Like
the name suggests, the eatery serves
super fresh barbecue-grilled snails with
soup made from banana heart. There
are a lot of rice fields on the island and,
by extension, a lot of rice field snails.
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
a lot of debate on who does the best
babi guling, but Babi Guling Pande Egi
has recently taken it to another level.
I’m also a big fan of Babi Guling Ibu Oka.
It’s touristy, but it’s still great.
B ALI ’S M O ST FAMOU S CH I CK E N
You’ll find the best betutu (chicken
cooked in a richly spiced sauce) at
Warung Makan Rama Ayam Betutu.
There are about six of them all over
the south of Bali. It’s like a franchise,
but by franchise I mean it’s one woman
with one bowl and one chicken, and
they make the sambal fresh in each
one. They cook the rice over charcoal
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
chef Kieran Morland’s background from
New York’s Momofuku Ssäm Bar and
The Wapping Project in London. He has
a true passion for Indonesian flavours
and products. His wife, Yunika, is the
real flavour goddess behind the place.
You can taste her sambal in everything
Kieran cooks, like his lobster dumplings.
R O OM F O R D ES SERT
My guilty pleasure is going to Gaya
Gelato in Sayan, just next to my house.
My go-to is pistachio and zabaglione
with whipped cream on top.
Clockwise from
top left: upcycled
terrazo interiors
at Ijen; chef
Cristian Encina;
Peruvian sashimi
with tamarillo at
Pica; wood-fired
carrots at Mason;
fried sardines
atop croissant
loaf at Ijen.
HE AL I NG TH R O UG H F O OD
Everything we do at Room 4 Dessert is
built around our garden, which is now in
its fourth year. We just planted another
2000 square metres of medicinal herbs,
plants and flowers in the last 90 days.
Every menu we create has 21 dishes
and is built around 21 plants that we
grow. We’ve been using a book called
Apotek Hidup, or Living Pharmacy, as the
base for what we do. It studies Balinese
plants and how they’re used traditionally.
Everything we do is built around the
plants that we grow and our healing
through food. 
As told to Jessica Rigg for
The Local Tongue. For more
chef’s guides from around the
world, see thelocaltongue.com
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.

Vote with your dollars

On the subject of investing in experiences and
travel, these are decisions really worth getting right.
The hospitality industry has been hit hard, and I’m
acutely aware that every dollar I spend is a vote for
the sort of world I’ll be seeing in five years’ time.
And frankly, I’m enjoying putting a bit more time
and thought into where I put my dollars. I highly
recommend bouteco.co, a travel website of carefully
vetted sustainable luxury hotels around the world,
for hotel inspiration. And kynder.net features
hospitality and retail businesses with exemplary
ethical credentials. But mindful spending can be
as simple as walking to the local deli rather than
lazily ordering groceries online. Just try to support
local, independent and responsible businesses.

132 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Build trips around celebrations
Like many travellers, I used to
fetishise spontaneity; committing to
a plan more than a few weeks in
advance made me nervous. This
partly comes with the territory of
being a freelance writer, as I can be
sent anywhere in the world,
thrillingly, at the drop of a text
message. But I imagine a lot of
dedicated travellers, especially
business owners and freelancers,
will relate to this anxiety about
committing to celebratory trips or
accepting invitations months into
the future.
But then the pandemic happened,
which gave our nerves a lot more to
work with. These days I’m much
more anxious about the prospect of
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.
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
away from the smash-and-grab, box-tick tourism that
has been heavily marketed to us for the past two
decades. We’d seen a philosophical shift towards
slower travel, a rediscovery of the pleasure in immersing
ourselves more deeply in one carefully chosen city
or region rather than skimming the surface of an
entire country.
And today, travelling internationally now requires
several joyless secretarial hours filling out online
passenger locator forms, collecting QR codes and
securing test results. The faff is absolutely worth it, but
the hassle-to-holiday ratio only becomes favourable for
longer trips. International mini-breaks no longer make
sense for us or for the planet. I’m not an advocate of
the flight-free movement, but I believe in having
a healthy respect for long-haul flights, choosing
international trips consciously and ensuring every
flight I take counts. My resolution for 2022 is to travel
less often, but linger in my chosen destination for
longer, investing more in the experience. 
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

Art is at the heart of Adelaide, especially during festival

season throughout February and March, when Fringe,
Adelaide Festival and WOMADelaide are in full swing.

