By Leigh O’Connor.
The second youngest in a family of 10, growing up in a big Sri Lankan family meant a lot of cooking for Nixson Thambithurai.
"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 in charge of the kitchen 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.
"After I lost my brother, I also left Sri Lanka, living briefly in Germany and Sweden before going to the Netherlands. Learning a new culture and language while going through the loss of my younger brother was not easy.”
Starting as a kitchen hand, Nixson gradually started helping the Chefs with prep tasks until one day the Head Chef gave him an opportunity which would change his life forever. After attending culinary school, he became Second Chef at the same restaurant he started at, as well as working at a small fine dining venue.
"In my free days, I tried to learn as much about quality food, plating and creating something magical as I could. I went back to Sri Lanka in 2007 where I met my amazing wife and we made the decision to migrate to Australia. The rest is history!”
COVID meant Nixson’s Australian café had to close for many months as it was in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD and this gave him the opportunity to think about what he really wanted to achieve as a Chef.
"I always wanted to create a unique experience, not just serve food. So here I am at the beautiful Boathouse.”
Located on the banks of Lake Daylesford with exquisite water views from any vantage point, the Boathouse Restaurant on Leggatt Street offers a sophisticated dining venue for lunch and dinner. Guests can take in stunning vistas from a warm and cosy indoor dining area for Winter catch-ups, or soak up the sun on the outdoor deck and seating area during warmer months.
"The Boathouse itself has so much history and presence. Our team is here to make a memorable dining experience for our guests; we are not selling food, our aim is to create memories.”
Nixson says much of his cooking is from what he learnt, but he believes his flavours are much more than one single cuisine.
"There are some elements that I bring from my diverse culture, which is unique on its own.”
It is his recipe for garfish, saffron rice and vadouvan sauce that he shares with AGFG home cooks, a memory from his childhood.
"This dish reminds me of Sri Lanka. Vadouvan – or French curry – is a ready-to-use blend of spices originating from French colonial influence in India. When I make this with coconut milk and saffron rice, it reminds me of sitting next to my Mum when she cooked for our big family.
"I feel very grateful to share this recipe with you.”
So what do you find on Nixson’s plate when the urge to cook desserts him?
That would be Mexicana pizza with loads of jalapeños!
