Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i Gourmet Traveller

Araceli Adams Bring a touch of colour and quirk to your dinner table with these unique hand-painted ceramics by artist Araceli Adams. For each piece sold, the studio plants a native tree or shrub. Follow her on Insta for regular joy on a plate. @araceli_adams Rouge Coco Flash Anyone who was of age in the 1990s will remember lipstick index – where prestige lipstick sales soar during tough times. At GT a bold lip is joined by fine chocolate and good wine as the emotional uplift we need right now. chanel.com Luigi Bormioli Optica Trust the Italians to add a little elegance to your next cocktail hour. Whatever your tipple, there’s a stylish vessel to suit from the new Optica range from Luigi Bormioli. Saluti! fackelmannhousewares.com.au Whalebridge, Sydney Whether you’re…

SYDNEY After 99 years of service The Strand Bistro, Hotel and Rooftop has undergone a fresh four-level transformation. The Darlinghurst corner hotel is now home to a modern French bistro, where you can go swish with Sydney rock oysters, caviar and duck magret (the breast of a Moulard duck, which has been reared for foie gras) with plum, radicchio and jus; or simple, with steak frites, duck leg pie and Toulouse sausages and mash. Up the road in Potts Point, Izgara is bringing a modern Turkish grill to Bayswater Road. Taking cues from co-owner and executive chef Efe Topuzlu’s family-run ocakbasi restaurants in Istanbul, much of the menu is centred around char-grilled meats and housemade pita bread, joined by bountiful eggplant, yoghurt and herb-dusted sides. From the izgara (which means…

From the moment social enterprise Two Good Co sent out the first salad jars they’ve been focused on empowering women. Now, they continue their cause with a new café in Darlinghurst. While it’s a neat spot to grab a coffee, warm up with a golden toastie or sit back with a bowl of soup, it’s just a slice of their presence at Yirranma Place. “Originally there was a tender just to do the café – and we thought why not do the whole food and beverage service for the building, the catering and the concierge,” says Two Good Co founder Rob Caslick. Ahead of taking on the task, Caslick called upon the team at QT Hotel for advice on how to make the experience work. “I was speaking with the…

INTERNATIONAL Los Angeles has welcomed Short Stories, a swish new 66-room hotel, which has reinvigorated a 1960s building with a lush courtyard and pool, checkerboard marble floors and custom-designed furniture. The boutique hotel hopes to bring back old-school hospitality and is located just across from The Grove, which is the epicentre of LA’s arts and culture scene. In New York, The Ned NoMad nods to 1920s New York glamour, with a 167-room hotel and members-club-only bars and lounge spaces. Conceived by Soho House mastermind Nick Jones, the hotel’s Dining Room focuses on American classics, while the Little Ned offers bar snacks, and there’s also Northern Italian restaurant, Cecconi’s. AUSTRALIA Tasmania’s Kittawa Lodge is welcoming chef Danielle Alvarez for a residency in August. The former Fred’s chef will personally cook for…

Like everyone, I was completely mesmerised by Jordan Gogos’ breathtaking creative brilliance at his groundbreaking runway show held in May at The Powerhouse Museum as part of Australian Fashion Week 2022. What really moved me, however, and what will remain with me forever, is Jordan’s inherent generosity of spirit and his ability to celebrate, collaborate and share with so many others. His sheer natural talent combined with much grit, determination and a refreshing egolessness can only be a “force for good” in this world. Jordan Gogos landed on the Australian fashion scene like Dorothy arriving in Oz. Not only was his fashion week debut a technicolour awakening in a world of muted tones, it also seemed as though his 2021 crash-landing took even him by surprise. A furniture designer and…

It’s not a widely known fact, but caviar’s origins are found with the Persians, who are believed to be the first people to cure sturgeon roe sometime around the 4th century. “When they began to use it – it was medicinal. Warriors were fed before battle to increase stamina,” says Simon Johnson’s local caviar expert and grader, Lisa Downs. This is, in part, thanks to caviar’s impressive nutrition. It’s loaded with vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids and it’s high in protein. “It really could be classed as a superfood,” says Downs. While roe can be obtained from any female fish, it’s only the mighty female sturgeon – who has been swimming our oceans since the early Jurassic era – that delivers caviar. “True caviar is only from the sturgeon.…

When we were in Singapore, I was too young to be asked the question, “Where are you from?” It was when we moved to Australia when I was a little older that I was confronted with it for the first time. My sister and I were enrolled at a very white, very affluent private school in the inner-southeastern suburbs of Melbourne. There were six Asian girls in the whole school – all Chinese and all born in Australia. Thankfully my sister and I were fluent in English, (we dropped the Singlish quick-smart) and with Singapore being as advanced as it was, we had already been exposed to the western world, so we had little difficulty fitting in. It was clear, however, that my sister and I weren’t simply Chinese, the…

