Jake Nicolson talks food with Two Flat Whites. Jake is a promising young chef & was recently crowned the 2008 Lexus Young Chef of the Year & People’s Choice winner. He currently works at Circa, the Prince in Melbourne as a Sous Chef. Jake is a greenie at heart, always considers the environment with his choice of ingredients & flavours. He even shares one of his scrumptious recipes with us.

Where did you grow up & where do you hang your hat?

I grew up in Warrnambool and now reside in North Melbourne.

In your own words, what do you do?

I am currently Sous Chef at Circa, the Prince. In the kitchen I spend my time driving the kitchen brigade into getting the best out of the produce and developing their skills as chefs.  I work together with the head chef in menu development and in sourcing top quality and new produce for the restaurant.

What inspired you to become a chef?

My grandmother always puts on a great spread when we visit her and I have great memories of her fresh scones served with jam and cream.  From a very young age I was always intrigued about what made the sponge rise and it started from there.  I wanted to be able to make people happy and I knew I could achieve this by preparing food people love.

What is your favourite meal?

I once dined at Le Gavroche in London which was one of my most memorable meals, it cost me 395 pound which was two weeks of my pay.

My favourite meal would definitely be Christmas lunch with my family.  If I am lucky enough to not be working, it is always a feast of many delights. Miniature turkey and cranberry pies, crayfish potato and cucumber salad, roasted venison with elderberry glaze, roasted pork with cherries and sauerkraut, smoked ocean trout, dill mayonnaise and shaved fennel, summer berry trifle, plum puddings (with coins in) and brandy custard, and of course mince pies.  My brother Aidan, sister Mia and I can always be found at the fridge picking at the leftovers on Boxing Day, making roast pork and cranberry sandwiches.

Name three (3) restaurants you dine at?

Gingerboy, Melbourne C.B.D
Lakehouse, Daylesford
Merrijig Inn, Port Fairy

Can you share a recipe with our readers?

Siena cake

This flat fruit and nut cake originates from Siena, in Tuscany, Italy.  It was traditionally served at Christmas and tastes like a cross between candy, fruit and honey cake.  It’s great with a cup of tea or wrapped as a gift.

Makes 3 tins approximately 20cm

Hazelnuts     200g
Almonds       200g
Plain flour   140g
Coco powder    70g
Candied peel  200g
Glace cherries (rough chopped) 100g
Cinnamon powder 1 tsp
Mixed spice     1 tsp
Honey         200g
Caster sugar  270g
Icing sugar   for dusting

Pre heat the oven to 130c and line the cake tins with baking paper.
Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Place the honey and sugar in a pot and boil until 115c, then pour into the dry ingredients whilst mixing.  Bake for 2 hours.  Allow to cool then turn out, dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges.

Childhood Memories:

TV Show – Knight Rider, Airwolf

Hobby –  Snorkeling

Food –  Golden syrup dumplings

Fear –  Santa, who was this man sneaking into my house?

People –  My school teachers and baby sitters who somehow steered my in the right direction

Defining moment – I told dad I would help him wash his car, he found me hosing his mini out on the inside.  I had to stay inside and help mum in the kitchen from then on.

Schooling memories, chore or cherished?

I was one of the only boys in the home economics class. The other boys would finish metal work and chase me to try and get to my cakes. I was laughing when they realised actually I had all the nice girls in my classes.

Where is the most beautiful place in Australia you have visited?

Last time I had a chance to slip in a holiday I went to Fraser Island, just the beauty of the place was enough to rejuvenate me and make me feel like I was on a real holiday.

From the hours of 9am to 5pm, what do you get up too?

During the working week I am in the kitchen working with the team preparing the day’s menu.  All sorts of things pop up in the kitchen that needs to be dealt with on a day to day basis.  I take calls from suppliers, read reviews, check food costings, research current trends and new produce, health and safety issues, staff issues and ensuring the team gets as much out of the kitchen as they put in. At circa we take some time out as a team at about 3pm to sit together, eat some lunch and discuss the day’s plan of attack. By 5pm the stoves are roaring hot and we await those orders to start rolling in.

Where can people see your work?

Circa, the Prince, 2 Acland Street, St Kilda in Melbourne.

For love or money?

When I started out all that mattered was getting into that kitchen and putting my head down, money was just a bonus if it came.  Most kitchens wouldn’t pay when you first showed up with your knives, I knew if I worked hard enough I could earn my keep. I love my work but I won’t lie and say I’d do it all for free.  I cook my mum dinner because I love to, but if I didn’t get paid I wouldn’t have any knives.

What future endeavours are in the pipeline?

