Jason McCauley

Port Lincoln, SA. 

I was born in Port Lincoln, South Australia and moved to Nowra on the South Coast when I was 17. After working with my mother, in the famous Boatshed Restaurant, my passion for food really started to flourish. My quest for food then took me to Kangaroo Valley, where I worked with Sydney chef, Kate Winters.  

I wanted to learn more and was eager to get the best techniques and produce under my belt, so I moved to the big smoke (Sydney). I started my apprenticeship with Captain Cook Cruises which gave me great experience and was the start of my career. I soon moved on to the Centrepoint tower where I completed my apprenticeship. My road soon lead to Barnaby’s in Parramatta, with a thirst for something different, I went into European catering where I learned the finer details of high volume catering and intricate plating.  

 

Then came the best position I could have hoped for, as a Chef de Partie at the much lauded 3 hatted Banc restaurant under the guidance of Chef Liam Tomlin. As I moved onto Carpaccio in Leichhardt, it enabled me to make my appearance on the second series of master chef with their feast outside challenge between Carpaccio and Moretti’s.  

 

My next head position was at Oliveto’s in Rhodes before I moved onto my next big venture with Chef Danny Russo at Eatalia in North Strathfield. After a stint in Café Sicilia in Surry Hills where I was doing traditional Sicilian dishes that were a huge hit with the locals. My first group executive role was at Criniti’s, looking after 5 restaurants, changing menus and training up to 75 chefs. This is where we won the I love food awards 3 years running for best Italian. I am currently the Executive Head Chef at II Bacio. 

Since the age of 6 when I won first prize for my pumpkin scones in the Nowra show, cooking has been my passion and I had no interest to do anything else. It’s always been about food, where it comes from, seasonality and the history behind it. 

How would you define your style? 

Simplistic with a modern twist. 

It’s not so much the featured flavour, its doing things with the accompanying components to bring the most flavour and texture out of the main component of that particular dish. Anything gel or powdered also. 

 
Obsessive compulsive about? 

Consistency. 

Your greatest culinary inspirations? 

Liam Tomlin, Marco Pierre White, Marcus Wareing, Jason Atherton and Jason Howard.

What do you love about this business? 

Praise, team accomplishment and knowing where to eat. 

Sugar! I love desserts and anything sweet. 

 

Housemade squid ink spaghetti - prawns, museels, nguja and roast tomato.