flavourstakethembacktoa certaintimeorplace.Recently,wehad
oneladyin therestaurantwhocriedaftereatingourpavlovabecause
it remindedherofhernan’s.It’sanincrediblyrewardingexperience.
S:Thekidsknowexactlywhatfreshvegetablesshouldtastelike
becausetheyhaveaccesstoourgarden– youcouldsaythey’ve
beentainted.TristanandChloeareattheagenowwheretheywant
togetinvolvedinthemaintenance– lastweektheywerebothout
pickingripeplums.Theygetexcitedaboutit andthey’reprettylucky
inthatregard.Tristanalsohasa newride-onmower,whichheloves.
R:I comefroma familyoffourboysandsomethingmymumdrilled
intouswasthatwehadtobeself-sufficient,in thesensethatwewere
acrossthehouseworkandthatwewereabletocookforourselves.
Twoofusarechefs,soshemusthavedonesomethingright.
S:Growingup,foodwasfuelformyfamilyandweneverateout
atrestaurants.Mymumis fromMauritius,soshecookeda lotof
curries,stewsandfish– andwehadriceateverymeal.Myview
offooddrasticallychangedwhenI metRodandI realisedhow
enjoyableit wastodineoutatbeautifulrestaurants– andthat’s
howwe’veraisedourchildren.Weeatouta lotasa familyand
it’s really nice that they’re both enthusiastic about good food.
R:I’mnota fanofkids’menus.Wedon’thavea kids’menu
atTheAgrarianKitchen,althoughwedooffera kids’pasta,
whichhasthesameingredientsasthepastawehaveonoffer
thatweek– justa smallerportion.Mostkidswilleatwhatever
theirparentsareeating,andthat’swhatwedowhenwego
out.We’renotlookingforthechickennuggets.
R:Morethananything,I hopeourkidsappreciatelearning
aboutwherefoodcomesfrom.It’salsoa verypowerfulthing
tobeabletocook,soI hopetheybecomecompetentcooks
andareabletopassthatontothenextgeneration.It’sa legacy
attheendoftheday.I dojustwantthemtobecapableand
competentinthekitchen;I don’texpectthemtotakeoverthe
familybusinessoranything.
S:I wantourkidstoacknowledgehowmuchworkandeffort
andenergygoesintogrowingingredients.Theyseeallthe
staffwhoworkinourgardenandthetimeandcarethatis put
intoit. I alsohopetoeducatethemaboutfoodwastageand
theimportanceofcherishingproduce.
TheAgrarianKitchenEatery,11aTheAvenue, New Norfolk, Tas,
(03) 6262 0011, theagrariankitchen.com➤GOURMET TRAVELLER 81