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).

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Hindley Street is a hop, skip and
jump away and is home to the
cute-as-a-button café Peter Rabbit.
The enchanted garden-party vibes
include a vintage caravan and
hidden, leafy grottos. Day starters
include pastries, sweet damper
(banana and miso damper), Peter’s
Picnic (ciabatta, soft-boiled duck
egg, prosciutto, piccalilli relish,
E A T
Adam Liston’s Leigh Street restaurant
Shōbōsho is open seven days and is
well respected (and frequented) by
fans of modern-Asian cuisine. Next
door, its new sister restaurant
Shōmen is proving an equally
popular lunch spot. The small
hole-in-the-wall eatery specialises
in ramen and accepts walk-ins only.
Make like a local and slurp Korean
Sofitel’s on-site restaurant Garçon Bleu
can be found on level nine. The team,
led by chef de cuisine Gianni Delogu
(former Vue de Monde and Grossi
Florentino) serves up modern French
fare with a touch of drama. Kick things
off at the bar with a glass of bubbles and
crisp whitebait, before perusing the wall
of wine and making your way to a table
with a bird’s-eye view of the city. The

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.

Cape Pillar Lodge.

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

Clockwise from top: Crescent Lodge;
lodge views; Luke Burgess prepares
the dégustation. Opposite:
Tasmania’s unique scenery.
PHOTOGRAPHY BRETT BOARDMAN (LODGE).
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
shorts. My wet-weather trousers never even make it out of my pack.
There’s no snow, but we regularly walk into cloud that’s so thick
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
glimpse Tasman Island. As we approach the landmark it’s semi-
shrouded in mist. There’s even a perfect arc of a fogbow for us to
photograph. Then, from nowhere, a patch of blue sky appears and
the sun is shining. The mist drifts away. The island is fully revealed
– we can see the lighthouse. Someone even spots a whale below.
For a 48-kilometre hike you experience an amazing variety of
scenery – from wind-blasted native heathland to ancient wet sclerophyll
forest, vertiginous cliffs and booming ocean. The guides help interpret
what we’re seeing, pointing out flora and fauna, telling tales as we walk.
Burgess, who’s currently based in Tasmania helming a Hobart
10-seat pop-up restaurant called Seven and a Half, is a huge fan of ➤
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.

PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS CRERAR (THREE CAPES WALK).