Is there a more powerful pair of syllables in British food circles than Saint and John? Opened by chef Fergus Henderson and restaurateur Trevor Gulliver in 1994, St. John became a standard bearer for nose-to-tail cooking, influenced chefs around the world, and gave British food traditions their dues. Although St. John is the quintessential British restaurant, its founders appreciate and enjoy the many flavours that make up London’s cosmopolitan dining scene. As Henderson explains, “We are both very lucky and grateful to have so many great places to eat and drink here in London. This is only a small selection of the venues we love. We could have happily gone on and on… which reminds us of lunch!” A GEM IN THE HEART OF SOHO We first met when I…

How did you get into baking? I worked in a local bakery as my first job out of school, then crossed over into cakes. When I started travelling overseas I was lured into restaurants. I started as a dessert pastry chef and it grew from there. The reason I went into pastry cheffing was that there are so many different aspects to learn. Baking is oriented by rules and science. Was that part of the appeal? Absolutely. That’s something that drew me in – you have to be so precise. But the longer I’ve been doing it the more relaxation I’ve found within it. How have you approached creating the menu at Yugen? For Yugen the brief is that it has to match with tea; it can’t be intimidating but…

Byron Bay-based design outfit Carrie Case is solving both a design flaw and sustainability issue with its pretty and practical phone cases. Made with a handy detachable strap, you’ll never have to rustle around in your handbag or backpack again – simply sling it over your shoulder and take snaps on the go. They’re also compostable, meaning they don’t add to the deluge of plastic phone cases that typically go into landfill. $99, carrie-case.com Hurtigruten Norway has launched two new journeys to celebrate its 130-year anniversary, offering adventurous new experiences along the Norwegian coast all aboard the fully refurbished MS Trollfjord hurtigruten.com.au…

The most decadent meal I’ve ever had was with my now husband. We were in Indiana when I was working on Three Women and we had no money and no furniture in this very tight rental. It was Valentine’s Day and he had ordered caviar from this really great place in New York. He definitely put down a credit card; neither of us could afford it. And then he made a macaroni and cheese with an insane amount of lobster. A precursor to this, he hasn’t done anything like that for me in years. I bring it up once a week, like, remember the caviar? That doesn’t happen anymore. But it was amazing. We sat and ate it on moving boxes because we had nothing else. My husband and I…

From rare spirits to Champagne or the centuries-old craftsmanship of sake, decadence in drinks takes many forms. Sometimes it captures a snapshot of history, or creates an experience for guests at a restaurant. Other times, it’s drinking in the care and craft behind a spirit. All of these things highlight luxury in the world of drinks. There’s an undeniable opulence about consuming a product that has been laboured over for centuries, to be able to luxuriate in its history. We often see this with sake and its 2000-year heritage. Yukino Ochiai, director of Deja vu Sake Company, and kikizakeshi (sake sommelier) clarifies, “In Japan, all sake production is still family owned; it’s a very traditional industry. It’s what makes sake special: the history, regionality, and methods used.” Ochiai often educates…

VEGETARIAN GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE Carrot and chilli fritters with eggplant pickle and yoghurt SERVES 4 AS A LIGHT MEAL // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 15 MINS 500 gm carrots (about 3 large), coarsely grated½ tsp each coriander and caraway seeds, crushed6 spring onions, finely chopped150 gm Persian feta, drained½ cup each (firmly packed) coriander and mint leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve2 eggs75 gm (½ cup) plain flour, sifted80 ml (⅓ cup) lemon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling Eggplant pickle, natural yoghurt and winter slaw (see note), to serve 1 Place carrot into a bowl with crushed spices, spring onion, feta, herbs, eggs and flour; season to taste and mix to combine. Divide mixture into 12 and shape into 7cm-diameter fritters and place on…

“At an omakase, once you sit down, you eat whatever the chef cooks for you.” I’m at Sokyo’s renowned omakase, with five other lucky guests. It’s one of Sydney’s toughest reservations to snare, and we’re excited. Chef Sanghyeop Kim stands behind the transparent counter. He’s new to the role but if he’s nervous, it doesn’t show. As he fashions a cavalcade of 20 or so dishes, knife gleaming as it transforms the imperador, trevally, akami and whatever else was fresh at the market this morning into art, he narrates exactly what he’s doing, while his captive audience tests him with erudite and esoteric questions. The couple next to me tell him that they do this – omakase – every month. Twelve a year? Surely no one does something this special…

