Australian Gourmet Traveller - (07)July 2019 (1)

A

ndrewMcConnell’sflagship
Melbournefinediner,Cutler
&Co,is celebratingits10th
birthdaythisyear,andto
celebratethechefhasshared
a menuforthismonth’sissue.
TherecipeshererepresentsomeofMcConnell’s
favouritedishesfromthelastdecadeand,hesays,
canbe“eatentogetherasa complementarymeal,
orliftedoffthepageoneat a time”.
“We’vecovereda lotofgroundoverthelast
10 yearssoit washardtochoosewhichdishes
toinclude,”hesays.“ButI thinktheseprovide

a goodsnapshotofourapproachat Cutlerand
theconstantprocessofevolvingideas.”
Sowhatis it exactlythatkeepsa restaurant
at thetopofitsgameforsolong?
“Tenyearsago,ourmainobjectiveat Cutler
&Cowastodotop-endfinedininginMelbourne
witha reallyrelaxedenvironmentanda more
casualapproach,”hesays.“Weweren’tabout
neglectingprofessionalismorservicequalityor
good-qualitytablewareoranythinglikethat.We
justwanteda friendlier,morecasualapproach

totheservice,andthefoodaswell.
“Itwasallaboutevolvingtomeetthechanging
needsofhowourcustomerswantedtodine.
If theywanteda fine-diningexperienceora
dégustationtheycouldhavethat,buttheycould
alsocomein,sharea steakorsomeduckwith
a glassofwine,orturnupandeata dessertlike
theappleterrineat theendofa nightout.
“WewantedpeopletobeabletouseCutler
&Cothewaytheywantedtouseit.It’sthesame

waywiththeserecipes.Youshouldusethem
anywayyoulike,oneat a timeoralltogether.
It’sthekindofflexibleapproachthatI likeand
I thinkit’swhywe’restillhere 10 yearslater.”
Cutler& Co,55-57GertrudeSt,Fitzroy, Vic,
(03) 9419 4888, cutlerandco.com.au

Menu

Doughnutswithsourcream

andsalmonroe

2017 DomaineBessonPetitChablis

KingGeorgewhitingwithbrown

butter,pickledonionanddill

2017 SinapiusClemBlanc

rieslingblend

Wood-grilledprawnswith

friedgarlicandchillioil

2017 EasternPeakePinot

TachePinotNoirrosé

Roastedduckbreastwith

spicedquince,anisecrumb

andmeadsauce

Babykipflerpotatoeswith

haybutterandsorrel

2016 AnthonyThévenetMorgon

VieillesVignes

Redendiveandbeetrootsaladwith

juniperandhorseradishcream

2017 CullenRedMoonMalbec/

PetitVerdot/Merlot

Appleterrinewithburnt-butter

ice-cream,oatcrumb

andbutterscotchsauce

Tariquet L’Idée Folle!

Above:head

sommelierLiam

Altmann(fromleft),

JoMcGannand

Andrew McConnell.