ADV E RTORI AL
St. Hugo chefs, Giles Hussey, Hayley Kavanagh and Sunny Chawla
Left inset: Executive chef, Mark McNamara
“If you love wine and food and want
to come and experience something different,
take the leap and come see what we are doing.
I think people will be very surprised.”
- Hayley Kavanagh
He describes the way chefs are given
wines to taste alongside 70-80 ingredients
to find the perfect flavour combination.
Sourcing local produce is always a
priority and whilst the choice of protein
is important, it is the final piece in creating
a menu.
“They might give us a Shiraz and we have
no idea what dish is going to go with that
unless we try it with every ingredient to
find what works best,” says Sunny.
“We always do what the wine tells us
to do.”
Bringing his team together in a united
force of creativity is what Sunny says is his
strength in the kitchen.
On his days off, he enjoys a round of
golf at Tanunda Golf Club and spends
Wednesdays at Impact Church volunteering
as a barista.
“I take my kids there, they have a play
and I make maybe 50 to 60 coffees in a day!
“It just gives me some relaxation...I’m
doing something for someone else rather
than sitting around at home doing nothing.
“It’s fun and I am giving a little of myself
to the community.”
And fun seems to be an integral part of
the St. Hugo team.
Chef de partie, Giles Hussey, of
Nuriootpa says keeping up morale in the
kitchen is his specialty.
“I’m usually the Dad jokes guy, the one
making puns,” he laughs.
Giles is behind their appropriately
named “Guaca - bowly” night lawn bowls
team who take to the green during Summer
months. He’s also the one growing his
moustache as an avid fundraiser for Mow-
vember, a men’s health initiative.
This camaraderie is a powerful ingredient
as chefs work to produce the ultimate wine
and dining experience.
“We want to showcase what we are
doing in Barossa’s backyard,” he says.
“We are only five minutes down the road
from Tanunda. With most of us living in
the Barossa, you probably even know us.
Have a wander, have a peak!”
This same enthusiasm is in abundance in
the team’s youngest chef, Hayley Kavanagh.
Fresh out of her apprenticeship,
the 22 year old started out at Jacob’s
Creek before being offered a position at
St Hugo.
“At this point in your career, you do get
comfortable but you have to think how
you are going to grow as a person and how
you are going to grow as a chef , so I took
it!” she says.
“I’ve learnt so much. It is so good to work
in a kitchen that is so diverse.”
Fresh new ideas and youthful exuberance
is what Hayley brings to the kitchen and
she thrives on the creativity.
“This whole process we work with, I have
never seen before.
“It’s very different but it’s great because
you come up with these dishes. They might
have seen a version of it, but it’s not going
to be like anyone else’s because of the way
we structure our menu,” explains Hayley.
She encourages food and wine lovers
to discover St. Hugo, which took out four
prestigious awards in 2017 including the
Gourmet Traveller Wine Australia’s Cellar
Door with Best Food award; two South
Australian Tourism awards and a silver
award for best new regional restaurant
in Australia.
“If you love wine and food and want to
come and experience something different,
take the leap and come see what we are
doing. I think people will be very surprised.”
St Hugo, 2141 Barossa Valley Way
Rowland Flat, SA 5352
Phone enquiries: (08) 8115 9200
Bo okings: www.sthugo.com/experience
Please Drink Responsibly