A
ttica has been evolving since it opened
more than a decade ago but since Ben
Shewry’s buy-out of his business partners
a few years back, the evolution has become
bolder and more experimental. From what’s on
theplatetotherestaurant’sculture,analways-
interestingrestaurantis morphingintosomething
evenmoreintriguing.
Andtheinspirationbehindthechangesdoesn’t
alwayscomefromexpectedsources.
Shewry,a diehardmusicfanandsometimeDJ,
cites’80spunkbandFugaziasaninfluenceonhow
heapproachesAttica.“Fugaziis a bandthat’sallabout
self-publishing,self-creating,self-fundinganddoing
everythingthemselves,”hesays.“Theyhavefull
independence,fullcreativecontrolandkindofgive
thefingertotheestablishment,whileontheother
side,they’reabsolutelytakingcareoftheirfans.I like
thathardcorementalitypairedwiththedesiretonot
wanttoscrewpeople.”So how does the Fugazi model work in the context
of an internationally acclaimed restaurant?
For starters, the dining room and service has
become looser, more relaxed, while still maintaining
a remarkable level of precision. Then there’s the
awarenessofthementalhealthofhisstaffthat’s
broughtaboutfour-dayweeksandshiftsallocatedin
therestaurant’skitchengardens,bringingfreshairand
daylighttotheequation.
There’salsoa deeperengagementwithfirst
Australians,notjustintermsofingredients(something
he ’s beenexploringforyears),butinlearningabout
andunderstandingtheculturalcontextandhistoryof
thoseingredients.It’sthisthirstforknowledgethathas
madetheincreasinglynativeingredient-focusedfoodat
Atticamovebeyondtrendtowardsanunderstanding
ofculturallegacyandconnection.Andwiththatgreater
understandingha vecomedishesthataremoredelicious
thaneverandneverlosesightoffood’spowerto
comfortandnourish.Theevolutioncontinues.RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Attica
Melbourne
Clockwise from
above left: Attica
interiors; Ben
Shewry; Attica’s
crocodile ribs.68 GOURMET TRAVELLER
PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW FINLAYSON PAUL CARMICHAEL & COLIN PAGE ATTICA & BEN SHEWRY .