AUSTRALIAN GOOD FOOD GUIDE - Home of the Chef Hat Awards
Simon Arkless
Born: Hartlepool, England.
History:
I was born in N.E England in 1968 and began cooking in 1984.
1984-87: various restaurants around Northern England.
1987-89: Mccoy restaurant in North Yorkshire.
1990-92: Bibendum restaurant in London.
1992-96: 5th floor restaurant at Harvey Nichols as a Sous Chef.
1996-2002: Oxo tower restaurant, owned by Harvey Nichols as a Head Chef.
2003-5: The Elbow Room, Melbourne as Head Chef/ Owner.
2005-9: Comme Melbourne as Head Chef.
2009-10: Match Bar and Grill, Melbourne as Head Chef.
2010-12: Chester White, Hawthorn as Head Chef/ Owner.
2012-present: The Terrace at All Saints Estate as Head Chef.
Have you always wanted to be a Chef?
The reason I became a Chef was because I failed my math “O” levels to get into a hotel management course. I was offered a place on the general catering course instead and quickly found out that the kitchen was a much more fun, interesting and exciting place for a 16-year-old to be (that was 30 years ago now!)
How would you define your style?
Ingredient driven, European technique.
What is your feature flavour these days?
Too many to list, but generally European leaning.
Obsessive compulsive about?
Leeds United Football Club.
Your greatest culinary inspirations/influences:
Simon Hopkinson (Head Chef/ Owner at Bibendum, South Kensington, London).
What do you love about this business?
The people.
An ingredient you can’t live without?
Salt.
Most ‘eyebrow raising’ menu item?
Lamprey (eel like fish with sucker like mouths which date back to pre-historic times) at Bibendum in 1992.
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