AUSTRALIAN GOOD FOOD GUIDE - Home of the Chef Hat Awards
Jessica Waddell
Born:
Valla, NSW,
History:
I grew up in Valla Beach where the shop was the only game in town…corner store, bank and post office. A real hub of the community.
When I was 17, I left Valla to train as a Chef in the Hunter Vally. I refined my skills in some of London’s elite Michelin-starred restaurants. Years in the food bowl of France have influenced me to use seasonal fresh local produce to bring out the best natural flavour. My work on private yachts opened my eyes to the diverse cuisine inspired by different locations and cultures.
With my heart firmly in Valla Beach, I returned to the community i love and set up shop in the building that was once home to my childhood grocery store, now The Beach House Providore you love. I wanted to share my culinary experience with my community.
Have you always wanted to be a Chef?
No, definitely not, in fact I wanted to do anything else. Truthfully it was my calling and the farther I ran from it the more I was drawn home. My family had an Italian restaurant when I was a teen and I worked in hospitality through high school.
I saw how much work hospitality was and how terrible the hours were. I know that sounds strange considering how much I love my career and I now see it as a calling, but I think you sometimes need to try different options before we find the right path. I went to art school and still use those skills to balance colour and texture.
How would you define your style?
Adaptive. I’ve never liked sticking to one style so I love to be inspired by different cultures and food availability. I think when you look to your local food bowl for ingredients and then let your imagination run wild with inspirations from everywhere you have experienced you can bring magic to the plate.
What is your feature flavour these days?
We have been growing lots of different varieties of chillis on the farm at the moment. This has inspired me to broaden the way heat can influence a dish. We have been making homemade sriracha and comforting garlic and chilli. Such a fun way to push the boundaries of a single ingredient
Obsessive-compulsive about?
Probably seasonal local produce. This gives me different ingredients at different times of the year.
Your greatest culinary influence:
Street food markets…I suppose the food I tasted all around the world. Bringing flavours from around the world to influence the dishes we cook every day.
What do you love about this business?
The people I work with and the community I serve. I love to be part of the everyday and those special moments.
An ingredient you can’t live without?
Don’t make me choose…garlic, butter, Malden salt, cheese. Too many to name just one.
Most ‘eyebrow-raising’ menu item?
Savoury pumpkin waffles always start a conversation. We take the classic flavours of the corn fritter stack you would have got in late 90s and mix them with the ideas of waffles and bacon I had travelling through the USA
Signature dish:
I have never subscribed to signature dishes. I feel like each menu item has its place. Our most popular dish is a bacon and egg roll, sounds simple but we home make the hash brown, aioli and tomato relish, each element of the dish has been perfected to create a indulgent bite, sometimes the simplest menu items can be the most interesting.
What can diners expect when they eat at your restaurant and what makes the experience special?
Local, fresh and tasty.
What is your go-to meal at home when you don’t feel like cooking?
A garlic wrap with lef overs and cheese, something happens to food when it’s reheated and add cheese, it’s a little magic
Tell us something no one knows about you?
Not sure there is a lot in my life that is not out in the open. My ADHD means I’m a bit of an over sharer.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
We just opened an event arm for the business, I love the idea of opening a micro wedding location and B&B that will let people come and share our orchard and we could hold cooking classes.
The Beach House Providore
With views overlooking the ocean and park, The Beach House Café on Thompson Street in Valla Beach is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the views and peace. Expect a casual beach vibe that doesn't care if you're wearing shoes, or just wrapped in a towel after a swim; chill out alfresco and watch the world go by, or dine indoors where wooden bifold windows bring the outside in. From a menu with a focus on healthy, wholesome food catering to all ages and diets, start your day with chilli scrambled eggs, Romesco sauce and avocado on sourdough; or smashed avo toast, feta, za'atar and a poached egg. The lunch crowd enjoys choices such as crumbed whiting, house salad and chips; or wrap your hands around an Aussie beef burger with, beetroot, cheese, caramelised onions and chips.
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