Booking info
Restaurant at the Edge
of the World 2022 will be
held during the Three Capes
Walk throughout June.
$3995 per person; tariff
includes accommodation,
meals, use of backpack and
weather-proof jacket.
taswalkingco.com.au
the benefits of walking and mentions the mental clarity it boosts.
He’s had plenty to mull over – planning for the feast on our third
night. Given the remoteness of the cleverly camouflaged lodges,
there’s no room for improvisation or spontaneity on his part.
If he forgets the butter he can’t exactly pop to a nearby shop.
He’s also committed to giving guests a proper taste of his
adopted home.
“A big part of the menu is the integrity of the ingredients
– that’s all got to be woven in to it,” Burgess says. “You’ve got
to consider what’s best, and in season – and how best to show
it off. I guess these are all issues at the core of a certain style of
cooking these days.”
The table settings for RATEOTW are prettily low-key – leaves
and gumnuts, grevillea blossoms from the track. A stunning
appetiser of just-shucked native Angasi oysters sets the tone for the
evening ahead. The oysters are slow-grown at Fortescue Bay – a few
kilometres away from where we sit. Burgess pairs them with a vivid
green purée of green girl apple, a local heirloom variety, and a bay
leaf and eucalyptus oil. The wine match is an elegant, low-dosage
blanc de noirs by rising local star Sinapius. The combination of
the salinity of the oysters and aromatics from the oils magically
evokes the sea mist-swathed tracks we’ve travelled earlier.
Of course, it’s deliberate. “On the walk previously I got a sense
of the tea-tree and the eucalypts,” says Burgess. “Then as it gets
warmer you smell all the oils being released, so that inspired the
bay and the eucalyptus oil, and the sweetness from the apple.”
There’s an incredible sense of
peace and achievement. It’s
tradition to take a swim. I walk in
ankle-deep and then loiter.
Everything that follows ties in. The Japanese-style
crudo albacore we eat with fermented leek, chilli and
seaweed, recently swam in the waters we’ve been walking
alongside. “Tuna is a no-no but albacore is more
sustainable and more available,” says Burgess. “They run
along this coastline in massive numbers, breeding and
spawning – so the geography just makes sense.”
A braised blacklip abalone and exotic mushroom
course is the dish everyone swoons over. “If you’re from
interstate you know how much abalone can cost,” says
Burgess. “In Sydney at a restaurant like Golden Century
it would be a couple of hundred dollars a kilo.” It’s
textural and luxurious – a slippery mix of abalone and
southern calamari with lion’s mane and nameko
mushrooms in a sesame-laced Japanese style broth.
A comforting ragù of slow-cooked Bennett’s wallaby
tail gets a hit of heat from kanzuri fermented chilli, and
it’s freshened with a cabbage slaw. The cabbage is
something the wallabies plunder in the garden, so
Burgess suggests there’s poetic justice to the pairing.
While Burgess is busy in the kitchen, Dan McMahon
ably talks us through the wine options. Burgess is
as meticulous about wine selection as he is about
ingredient provenance. “I love using wine as a seasoning.
It might provide acid or richness or even fruit to a dish.
These wines are from a bunch of people whose farming
practices and mindset match exactly how I think about
food – it’s an organic and holistic approach.”
A dessert of lemon posset comes with a local gin
alongside. “Lemons are in season, so we just bring in
cream from Elgaar and gather some lemons from the
backyards of Hobart,” says Burgess.
The ocean gin by Dasher + Fisher brings us back
to the coast (like every path you take here). It’s truly
a memorable evening – even the shock news we need to
be packed and out of our rooms by 6.30am the next day
isn’t enough to shake the mood.
The hike ends at Fortescue Bay, after what is the
most taxing day of walking including hundreds of stone
steps up Mount Fortescue, an elevation of 490 metres.
There’s an incredible sense of peace and achievement.
It’s tradition to take a swim. I walk in ankle-deep and
then loiter, watching as little sandy coloured fish dart
away. Then I keep going forward and finally find myself
pushing under, as the occasional kelp frond floats past.
It’s another rude shock to the system – but it’s perfect.
We’re finishing this walk as we started. With a sensory
reset. I lick the salt off my lips as I make my way back to
shore wondering how I can track down more of those
Angasi oysters before heading home. 
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
in Orange’s heritage precinct. A beautiful
juxtaposition of the historical homestead
and contemporary architecture, this 4.5
star hotel welcomes guests who appreciate
unique style and luxurious comfort.
Jamala Wildlife Lodge offers five-star
accommodation in the heart of Canberra.
It’s the ultimate overnight safari, providing
up-close interactions with the zoo’s
residents. $1475 for two people all-
inclusive, jamalawildlifelodge.com.au
Harvey Norman The NEFF 80 cm Induction
Cooktop with Down Draft Ventilation has a
sensor-controlled system that automatically
adjusts the ventilation power level based
on what you’re up to in the kitchen.
RRP $5599, harveynorman.com.au

