Calvin Rice

Born:

Canberra, ACT.

History:

I won a string of awards during my apprenticeship that took me all over Australia and even into Hong Kong. From fine dining, Chef Hatted restaurants and private golf courses to London, where I worked at Electric House in Notting Hill with the SoHo Group.

I came back to Australia where I worked at The Gunshop Café, where we won the Best Café in Australia as well as Best Breakfast. I’m lucky to have travelled afar and learnt as much as I have.

Have you always wanted to be a Chef?

From a young age, eating was everything for me! From paté to seafood, it opened my eyes to what could be possible in a kitchen.

How would you define your style?

Clean and fresh.

What is your feature flavour these days?

I love duck, game and seafood.

Obsessive compulsive about?

Cleanliness and organisation.

Your greatest culinary inspirations/influences:

Neil Abrahams – Food Services Australia Chef of the Year 2013 and former Executive Head Chef.

Thomas Keller – Best Chef in America (1997), restaurateur and cookbook author.

What do you love about this business?

No two days are the same. You can start fresh every service. This business is forever recreating itself.

An ingredient you can’t live without?

Thyme or confit garlic.

Most ‘eyebrow raising’ menu item?

The dishes in the back streets of Hong Kong, from eyes to live eels and anything offal related.

Signature dish:

Pressed duck, seared scallops, fennel and apple salad.