This was published 1 year ago
Australian chefs on the overseas dishes that transformed their cooking
"It was so good, I cried": Some simple grilled prawns at Asador Etxebarri changed everything for Firedoor chef Lennox Hastie.Credit: Katherine Scott
They're those moments in our overseas travels when we experience a meal so fantastic and so memorable that years later we can virtually still taste and smell them.
Perhaps it was a perfect pasta in a tiny trattoria in Italy; an epic eight-course degustation in Paris; a superb steaming laksa in Singapore or even a simple yet sensational street snack in Saigon.
Maybe it was the delectable food itself or the divine setting, or both, that was so life-affirming, inspiring or nostalgic and that left you transformed, the meal influencing and inspiring your own love of food and cooking back home.
For professional chefs and cooks, the steaks - sorry - stakes, are even higher with one unforgettable repast overseas enough to influence a whole career.
As Peter Kuravita, of Alba by Kuravita, in Queensland's Noosa Heads, says: "travel is essential for a chef."
We asked 10 well-travelled top Australian chefs to tell Traveller about the one meal that changed them forever. And, proving that there is more to eating out than confining yourself to four walls, meals involving unforgettable street food are also on the menu.
From a Michelin-starred multi-course marvel in France that set one chef off on a fine-dining kitchen safari, to a simple one-pot dish in a Philippine island market that continues to remind another of his connection to his dad, each of the tales we uncovered are as rich, varied and inspiring as the world of food itself.
Each of the chefs we spoke to went on to or continued their illustrious cooking careers after their life-changing meals – and so did the restaurants or eateries they attended. All are still in business today.
That means that you, too, can enjoy the food at the establishments our chefs have nominated in your travels overseas, as well as, of course, at their own stellar Australian eateries.
MUSSEL POWER
Credit: Nikki To
Peter Gilmore, Bennelong and Quay, Sydney, NSW
THE ONE MEAL
In 2006 I was on a trip to France and Spain, travelling by myself and searching for inspiration. I decided to go to chef Andoni Luis Aduriz's (now renowned two-Michelin-starred restaurant) Mugaritz while I was around Gipuzkoa (Spain). The first course arrived. It was a single mussel, served in an elegant white porcelain bowl, adorned only with its own juices. The singularity and the bravery of this beautiful dish made me realise and appreciate the power of simplicity and of amazing produce that speaks of the region. The courage to present something like that made me take a moment and think about the direction of my cooking: you didn't need to complicate a dish to make it great.
THE DETAILS
Mugaritz, Aldura Gunea Aldea, 20, Errentaria, Gipuzkoa, Spain. See Mugaritz.com quay.com.au; bennelong.com.au
SALAD DAYS
Shannon Martinez, Lona Misa, South Yarra, Victoria, Alibi Bar & Dining, Woolloomooloo, NSW, Smith & Daughters, Collingwood, Victoria
THE ONE MEAL
In 2017 while in London, I ticked St JOHN Restaurant, widely recognised for revolutionising the nose-to-tail movement, off my restaurant bucket list. I had never felt too inspired by British cooking but the shredded kohlrabi salad with chervil and a mustard vinaigrette was a game- changer. Their ability to perfectly dress a salad was memorable, so much so I recreated it at Smith & Daughters. After my first visit, I ate there another two days in a row. The irony of this story is discovering a standout vegan dish in a nose-to-tail restaurant; however, often, the best vegan dishes I've ever discovered have come from non-vegan restaurants.
THE DETAILS
St. John Restaurant, 26 St. John Street, Barbican, London. See stjohnrestaurant.com ovolohotels.com smithanddaughters.com
SHUCK AND AWE
Annita Potter, Viand, Woolloomooloo, NSW
THE ONE MEAL
In 2006 I made it to New York City for the first time. I went to Per Se, Thomas Keller's three-Michelin-starred restaurant, for lunch. From a nine-course chef tasting menu it was the first dish that came out - "oysters and pearls" - that changed everything. On one of the most beautiful plates I had ever seen was a savoury sabayon of tapioca pearls under a perfect quenelle of white sturgeon caviar with warmed Island Creek oysters and finely sliced chives. Two and half mouthfuls and it was gone, however the memory of this dish compelled me to return for the next two years and each was better than the last. I wanted to be this good, I wanted to work like this, be pushed to excellence. And it made me continue to chase moments just like it all over the world.