I am really looking forward to 2009 at circa since my long time friend and colleague Lee Wright has been appointed head pastry chef  with us.  Lee and I started working together back in 1997 at the Lakehouse in Daylesford where our dreams of a running a kitchen together began brewing.  Together we travelled to Europe to expand our skills, eleven years down the track times have changed but our intentions remain the same.

As the winner of the Lexus appetite for excellence young chef of the year, I will be representing Australia in the San Pellegrino cooking world cup mid next year – an opportunity I am really looking forward to. I will travel to London to work at restaurant Tom Aiken (2 Michelin stars), visit the Tsukiji fish markets in Tokyo and travel the French wine region of Champagne.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to establish a dynamic kitchen brigade in a restaurant that focuses on food that supports a sustainable environment using Australian produce, organics and bio-dynamics.

If you could invite 3 people to chat over coffee, who would they be & why?

Marco Pierre White has had a global influence on the industry acting as mentor to many prominent chefs in Europe and here in Australia.  For his accomplishment both in and out of the kitchen and for his huge contribution to the food service industry.

Ben Shewry for his natural talent and style with his food, he has a tremendous drive and gives it everything he’s got.  He has a big heart for what he does in discovering new ways, wild produce and methods to use in his kitchen.  Ben sees his achievements in the industry so far only as stepping stone for a much bigger picture.  He is a chef that is most certainly going places and a genuine all round top bloke.

Alice Waters are one of Americas best known chefs; she is an advocate for produce that is local, fresh and sustainable to the environment.  She promotes local farmers using only seasonal produce on her menu.  She is the recipient of countless awards including the James Beard best chef in America.  Her love and passion for food and the environment is inspirational and I would love to have a chat with her over a cuppa.

Coffee or Tea?

I drink English breakfast Tea, and I love Jasmine Tea ice-cream.

For stylish gift ideas this Christmas, direct from the cream of our national design talent, visit the Young Blood: Designers Market at the Powerhouse Museum this Friday night and Saturday only.

Discover a wide range of unique products from 40 emerging designers selected by the museum to exhibit in a vibrant market atmosphere.Young Blood showcases fresh design, from fashion to furniture, jewellery, graphic, product, landscape and lighting design, amongst good food and entertainment.

Shop, chat with the makers themselves, meet for a drink on Friday and enjoy live entertainment from Bondi musician Matt Ralph or pop into explore the museum’s design galleries on Saturday. First launched during Sydney Design 05, Young Blood is a regular curated event and part of the Powerhouse Museum’s commitment to nurturing new and innovative Australian design.

Event: Young Blood: Designers Market
Date: Friday, 12 December 6pm-9pm and Saturday, 13 December 8am-5pm
Address: Level 2 Courtyard, Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo
Admission: Free

Before there were designs, before there was Sweat-Shop Productions, there was one visionary man who pioneered a revolution in social design. The year was 1999. The place, Sydney Australia, and the man was Klaus Kinski. Setting out to create designs that were both unique and spiritually uplifting, he scoured the world for inspiration, mixing and matching ideas until he created the perfect design for his first ever print run on a humble grey tshirt.

Now far from those early days, Sweat-Shop Productions has grown into a multi-continental company, which employs people in sweat-shops all over the world. We give you a 100% guarantee that we use only the best sweat-shop made materials and labour, allowing you to take home a little piece of someone else’s misery with each shirt purchased. With Sweat-Shop Productions you can rest assured that you are making a difference to child poverty in far reaching countries.

Sweat-Shop Productions (the worlds least dangerous tshirt label) has now relaunched. Check out the Christmas discounts right here.

Fashion designers draw their ideas from many sources and a new display of graduating students work at the Powerhouse Museum reflects some surprising connections between fashion and cell division, Dada, Star Wars and the Geisha.

This year the exhibition showcases work by Dion Lee from The Fashion Design Studio, Sydney Institute TAFE NSW, Robby Tjia from the University of Technology, Whitehouse Institute of Design student Alison Davis and Allison Berger who graduated from Raffles College of Design and Commerce. The exhibition is on now at the Powerhouse Museum.

Established in 1967, originally a French omelette house, La Guillotine has become a Sydney icon known for its Parisian style and traditional French food. La Guillotine pushes the boundaries of French cuisine. The words that come to mind to describe this wonderful restaurant are fantastique, délicieux & décontracté.

It’s a cozy little restaurant. The sliding doors are open on street level which allows you to sit by the street gazing at the passing walking traffic, taking in the fresh breeze. There is also ample room to take up a romantic table inside. As your eyes wander around La Guillotine French restaurant you notice the deep red theme, the wooden décor, old fashioned bar & photographs & souvenirs collected of famous French personalities & events throughout time.