KHANH NGUYEN Chef-owner, Aru and Sunda, Melbourne McDONALD’S DÉGUSTATION I cooked my partner a Valentine’s dinner that revolved around Macca’s. I think she told her friends I was doing her a dégustation. At 4pm she said, “you going to start cooking?” And I was like, “don’t worry about it.” Then I went to Macca’s and ordered heaps of stuff: hash browns and nuggets – and I served that with scarlet prawns and a 200-gram tin of caviar. We had sour cream and chives and stuff, too – I mean, we’re not animals. We had burgers with huge lobes of foie gras in the middle and the main course was a lobster frites. I bought a massive lobster and served that with Macca’s fries and made sauces with the Macca’s sauces,…

Perched atop a large rock, at the highest point of a track known as Chinaman’s Ridge, we’re waiting for the sun to rise. A blanket of floss sits overhead, casting an ethereal glow over Lizard Island. Below us, the resort is still and serene; our fellow guests yet to wake. For the island’s permanent residents, the day has begun. All around us, lizards rustle in the undergrowth and birds sing and squawk in perfect discord. We watch as a swarm of fish glide up and down Anchor Bay beach, following their metronome as they swim back and forth, back and forth. The movement is hypnotic and we relax into an almost-meditative state. But there’s trouble brewing. To our right, three blacktip reef sharks slowly saunter around the headland, combing the…

As we send this issue to print, I am indulging in the trip of a lifetime, cruising the Arctic Circle aboard Ponant’s new luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot. Polar bears plus a culinary programme designed by legendary French chef Alain Ducasse? That’s serious decadence. So too, the chance to take two weeks out of the office and to unplug from the world. True decadence isn’t about spending a lot of money (although that can be a side effect) but rather treating yourself to something special, outside of your everyday experience. It’s about creating a moment of appreciation and celebration. It’s little wonder then that decadence is experiencing such a resurgence in 2022, as people seek to create more of those moments and embrace them fully. Sweet balances sour, and a…

Wistman’s Wood, Devon Tucked away in the middle of Dartmoor National Park lies a gnarled moss-covered pocket of ancient high altitude oak forest. Signage is scant and it’s a hike from the road but a visit to this magical spot was a highlight of a recent UK stay. Fiona Donnelly, Qld state editor Hotel Bachaumont, Paris A short but sweet stay at in the 2nd arrondissement was the perfect spot to reacquaint myself with Paris – just a five-minute walk from Chez Georges and other gastronomic delights. Joanna Hunkin, editor Hartsyard, Newtown This month we bid farewell to this excellent Inner West favourite with a touch of sadness. While Jarrod Walsh and Dot Lee will close Hartsyard in August, we can’t wait to see what they do next at The…

Not content with merely running one of the best hotels and restaurants in the state, the folks at Launceston’s Stillwater are also kicking goals with a series of luxury package holidays. These include truffle, wine and gin-themed tours but the most recent is the four-night Tasmanian Tesla Traverse. As the name implies, there is a Tesla involved (a Model 3 Long Range to be exact), which is your transport from Hobart to Launceston and for the two days you spend in Launceston. The package starts with two nights in Hobart, staying at brand new The Rox apartments, luxurious loft-style duplexes on Elizabeth Street that come with fully-equipped kitchens, two bedrooms and, on one night, room service from Hobart’s hottest wine bar Sonny. The food – a series of eight small…

I feel a bit sorry for oranges, because the banana has become the benchmark for efficiency in a fruit. Bananas are easy to peel. They don’t drip juice. There is nowhere a banana can’t go with you, tucked into your backpack. Oranges, on the other hand, are viewed as messy and inconvenient. They drip juice everywhere. They make your hands sticky. And who has time for all that laborious peeling? Yet sweet oranges were once viewed as luxury items, as precious as silk or incense. Like the bitter orange, the sweet orange is a natural hybrid between the wild mandarin and the pomelo. Sweet oranges inherit their thin rind and sweet, juicy flesh from the mandarin, and their tree habit, and love of warmth, from the pomelo. They are first…

When a bespoke cocktail is conceived for a guest at the inimitable Bar Hemingway, inside the Ritz Paris, the recipe gets documented in a book, along with the exact time of its creation, as well as the customer’s signature. And so it was that at 35 minutes past midnight, at the start of New Year’s Day in 1995, the Serendipity was born. A regular, Jean-Louis Constanza, had requested a quaffer to pair with his cigar. Never one to shy away from detail, legendary head bartender Colin Field chose to match the flavour profile specifically to the lightest part of the cigar, the first third, otherwise known as “le foin”. He then constructed what has since become his flagship drink and something of a modern classic – a sprightly combination of…

