Sydney’ s palate: food and wine in the world’ s epicurEan capital
Steven Krasicki, Chef de Cuisine, Altitude Restaurant, Sydney, Australia( Photo courtesy of Altitude Restaurant)
Sydney’ s palate: food and wine in the world’ s epicurEan capital
Interview by Mike Muirhead, Sommelier( ISG, CMS), CSW
Reviews of Altitude Restaurant’ s Chef de Cuisine Steven Krasicki repeatedly employ the phrase“ rising star.” Altitude was named Restaurant of the Year by the Australian Hotels Association NSW, and it has received a coveted One-Hat rating from the Australian Good Food and Travel Guide— Australia’ s equivalent to the Michelin Guide. In 2010, Steven was named Chef of the Year for his modern Australian cuisine with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. Steven is not an overnight sensation, however. He has been in Australia for ten years, learning and leading in such fine kitchens as Banc and Balzac. It is where he got his start that brings him to our pages, however. Before heading to London and settling in Australia, Steven grew up in North Kildonan and got his start working for business visionaries Rick Bell and Ida Albo at Hotel Fort Garry and the Sandpiper and Prairie Oyster Restaurants. His link to the Banville & Jones family is not simply geographical, however. Mike Muirhead, who interviews Steven and Jeremy in this feature, got his first taste of the wine industry when he worked with Steven at Banc Restaurant in Sydney.
Jeremy Burke joined the Altitude team as Head Sommelier in January 2010. He got his start creating cocktails in the hospitality industry and has spent the last 6 years developing his wine knowledge at Rockpool and Aria Restaurants in Circular Quay. Jeremy and Steven share with Mike current trends in Australian food and wine, and give us a glimpse of where one of the most innovative epicurean communities in the world is heading.
Mike Muirhead: Australia is known for having a very eclectic culinary palate, with multicultural influences from Australia, Europe, and Asia, and access to incredible, fresh ingredients. Do you find that Australians are still trying to push the limits of their adventurous palates? Do they want to see something new on every menu?
Steven Krasicki: When you live in such a strong wine region, food quickly follows. When I got here ten years ago, the food culture was just starting. Now, it’ s not good enough to say“ It’ s vension”— diners want to know where the venison is from, how it was killed, etc. Because we’ re talking about really educated palates, you can’ t lie about origins. Australians know their produce. It keeps you on your toes and keeps you pushing.
MM: Your food has quite a strong French influence. Is Australia’ s own cuisine becoming more defined?
SK: I think that chefs may be inclined to lean toward food that is awarded higher Hat ratings by the Australian Good Food and Travel Guide, but Australians have always had a definite idea of what“ Australian” food means. Chefs that have come from overseas can also have a strong cultural influence on Australian cuisine, however. Basically, Australian food is centred around produce, because if you’ ve lived here, you know how amazing and fresh our produce is. Fishermen and producers are getting even more efficient at transporting our food to deliver that freshness. So when you talk about Australian food, you have to concentrate on the produce, over strong Asian and European influence.
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