4 5 6

Hidden Italy Our 2022 guided and
self-guided walking tours of Italy are
open for booking. Join us on our
adventures: excellent accommodation,
fine food, great walks and good company.
hiddenitaly.com.au
Krosno With its simple design and timeless
silhouettes, the Harmony collection brings
Krosno craftsmanship to a range of
tumblers, wine glasses and carafes.
Available in sets of six from $29.95.
krosno.com.au/collections/harmony
Art Mob Pioneering styles of artwork
come from Art Mob with these natural
mixed-media paintings by Torres Strait
islander Dennis Nona using sand, charcoal,
ochre and natural dyes. RRP $3900,
artmob.com.au

7 8 9

Gaggenau The Gaggenau 400 series
Vario Fridge-Freezer exceeds the
standards of function and beauty, and
extends freshness. The RB 492 boasts a
stainless steel interior and a 5-star energy
rating. From $17,499, gaggenau com.au
Pico chocolate is good for people,
the planet and your palate. These
Fairtrade-certified blocks are organic,
vegan and delicious. Look for them in
your supermarket or specialty store today.
RRP $6, picochocolate.com
Prohibition Blood Orange Gin is back by
popular demand, featuring Riverland fruit
– distilled within days of picking – with
botanicals including strawberry gum,
chamomile and cinnamon myrtle.
RRP $94, prohibitionliquor.co
 Gourmet Traveller Marketplace
ACCOMMODATION, FOOD & CLOTHING

CYGNET COAST HOUSE TASMANIA

L ER
S AF O

Amazing private 30 acre peninsular for sale.

Two award winning houses, shack and boat shed.
www.coasthousetasmania.com | Contact Nick Bond 0488 640 024

A new category of drinks

available exclusively at SIMON JOHNSON

Matthew Jukes is a world-famous wine taster and writer,

based in the UK, and he has worked in the wine trade
_hkho^k,)r^Zkl'

Made from carefully developed recipes using all of his olfactory

and sensory expertise, Matthew has created and blended his
drinks in order to take your senses to an entirely new and soothing
ÜZohnk]^lmbgZmbhg'Ma^l^alcohol-free drinks show exquisite,
\hfie^q%Zg]ZkhfZmb\\aZkZ\m^kl'
Woollahra 55 Queen St NSW, Alexandria 24A Ralph St NSW
Northbridge Plaza Shop 25, 79 - 113 Sailors Bay Rd NSW
Toorak 471 Toorak Rd VIC, Subiaco 169 Rokeby Rd WA

Instagram/Facebook @simonjohnsonprovidore Twitter @simonprovidore

www.simonjohnson.com

TO ADVERTISE 0405 745 129 I HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORY

 Gourmet Traveller Marketplace
ACCOMMODATION, FOOD & CLOTHING

Located at the Gateway to McLaren Vale

with sweeping views of the Onkaparinga
Gorge, Victor’s Place is a destination
restaurant and the home to Varney Wines.
Our menu is carefully curated by Executive
Chef Chris Bone to follow the seasons,
sourcing produce from small local producers
who share our ethos for quality & true flavour.

Open for Lunch and Dinner

Reservations at victorsplace.com.au
victorsplace.mclarenvale

wine, cheese & grazing delivered

Zephyr, 50 Mary St, Noosaville and Eumundi Square, Eumundi Market
chatterboxcollective.com
www.zephyrwares.com 1800 804 776 Zephyrloungewear hello@chatterboxcollective.com @ chatterbox _ collective

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.

Stay IN LUXURIOUS COMFORT

AND UNIQUE STYLE

02 5317 8200 • info@byngstreethotel.com.au

62 Byng Street Orange NSW

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

TO ADVERTISE 02 9282 8369 I HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORY

 Gourmet Traveller Marketplace
FOOD, ART & CLOTHING

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

Perfect your cheeseboard with our

Trophy-winning dairy and crackers available in three flavours
non-dairy ice creams. salt & seed
paprika & chilli
Made using artisan techniques & rye & caraway
premium natural ingredients. Phone: 1300 411 342
Email: hello@byronbaycrackers.com
Our range includes gluten-free, vegan and Kosher. @byronbaycrackers
serendipityicecream.com.au A carbon-neutral Australian premium producer.

