S
nacksarehavinga moment.Oncemostlyassociatedwithfatty,salty
thingsservedinbarstosoakupboozeandstimulatethirst,snacksare
nowcolonisinga largersliceofrealestateonAustralianrestaurant
menus.Boostedbytheever-changingflexibilityofdininghabitsand
a generationofchefseagertoembracetheirinnersnacker,guiltypleasuresis
becominga workofart.
“I’vealwaysbeena snacker,”saysAaronTurner,chefandco-ownerof
Geelong’sIgnirestaurant,whereeverymealbeginswitha tableloadofsnacks
thatrangefroma bite-sizedshredofchickenskintoppedwithcodroeand
smokedoceantrouttohouse-madeguancialewrappedaroundtinygrissini.
“I don’teata lotintermsoflunchanddinnerbutI snackallday.It’s
somethingI pickedupwhileI wasworkingandtravellingaroundSpain.
It’s the way I prefer to eat – small, intense bursts of flavour.”➤PHOTOGRAPHY JULIAN KINGMA.