By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
While Grandmas typically get much of the credit for influencing our early culinary educations, these Chefs’ stories highlight how food memories with their fathers can be just as impactful in shaping their culinary careers and philosophies.
From butchery lessons to beloved shared meals, these experiences continue to inspire and influence their cooking today:
For Jason Roberson (Executive Chef at Kingsleys) food memories with his father are rooted in classic English comfort foods.
"My father was English, so all of my early food memories with him are of making things he missed from back home,” he shares. His father’s specialties included rich pork pies, rollmops - rolled pickled herrings that he would then put between two slices of bread with lots of butter - and a particularly indulgent mac and cheese, which he claimed as an English staple and Jason now pays tribute to in his restaurants.
At Kingsleys, Roberson’s refined mac and cheese, enriched with truffle sauce and multiple cheeses, is a direct homage to his father’s recipe.
"Dad’s mac and cheese was more cheese than macaroni. It was very rich!” Jason laughs, before revealing that his tip was to also include a big dollop of English mustard in the sauce. "My take is a crowd-pleaser and an ode to my Dad,” Jason, who proudly carries forward his father's culinary legacy in his own kitchens, explains.
Sean Hall’s culinary passion was ignited on the family farm in Johannesburg, where his father played a pivotal role in shaping his understanding of meat. Hall’s father taught him about raising beef, identifying different cuts and mastering the art of cooking it at a young age.
"This is where my passion for meat began,” the Head of Culinary at The Meat & Wine Co. reflects.
The lessons learned on the farm are now evident in Sean’s work at The Meat & Wine Co. Bligh Street, where he continues to celebrate the protein-focused dishes he and his father once enjoyed together.
"In South Africa, our heritage and lifestyle involve getting together and celebrating life over food,” he says. "When I see, smell and eat meat, I always think of my Dad and the times we shared together.”
These early experiences have become integral to Hall’s culinary identity, influencing how he approaches meat and dishes in his restaurants.
Gil Ghidalia’s childhood was marked by the comforting presence of his father in the kitchen: "I grew up in a big Mediterranean family where food was always central,” he reflects. His father’s cooking, often featuring fresh market ingredients, created a warm, inviting atmosphere at home.
"The most important lesson he taught me was that the time shared around the table was more important than the food itself,” Gil explains.
As Head Chef at Georgie Wine Bar, Gil’s cooking reflects these values, with generous portions and rich, shareable dishes that embody his father’s approach to food.
"I’m currently writing a family cooking book to preserve our recipes,” he adds. This dedication to family and tradition is evident in every dish he serves.
Paul Wilson’s food memories with his father are anchored in the bounties of their kitchen garden. "It was my father who encouraged me to become a Chef and to do something I really enjoyed. As it was a career he yearned for,” Paul says, reflecting on his father’s influence. Adding that, at home, the Wilson family garden was a vibrant source of seasonal produce, which inspired many of his father’s simple yet comforting dishes.
Today, as Food Director at Adelaide’s McLaren Vale Hotel, Paul’s tribute to his father’s cooking includes dishes that are a direct reflection of his commitment to using fresh, seasonal ingredients.
"For example, this Father’s Day I’ll be serving Sunday rib roasts with my Dad’s famous devilled gravy, corned beef cheek with root vegetables and white onion sauce and a super light, melt-in-the-mouth Myer lemon cheesecake - along with a special apple pie - at the McLaren Vale hotel,” he says.
Chef Diego Cardenas’s culinary roots are deeply tied to his father’s fishing expeditions. "When I was a kid, my Dad used to take us fishing and cook our catch with fresh herbs and simple ingredients,” Diego remembers. These early experiences with seafood have greatly influenced his work at Pincho Disco, where fresh seafood is a menu highlight.
Diego’s approach to cooking reflects the lessons he learned from his father - emphasising fresh ingredients and traditional methods with a modern twist.