The menu is divine. The entrees are around $15 & include a wide variety of Les Omelettes, Escargot (Snails cooked in their shells with garlic and parsley butter) & Soupe a l’oignon (Homemade traditional onion soup with croutons and melted cheese). The mains start from $28 & there is a vast selection of French cuisine to sample. You may feel like the Tournedo Rossini servi sur un lit de pomme lyonnaise (Beef fillet topped with a slice of Foie Gras, port wine sauce and sauté potatoes with onions). Maybe even the Magret de canard aux griottes confites au kirsh surun gratin de pommes de terre (Duck breast with a cherry and Kirsch sauce on a gratin of potatoes).

The food is just scrumptious, with the emphasis on slow cooking, care and generous country servings. The waiters & waitresses are bright & friendly & add to your dining experience. The wine list has been carefully selected to complement the meals and add the finishing touches to your journey through old France.

Article written by Beau Lawrence

La Guillotine French Restaurant
518 Kent Street, Sydney
P: 02 9264 1487
F: 02 9264 1428
laguill {at} bigpond(.)com
www.laguillotine.com.au

The Finders Keepers Markets is a bi-annual event that showcases the work of over 60 emerging designers and artists from Sydney local designers to areas all around Australia.

The markets bring together new contemporary independent artists and designers of original and high creative standards. There aim is to always introduce new designers and new product to cater for a wide range of customers and supporters.

DATE:
Friday 5th December from 6pm – 10pm
Saturday 6th December from 12pm – 10pm

The markets will be held at:
The inside foyer at CarriageWorks
245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
The pedestrian entrance is at the corner of Codrington St and Wilson St.

Nearest train: Redfern or Macdonaldtown and its only a short walk from King Street in Newtown.

Hardware Gallery has over ten years experience in exhibiting and dealing in Australian contemporary art. In 2006 the gallery relocated to Enmore in Sydney’s inner west. In August 2008 Hardware Gallery expanded it’s current premises and doubled its exhibition space. The expanded space includes a shop-front gallery and retail section where paintings, drawings and prints from our extensive stockroom are on permanent display.

As part of our recent expansion, Hardware Gallery is seeking expressions of interest for exhibitions from artists and curators for our 2009 and 2010 exhibition program. If you are interested to find out more, please contact us by email – we will be sending out proposal packages to everyone later this year.

2009 will see our most impressive line up ever, which will include a national art prize, collaborations with other galleries and of course, our 10th birthday. And as usual we will be staging some of the most dynamic and interactive group shows ever. So why not be a part of all the fun, get in touch with us and register your interest in showing at Hardware Gallery.

Hardware Gallery
263 Enmore Road, Enmore
Ph: 02 9550 4595
Open: 11am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday

Chuey are a Sydney based creative design firm. Besides obsessing about food, they specialise in animation, illustration, interactive design & graphic design. With years of experience in graphics & design, they have a range of skills required to fulfil your creative needs, whether it be logos, business cards, flash animations, animated advertising, video graphics or interactive applications.

The right design can often make the difference. It’s in our daily lives. You can’t walk down the street without seeing a poster or banner. You cannot visit a website or watch the television without seeing an advertisement of some kind.

Chuey Creative Designs believe that communicating with the client is the first & most crucial step in the design process. They love there food, roaming the earth, live music & field hockey. They especially love helping anyone in need of something visual. So what are you waiting for? Check out there portfolio right here.

The Prime Minister the Honourable Kevin Rudd has announced the Fiction and Non-fiction winners of the new Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for 2008. A prize of $100,000 is awarded to the works judged to be of the highest literary merit in each of the two below categories.

Non-fiction winner:

Ochre and Rust: Artefacts and Encounters on Australian Frontiers – Philip Jones

Ochre and Rust takes Aboriginal artefacts from their museum shelves and traces their stories, revealing charged and nuanced moments of encounter in Australia’s frontier history. Philip Jones positions them at the centre of these gripping, poignant tales, transporting the reader into the heart of Australia’s frontier zone.

Ochre and Rust builds incrementally, resulting in a convincing new insight into our frontier past and the motives of its characters. (Wakefield Press).

Fiction winner:

The Zookeeper’s War – Steven Conte

A story of passion and sacrifice in a city battered by war. It is 1943 and each night in a bomb shelter beneath the Berlin Zoo an Australian woman, Vera, shelters with her German husband, Axel, the zoo’s director. As tensions mount in the closing days of the war, nothing, and no one, it seems, can be trusted.

The Zookeeper’s War is a powerful novel of a marriage, and of a city collapsing. It confronts not only the brutality of war but the possibility of heroism. (Fourth Estate).

The wait is over- the winners of the 2threads Australian Fashion Awards have been decided, and they are [drum roll please]….

Best Designer – Menswear : Leopold

Best Designer – Women: Money Penny

Best Designer Swimwear: Flamingo Sands

Best Up and Coming Designer: Maurie & Eve

Best Accessory Designer including footwear: Drink Me Alice