T
hekeytomasteringa classic,sayschefNikHill,
is simple.Youjustneedtofollowtherules.
“AScotcheggis simplebutif youdon’tfollow
theexacttechniqueit doesn’twork.It’sasmuch
worktomakea Scotcheggasit is todothe
latesttweezerdish.Youneedtohavethesame
careandfocustogetit right.”
Thechef,whotookoverthetinykitchenat TheOldFitzroy
HotelinFebruary2019,hasdonehisfairshareoftweezerdishes,
havingpreviouslyworkedat Sydneyfine-dinersSepiaandQuay.
Butit washistimeinLondonthatsparkedhispassionfor
pubfareandeventuallyledhimtotheiconicWolloomooloo
pub.WhileworkingatTheLedbury,hespenta yearliving
abovetherestaurant’ssisterpub,TheHarwoodArms– the
onlypubinLondonwitha Michelinstar.
“Weusedtoeattheretwoorthreetimesa weekandevery
Sundaylunch.It waslikea homeforme,I atetherea lot.”
WhenpubownerJaimeWirthfirstapproachedHillabout
takingoverthekitchenatTheFitz,Hillwasn’tsold.Until
Wirthmentionedthehotelwas“likeanoldEnglishpub”.Hill
wasintriguedandquicklysettoworkdevisinga menuofclassic
pubfare,thelikesofwhichhasrarelybeenseeninAustralia.
There’snota parmiinsightonHill’smenu,which
championsnose-to-tailcookingthrougha revolvingassortment
ofpies,terrines,roastsandofcourse,hissignatureScotchegg.
ButwhatreallysetsTheOldFitzapartis theexecutionof
eachdish.Supportedbya smallteamoffellowfine-diningchefs
(AbigailAmenworkedatQuayandSepia,whileJoaquinGadea
is formerLuMiandEsteralum),Hillelevateseverydishthrough
hisprecisepresentationandcommitmenttoqualityproduce.
“It’shalfwaybetweenclassicFrenchbistroandEnglishpub
food,”explainsHill.“Ittakesallthecuesfromfinedining
because,really,we’rerestaurantchefscomingintodoa pub.”
ButwhileHill’smenuhasbeenquicktocapturethehearts
andstomachsofSydney’sfooderati,thechefinsistshe’sreally
notdoinganythingnew.
“Theonlycookbookswelookat herearethingslikethe
Women’sWeeklybookfrom1985.We’renotdoinganythingthat
hasn’tbeendonebefore.I’msuresomeonehasstucka cauliflower
ina quichebefore.Welookbackforinspirationandthentry
totweakeachdishwiththeknowledgethatwehavenow.”
TheOldFitzroyHotel, 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo, NSW,
(02) 9356 3848, oldfitzroy.com.auHeadchef,NikHill.Below:a cosy
spot at The Old Fitzroy Hotel.
TheOldFitzroyis duetoreopen
onAugust1. Untilthen,it is serving
a weekendtakeawaymenu.
For details, seeoldfitzroy.com.au