From the Editor, Leigh O’Connor.
Should old acquaintances be forgot! It’s time to look back on all that was 2024 – the good, the bad and the downright unbelievable.
It has been a year where the world went slightly crazy, elections came and went and the foodscape of Australia moved in new directions…or even retro directions with everything that was old becoming new again.
Don’t miss Part Two of our reflective look at the most memorable Chef Chats of the year. From civil war Sri Lanka to Daylesford, Nixson Thambithural was the second youngest in a family of 10 which meant a lot of cooking.
"I mean a lot of cooking! As a 10-year-old, I knew what I liked,” he tells AGFG. "If my Mother cooked a fish curry and I wanted fried fish, I would fry my own fish by myself and that’s where it all started.”
Now Head Chef at Chef-hatted Boathouse Daylesford, Nixson was only 12 when civil war began in Sri Lanka – his brothers and sisters who were old enough left the island to settle in Europe, while he and his younger brother stayed with their parents.
From a humble family of unadventurous cooks in the United Kingdom, Nelly Robinson left home to travel to Australia with $140 in his bank account. He stopped off in Singapore on the way through, spent all the money and arrived Down Under with the sum total of $2!
He is now owner and Executive Chef at 16-hatted Nel Restaurant on Wentworth Avenue in Sydney where you’ll discover fine dining with an irreverent attitude and an ever-changing 11-course degustation-themed menu.
We also dish up Part Two of our favourite recipes from the past 12 months, think dishes like tuna tartare, a plant-based dish from No Bones’ Chef Bianca Palmer and cured duck with rhubarb, hazelnut, salted duck yolk, wafers and rocket from Steels Gate Wines’ Chef Kate Kilsby.
We deliver a sneak peek at new luxury accommodation whioh is set to redefine staying in Byron Bay with the upcoming launch of ESTE Wategos.
This architecturally designed property, created by Shaun Lockyer Architects, is the result of a 20-year friendship between Dr George Bilios and entrepreneur Chris Bissiotis.
Located on the most easterly point of Australia, nestled beneath the iconic Byron Bay lighthouse, ESTE Wategos offers breathtaking views of one of the country’s most coveted beaches. This exclusive accommodation harmoniously blends the serene blue of the ocean with the lush green of Byron’s national parks, creating an immersive experience that elevates well-being through nature and luxury.
The school holidays are the perfect opportunity for parents to teach their children valuable lessons about food, exercise and sleep. Leading obesity and health expert Dr Nick Fuller from the Charles Perkins Centre shares his six tips on getting the whole family healthy these holidays; think health not weight, reaching for nature first and play every day, along with getting your child to eat more nutritious food.
There’s nothing that says Summer more than Australia’s finest local seafood. Whether your go-to dish uses fresh salmon, prawns or barramundi, Tassal has the seafood to make this Summer a special celebration of seasonal flavours.
As a Chef and Tassal ambassador, Guy Turland knows how to capture the essence of Summer flavours through food and the importance of selecting Australian produce. He shares his tips on how to prepare the ultimate Summer entertaining spread, along with three sensational seafood recipes.
Bring on 2025…we’re ready, are you?