THE DETAILS
Per Se, Deutsche Bank Center, 10 Columbus Circle, New York City, US. See viand.club thomaskeller.com
FIRE IN THE BELLY
Ben Devlin and Yen Trinh, Pipit, Pottsville, NSW
THE ONE MEAL
We dined at Pasture in Auckland during our honeymoon in August 2017. Pasture is a wood-fired restaurant and we sat at the chef's counter viewing the open kitchen. We had the set menu, with standouts being the "snapper glazed in its liver and own bones" and "heritage black pork served two ways (pig crumpet and broth)". The way Ed Verner, executive chef and owner, used wood-fire in a small space, efficiently with less coals and in a more delicate way than we had seen, would inspire the Pipit menus. At the time, the goal of opening our own restaurant was only a loose plan. It was life-changing that during our honeymoon this would further inspire us on the path to establishing Pipit and owning a house and starting a family on the Tweed Coast.
THE DETAILS
Pasture, 235 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand. See pastureakl.com pipitrestaurant.com
MOREISH, PLEASE
Clare Falzon, Hentley Farm, Seppeltsfield, South Australia
THE ONE MEAL
In Barr, Alsace, I found Restaurant Le Brochet, which sits at the bottom of a small hotel in the town centre. I clearly remember the fattest, juiciest snails in parsley butter which were so moreish, and a perfect potato and bacon gratin. We sat outside in the summer evening and the atmosphere was perfect. Everything seemed to align to create an experience which I can still clearly remember in detail almost a decade later. Good food, good atmosphere, good company, and a good attitude all contribute to creating exceptional food experiences. That's why now, when I'm checking on guests with my team, I don't ask "Did they like the food?", I ask, "Are they happy?"
THE DETAILS
Restaurant Le Brochet, 9 Place de l'Hotel de ville, Barr, France. See le-brochet.fr hentleyfarm.com.au
RAW EMOTION
Stacey Conner, Humble on Duke, Sunshine Beach, Queensland
THE ONE MEAL
I was 17 and my brother 21 when my mum wanted us to have a family holiday before we went off to pursue our careers, though I had zero idea as to what I wanted to do. In Chianti, Italy, we stayed at Castello Vicchiomaggio, a castle dating back to the fifth century. I remember this meal, classic beef carpaccio with pine nuts, green sauce and shaved parmesan, ragu pappardelle, pork and a side of green beans with shallots that were slightly overcooked but still delicious. Mum and Dad ordered a bottle of wine and I had a small glass. This expanded my horizons. I didn't know you could eat raw beef like that. The pasta was home-made, and I'd only ever really experienced dried pasta from a packet. I realised I could travel and learn, finding new and exciting ingredients. Cooking for a living made sense after Italy.
THE DETAILS
Castello Vicchiomaggio, Localita Vicchio, 4, Greve in Chianti, Italy. See vicchiomaggio.i humbleonduke.com.au
CHURN BABY CHURN
Credit: Ian Waldie
Peter Kuravita, Alba by Kuravita, Noosa Heads, Queensland
THE ONE MEAL
In the early 1980s my then girlfriend and I went to France, camping our way around with hardly any money, but we decided to splurge at the Relais & Chateaux, three-Michelin-starred Troisgros in the Loire. All the courses were fantastic, as was the setting, but what really blew me away was my dessert. The waiter came over with a trolley with probably 40 freshly-churned sorbets. I chose five, he drew the stem of a plant and two leaves on the plate in chocolate and then the petals were quenelles of sorbet. I was classical French-trained in Sydney. I've moved my food towards my Sri Lankan heritage, but this experience cemented for me the fact that classic French elements are the building blocks to any cuisine.
THE DETAILS
Troisgros, 728 Route de Villerest, Ouches, France. See troisgros.fr Albanoosa.com.au
ALL IN THE DETAIL
Brigitte Hafner, Tedesca Osteria, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
THE ONE MEAL
I was in my early 30s and visiting some wineries in Piedmont, Italy, with friends from Mildura, Victoria (I had just spent a year working with Stefano De Pieri). We had lunch at Osteria del Boccondivino in Bra, a central town in the Barolo region. It was exquisite. There was a braised veal dish with roasted peppers – the veal was rich and delicate and perfectly cooked, so it still had a bite to it. I marvelled that capsicum could taste so good. The restaurant was so beautiful but in a humble and noble way. It was all rich timbers and low lighting. Nothing about the restaurant was showy or flashy but the quality and substance was there in every detail. This inspired me to work in a similar way, to let quality and substance inform every aspect.
