Having worked for both Gordon Ramsay and Peter Gilmore, it ideally places Chef Grant Parry in a perfect position, not only to comment on the contrast in their styles, but also on the approach and philosophy of their cuisines. Whilst Gordon has refined his classical background into a Modern adaption of British cuisine, underpinned by French techniques, Peter has explored and redefined the boundaries of Modern Australian. Similarly, Grant continues to challenge himself in establishing his unique voice on the plate, showcasing our spectacular local produce in new ways that resonate with our diners.
How would you best define Aussie Cuisine?
An unfinished story!
Rooted in Western European cooking but influenced by all other country’s ingredients and techniques, Aussie cuisine is constantly shaping into an anything goes cuisine not bound by anything.
When I grew up we ate pork sausages, we still eat pork sausages, but with lemon myrtle in them, just small changes which over time will be cumulative and there is a long way yet to go in this adventure that is Aussie cuisine.
Is your culinary style influenced by your interpretation of that definition?
Yes – my food style is constantly evolving, and I’ve always made a rule within myself to never do the same thing twice, but something I can always build upon. Aussie cuisine is ever evolving along with the customer’s needs to keep moving.
In saying that we live in two realities now, the Instagram reality and actual reality. Spaghetti bolognaise isn’t going to make an Insta feed, but is always the bestselling pasta dish in a restaurant. These days at Cucina Vivo I’m trying to fuse both together to make something people are comfortable with, and will post about. I think if you can win at that, you win food game these days.
Which Chefs do you consider had the most influence in that evolution?
Gordon Ramsay was the biggest for me, I spent six years working for Gordon in three different countries and multiple restaurants.
Gordon was always about giving the people what they want, knowing the customer and giving them the best they could be given.
Peter Gilmore was another one, he thought completely different to other chefs, all the chefs I worked for previously worked from a recipe book, where Pete worked from his mind.
I was part of the team that achieved quays three hats and his process was super different. I use more his process when working with new ingredients, just cook it up a few different ways and see what works.
What scope and direction do you think Aussie Cuisine has looking forward?
Aussie cuisine will continue to evolve based on the influences of other kitchens and the ingredients we use, the native food is largely untapped as well as the seashore, seaweeds and other sustainable ingredients will be explored more and more, as chefs start to experiment.
How important has local produce been in shaping your culinary narrative?
Immensely, you just have to look around at all the local “food bowls” which supply Sydney and every capital city, with fresh, seasonal produce all year long. We work as a team to produce our dishes highlighting this produce.
Are there any specific ingredients that give us a unique and substantial point of difference?
This easily would have to be Australian endemic plants species like the Myrtle family, Rose Myrtle, Lemon Myrtle, Cinnamon Myrtle can all be used in many ways, it’s something you can’t get anywhere else.
Both yourself and Dayan Hartill-Law recently introduced High School students to Native Ingredients. Can you tell us about that experience, and what they took away from it?
Myself and Dayan are very lucky to be able to be part of an agricultural program such as the one at Beenleigh Stage High School. The school is basically full of food like eggplant, bananas, strawberries, lettuce, crayfish, citrus and all the native species like Davidson plum , saltbush and native mulberries. It’s a serious privilege to go through the grounds with the students and get them tasting and smelling all the food around them. The students take a lot out of the dinners in terms of confidence and experience working with professional chefs and seeing our enthusiasm at the food all around them, that has been there in front of them the whole time.
When did you first start considering the question of defining Aussie Cuisine in your career?
Aussie cuisine has taken many different forms, when I started my apprenticeship at the time, the Bush Tucker era was just winding down where chefs threw wattle seed powder in mash potatoes, then the cuisine went more Asian influenced, and it’s kind of stayed like that.
When I make a menu now and it needs to be Modern Australian. I feel like I can use pretty much any cuisine, and elevate it with local ingredients for a distinct point of difference.
It’s always a balancing act trying to create something people will eat, but is also different.