Open the dictionary to Open the dictionary to Open the dictionary to “decadent” and you should Open the dictionary to “decadent” and you should find “properly delicious, Open the dictionary to “decadent” and you should find “properly delicious, well-cooked food, wine you actually like, served in a dignified roomful of well-mannered people having a really lovely time”. Okay, you won’t find that exactly but there are worse definitions Another way to put it would be to simply write “Bentley Restaurant and Bar”. Because that’s exactly the money-well-spent decadence you get at this effortlessly excellent CBD mainstay, the jewel in the Bentley Group crown under the stewardship of chef/owner Brent Savage and sommelier/owner Nick Hildebrandt. From the moment you push open the heavy brass doors and let all that Pascale Gomes-McNabb…

Legend has it, this lobster dish was originally created to honour the opening of a play titled Thermidor by Victorien Sardou in 1894 at Marie’s, a Parisian restaurant near the Comédie Française. Gaining a reputation in the late ’70s and ’80s as a classic, the recipe consists of delicate pieces of lobster steeped in a creamy white sauce spiked with Cognac and Gruyère. Our version uses fish stock with a little cream to maintain the integrity and flavour of the lobster. It’s a guaranteed showstopper for special occasions. Step by step 1 To infuse stock and milk, place 300ml fish stock, 200ml milk, 2 fresh bay leaves and 6 whole black peppercorns in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a simmer (5-6 minutes). Remove from heat and set…

JAPANESE STORY Bring the concept of Wabi Sabi to the table with perfectly imperfect pieces which speak of simplicity and ritual. HIGH TEA Vintage British style is all in the details. Think cut crystal, cottage garden flowers and fiercely feminine bone china. MARRAKECH FEAST Rich colour is a staple of the Middle Eastern table. Look to the spice cupboard for inspiration: saffron, cumin and sumac.…

For more than 55 years, Gourmet Traveller has been combining a love of adventure and travel with food. In December, we took that passion one step further, releasing our first-ever travel cookbook Australia, in partnership with luxury travel specialists Southern Crossings This month, we release a second instalment, New Zealand, celebrating the diverse splendour of our closest neighbour. Both books are designed to take readers on a culinary journey across these two unique lands, stopping at some of the countries’ most luxurious properties and stepping into their kitchens to share a taste of the local landscape. Whether you’re after a rejuvenating wellness escape in the Byron Bay hinterland, an indulgent Whitsundays retreat or a nostalgic beach holiday in an iconic bach on Waiheke Island, a uniquely Antipodean experience awaits. We…

THE LONDONER, UNITEDKINGDOM London has a new contender for the hottest hotel title. The Londoner calls itself “the world’s first super boutique hotel”, and on our inspection the elegant Leicester Square five-star stay is a glamorous toe dip into the luxe London life. There are five buzzy bars and restaurants to share with the city but a highlight is The Residence; a drawing room, whisky room and cocktail bar for guests’ eyes only. From $900 per night, thelondoner.com W ROME, ITALY This butterfly-inducing 162-room hotel burst into central Rome in late 2021, and it’s confirmation the ancient city has its groove back. Two 19th century palazzos are met with energetic design flourishes in a major Italiano moment. The flagship restaurant, Giano, is helmed by Michelin-starred chef Ciccio Sultano, while the…

THE STAY Alla Wolf-Tasker and her husband Allan have been welcoming guests to Lake House for more than 30 years, growing the property from a regional restaurant on the shores of Lake Daylesford to one of Australia’s most decadent regional retreats. These days, you’ll find a heated infinity pool, full service spa and accommodation for up to 66 guests, including the self-contained Retreat with private entrance. An acclaimed artist, Allan’s captivating paintings line nearly every wall of the property, while chef Alla steers the creative direction of the award-winning kitchen. Dinner at Lake House is not to be missed, with a four-course seasonal menu offered each night, highlighting the best of Daylesford and the surrounding region. Much of the produce comes from the Wolf-Tasker’s own Dairy Flat Farm, which guests…

NIGHT & DAY You don’t need a night cream, but that doesn’t stop your skin from really, really wanting one. Sure, you could slather on a daytime moisturiser before bed but the quick absorption, which primes morning skin for SPF and makeup application can underdeliver in the wee hours. Because, it turns out, day and night creams are like night and day. Only a PM formula, like Omorovicza Rejuvenating Night Cream, $257 (3), is rich enough to protect the epidermis through sleep. Sisley Velvet Nourishing Cream, $265 (5), also has silky staying power. BEAUTY SLEEP A nighttime surge in melatonin and human growth hormone doubles or even triples cell turnover when we achieve deep sleep. A pre-bed routine is known to aid sleep quality and silky and exquisite night cream…