CHEFS REFLECT
Weaskedchefsandrestaurateurs
whattheymissaboutrestaurantsand
theplacesthey’llvisitwhenthings
returntonormal.
ClaytonWells,chef-owner,A1Canteen
andAutomata,NSW
“Wehavea regularwhocomesintoA1
andordersthesameprawnsandwich
everyday.Everyday.It’sthesmallthings
youremember,thosefriendshipsand
interactionsyoumake.MypartnerTania
[Fergusson]andI missjustbeingable
tostopinata friend’srestaurantand
havea fewsnacks,a chat,anda glass
ofwine.Whenwereturntonormal,I’ll
probablygoto 10 WilliamStorEster
andsitatthecounter– myfavourite
spotis anywhereI canseethekitchen.”
EileenHorsnell,headchef,Napier
Quarter,Vic
“OurlastSaturdayservicefeelslikeit
wasabouta yearago.I misstheflow,
thedanceswe’dhaveduringservice.
Thecamaraderieofthehospitalitypeople
inourneighbourhoodhasbeenbeautiful
tosee.Post-coronavirus,I’llgodownthe
roadtoBarLiberty,takea seatatthebar,
soakuptheatmosphereandtheirgreat
playlist.I’llasktheknowledgeablestaff
abouttheiramazingwines,probablytaste
themalltoo.ThatdaywillcomeandI’m
surewewillappreciateit morethanever.”
VictorLiong,chef-owner,LeeHoFook,
Vic,andexecutivechef,Chuuka,NSW
“WhenwereturntonormalinMelbourne
I’lldoa crawl.First,totheNGVtostare
atart.ThenI willstartwitha double
espressofromTraveller(I misshaving
mycoffeemadeforme),thennextdoor
toRomeoLanefora MartinibyJoe
Jones.OnthewayI’dduckintosayhi
toCarloGrossiatOmbra,thenheadto
FlowerDrumforpearlmeatandlamb
pockets,Emblafora glassofwineand
maybesomecheese,thenBartinifora
sobrassadaandvermutbeforefinishing
atButchersDinerfora dimsimanda
Fernet Branca – a near perfect night out.”Fromtop:ClaytonWells;
NapierQuarter’sco-owner
DanielLewis,sommelierand
managerSimonBenjamin
andheadchefEileen
Horsnell; Victor Liong.News
GOURMET TRAVELLER 21INTERVIEWS YVONNE C LAM. PHOTOGRAPHY MARK ROPER (NAPIER QUARTER), NIKKI TO (WELLS), ALICIA TAYLOR (LIONG).