THE DETAILS
Osteria del Boccondivino, Via Mendicita, 14, Bra, Italy. See tedescaosteria.com.au osteriadellarco.it
A DISH FOR ALL
Murat Ovaz, Yagiz, South Yarra, Victoria
THE ONE MEAL
Leyla Kilic is a very well-known and very respected chef in Turkey and we met through a common friend. She invited me to dine at her restaurant, Ficcin in Istanbul, in 2019. When I arrived in Australia 14 years ago, I did not really cook Turkish food, neither in Newcastle nor in Sydney where I worked with Colin Fassnidge. The Ficcin style is Meyhane and Anatolian. My favourite dishes were her velibah, the potato-filled flatbread and the lakarda which is cured bonito. I opened Yagiz in Melbourne in 2017 and recently sold my share in it to take over I Carusi II in St Kilda but dining at Ficcin opened my eyes to a different type of Turkish cuisine. When I came back to Melbourne after that trip, I introduced Meyhane-style dining at Yagiz and it was very successful, something new and exciting, not just for the Turkish community but for all.
THE DETAILS
Ficcin, Asmalı Mescit Mh İstiklal Cadde & Kallavi Sokak 13/1, Beyoglu, Turkey. I Carusi II, 231 Barkly St, St Kilda; See ficcin.com yagiz.com.au icarusiii.com.au
GRILL SEEKER
Credit: Nikki To
Lennox Hastie, Firedoor and Gildas, Surry Hills, NSW
THE ONE MEAL
In 2006, I had just started working at Asador Etxebarri in the small village of Axpe in the Basque Country of Spain, and I dined with the chef and owner of the restaurant, Bittor Arguinzoniz, and had his grilled gambas de Palamos. I'll never forget the moment that prawn was in my mouth. I was suddenly overwhelmed with a wave of pure emotion; one mouthful imparted the natural character of the prawn combined with the fresh, briny taste of the sea, heightened by the subtle wisp of smoke from the grill. As I tasted it, I was forced to listen to the ingredient; it was as if I had never eaten prawns before. It was so good, I cried. It was then I realised the great power and potential of fire to enhance the natural flavours of great ingredients, and it completely changed the way in which I cook.
THE DETAILS
Asador Etxebarri, San Juan Plaza, 1, Axpe, Bizkaia, Spain. See asadoretxebarri.com firedoor.com.au gildas.com.au
Footpaths of glory: five transformative street food dishes
Almay Jordaan, Neighbourhood Wine and Old Palm Liquor, Melbourne
Flammkuchen is a standard European street food and I had it more than a decade ago but I can still taste the combination of fluffy pizza-like bread, fried onions, sour cream and a local ham. I had it at the Budapest Wine Festival and it was a real eye-opener to the varied street foods of Europe. See neighbourhoodwine.com oldpalmliquor.com
Junda Khoo, Ho Jiak, Sydney
I came to Sydney for high school at the age of 16 as a migrant from Malaysia and I was homesick. I went to Ayam Goreng 99 in Kingsford where I had their signature ayam bakar and instantly felt transported. This chicken dish is Indonesian by origin but you can find it across Malaysia in street stalls and markets. See hojiak.com.au
Ross Magnaye, Serai Kitchen, Melbourne
I used to go to the Diaz Food Centrum in Davao City when on holiday in the Philippines with my dad and we'd have hinalang, a Filipino spicy beef soup. It's something I still have – it's great for a hangover – but the memory is of the bonding at a young age with my dad. See seraikitchen.com.au
Adrian Li, La Madonna at Next Hotel, Melbourne
The moment was in Da Nang, Vietnam. Getting out of a taxi and being pointed down a dark alleyway and instructed to walk right to the back garage is probably the reddest-flagged moment of anyone's travel itinerary. But amid the hustle and bustle we were served four, freshly-made crispy aromatic golden pancakes (banh xeo) filled with mung beans and prawns. It was life-changing. See nexthotelmelbourne.com
Nabila Kadri, Supernormal, Melbourne
I have lived in Melbourne since 2004 but have visited my Mum's birthplace, Mumbai, with her a few times. The Muslim influence on Indian cuisine is huge and when I go to Mumbai, Mughlai dishes such as kheema pav (minced meat with egg and bread) make me realise how lucky I am to belong to the culture that I inherited with a responsibility to preserve it for my children. See supernormal.net.au
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