"As Head Chef, my role includes acquiring fresh fish on a daily basis from local fishermen or other merchants and then transferring all the knowledge I inherited from my father to the junior staff. The secret is fresh seafood, traditional recipes with a twist and to be proud of where you come from. Simple!”
Matt Woodhouse’s food memories with his father and stepfather are filled with hearty, comforting meals. "With my Dad, I remember enjoying great steaks and bottles of wine,” he recalls, while his stepfather introduced him to local favourites, such as tapas at Bar 44 in Wales.
Matt now incorporates some of these nostalgic flavours into his menu at Botellon, including Olasagasti anchovies, which he enjoys with calamansi butter and chives. These dishes remind him of the good times shared with family and his cooking reflects a blend of personal memories and culinary traditions.
As a child, Wednesday nights for Patrick Friesen (Culinary Director, Applejack Hospitality - including Rafi North Sydney, Rafi UrbnSurf, The Butler Potts Point and Bopp & Tone) were filled with his father's cooking.
With their mother working as a nurse, Patrick and his brothers depended on their Dad to prepare meals. Although his father’s cooking was limited, his mac and cheese, loaded with chopped-up wieners (hot dogs), became a memorable staple. "It was a solid dish, but over the years, we gave Dad a hard time about his cooking skills,” Patrick recalls.
Now, as a parent himself, he understands the challenges of cooking for young children (two and four), revealing that his four-year-old is particularly fussy but never turns down a frankfurt. "Perhaps one day my son will talk about how his Culinary Director Dad only cooked him frankfurts and plain pasta,” Patrick muses, as he fondly recalls his father's own straightforward meals.
Alexandre Katsman’s culinary journey is deeply intertwined with his father Michael’s traditional approach to food. "My father is a traditionalist,” he says. "He has always loved to eat foods that are full of flavour and cooked with love.”
Growing up in Russia, Michael’s conservative menu of locally available ingredients laid the foundation for Alex’s own culinary passion: "This early influence sparked my desire to learn to cook and led me to my current role as Executive Chef at Adelaide Marriott.”
Today, Alex continues to honour his father’s love for traditional dishes with his menu at the Marriott, featuring classics like beef Wellington, prawn cocktail and bread-and-butter pudding.
"For Father’s Day this year, I’ll be cooking Dad a traditional Australian BBQ – he likes to think he’s a fully transformed ‘Aussie’ now,” Alex adds. His approach blends Australian tradition with his father’s flavourful roots, creating a menu that resonates with nostalgia and innovation.
For Gin Lane founder Grant Collins, the ‘Bonfire Night’ drink at his cult Sydney bar, reflects the cherished traditions with his father each Guy Fawkes Night (November 5) in the UK. "The Gunpowder Plot cocktail evokes the essence of those celebrations and the infamous historical event.”
Similarly, Gin Lane’s Gin & Ice Cream cocktail (featuring a mix of gin, limoncello, lemon, lime, citric acid and orange liqueur, finished with a smoke bubble and served in a glass cone) is inspired by the nostalgia of Grant’s childhood beach walks with his Dad.
"This drink reminds me of the tradition of stopping for ice cream on the way home - a treat my father always enjoyed sharing,” he says.
Finally, for Dimitri Damman, culinary traditions and memories with his father are deeply intertwined with the art of butchery and family gatherings.
"My Dad Freddy is a butcher,” Dimitri explains. "I grew up visiting him at the shop and getting a slice of saucisson or mortadella whenever we were there.”
Dimitri fondly remembers family meals centred around meat, particularly the côte de boeuf cooked on the BBQ.
These experiences were formative, influencing his approach to meat in his own culinary career. At Pier One Sydney Harbour’s Pier Dining Dimitri pays homage to these memories with dishes like the kingfish collar carbonara, prepared in a way reminiscent of traditional butchery methods.
"It’s now my turn to become a Dad,” he adds. "I’m looking forward to sharing these food adventures with my own son, just as my father did with me.”