AM 19756/21
Sabrina Nangala Robertson
Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water
Dreaming) 2021
Acrylic on Belgian linen
183 x 91cm

TO ADVERTISE 0405 745 129 I HOMESTOLOVE.COM.AU/DIRECTORY

 HOME . FASHION . BEAUTY

STYLE
Brighter days
Outdoor living, beach
accessories, summer
scents and stylish
exercise essentials.

PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY. STYLING HANNAH BLACKMORE.

 Home

ZEST FOR LIFE

Juicy and bright, a twist of orange

2
transforms an outdoor living space
into a summer sensation.

1
5

9
PHOTOGRAPHER STEPHANIE ROONEY. STYLING KARINA DUNCAN.

14 10

1 Muuto Rime pendant in Orange, $363 for extra small, Surrounding.

2 Bonnie & Neil Terracotta side table, $329, Life Interiors. 3 Checkers quilted
throw in Tangerine, $295, Bonnie & Neil. 5 Gannon Breakfast cushion in
Apricot, $79.99, Sheridan. 5 Orange art print by Anna Mörner, about $67* for 13
A4 unframed, The Poster Club. 6 Kinto Sepia jug, $58, Simple Beautiful
11
Things. 7 La DoubleJ Wildbird dessert plates, $200 for set of 2,
Matchesfashion. 8 Broste Copenhagen Layer mirror, $379 for small, Amara. 12
9 Anissa Kermiche Love Handles vase, $461, Matchesfashion. 10 Håmö
reclining chair, $39, Ikea. 11 No.002 cup with curves, $65, Softedge Studio.
12 Orange candle, $42, Bonnie & Neil. 13 Baina Beppu bath mat, $90,
My Chameleon. 14 Proteal Petal table cloth, $245, Ginghan napkins, $99 for
set of 6, Stripe placemats, $125 for set of 4, all Bonnie & Neil.

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.

1 Chloé Eyewear Gemma butterfly- 9

11

MERCHANDISING SARAH STERN. PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTOS DRAZOS (KATIKIES).

frame sunglasses, $520, Farfetch.
2 Casa Raki Emilia wide-leg shorts,
$213, Matches Fashion. 3 Calle Del
Mar stretch-knit bra top, $266,
Net-a-Porter. 4 Emilio Pucci printed
silk-chiffon dress, $1440, Matches
Fashion. 5 Rixo Cecile midi dress,
$517.94, Net-a-Porter. 6 JW Anderson
logo print bucket hat, $260, Farfetch. 12
7 Cult Gaia Kersti wide-leg pants, $447,
Net-a-Porter. 8 Emporio Sirenuse Sonia
tarocchi-print top, $273, Matches
Fashion. 9 Agua by Agua Bendita
Macadamia floral-print maxi skirt,
$759, Matches Fashion. 10 A Emery 13
Colby leather sandals, $171, Net-a-
Porter. 11 Emilio Pucci Albizia-print
bikini top, $274, and briefs, $289,
Matches Fashion. 12 Bea Bongiasca
Flower Power earrings, $858, Matches
Fashion. 13 Cult Gaia Banu tote, $673,
Net-a-Porter.
10

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

The powerhouse ingredient I

that belongs in every
THE more fatigued is the natural
skin-brightening regimen is build-up of dead skin cells.
1
the potent antioxidant A simple way to boost
vitamin C. It helps reduce turnover and get to the
3 radiant skin beneath is with
inflammation and irregular
pigmentation, while handily a weekly exfoliating formula.
promoting collagen One of our favourites is the
production. Some of the Eve Lom Rescue Peel Pads,
most effective formulas $106 (7), with naturally
we’ve discovered include derived AHA, PHA and BHA
Sunday Riley’s C.E.O. Glow, acids to leave skin looking
$114 (1), a lightweight oil; ESK and feeling significantly
Skincare’s C-Forte 2+, $95 smoother. The pads also

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.

PHOTOGRAPHY NIC GOSSAGE. STYLING JESSICA HANSON.

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

shop online www.longines.com Longines Spirit