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.

29-year-old Jake Nicolson from Melbourne, who cooks at Circa, The Prince in bayside St Kilda , was recently announced the winner of the prestigious Lexus Appetite for Excellence Young Chef of the Year 2008 at Alexandria in Sydney. “My love for cooking grew as a kid,” he said. “My mother used to bake cakes and I’d lick the beaters. It’s the only thing I could possibly do. It’s one of those careers you have to live and breathe.”

British Michelin star chef Tom Aikens joined local food industry celebrities, including Tetsuya Wakuda, Luke Mangan and Lyndey Milan, to celebrate the announcement. Nicolson, who favours cooking fresh, organic meals from home-grown produce, beat five other young chefs in a three-hour cook-off. He prepared a chestnut and black truffle soup, a roasted saddle of highland hare and a wattle-seed creme brulee.

The finalists were required to prepare an entree and main course from a mystery box of ingredients, before whipping up a bavarois for dessert. Wakuda praised Nicolson for his three course offering. “It was a combination technique, beautiful presentation and most important, taste,” he said.

Mangan said Nicolson’s attitude and creativity caught the panel’s attention. “He shone through,” he said. “We were impressed with the product and his enthusiasm.” The win will take Nicolson to Italy, where he will represent Australia in the S.Pellegrino Cooking Cup in Venice next year. There he will have big shoes to fill. Last year’s winner of the Young Chef of the Year, Melanie Gowers from South Australia, went on to win the S.Pellegrino Cooking Cup.

Two Flat Whites recently attended the announcement & wonderful evening of the State Finals in Victoria for the Lexus Young Chef of the Year Awards 2008 . It was a supurb night & Two Flat Whites are proud to continue it’s support of the best award for young chefs in the country. This is a fantastic award that recognises & promotes the cream of the crop of the youth in our kitchens. The fire is heating up & the finalists for 2008 are as follows: –

Sarah Knights – Bistro CBD, Sydney (pictured)

Jake Nicolson – Circa, the Prince, St Kilda

Ben Devlin – Urbane, Brisbane

Robert Withnall – Gershwin’s, Perth

Scott Heffernan – Smolt, Hobart

Rebecca Stubbs – Enoteca, Adelaide

From the 22nd to 29th June 2008 they will travel to South Australia, one of Australia’s leading food and wine regions where they will meet the passionate producers responsible for Australia’s world renowned produce.

At the conclusion of the trip, finalists will be flown to Sydney for the national judging that will determine the 2008 national winners. On Monday 30th June judging panels made up of Australia’s most renowned and respected food industry leaders will select the winner in each category based on a gruelling cook-off for the chefs, and a demanding skills test for the waiters.

Finalists will be required to demonstrate their practical ability and capacity to perform under pressure in a real-life kitchen or restaurant situation. Read more here .

Two Flat Whites dined at a terrific new restaurant in Gordon last week called ‘Melange Restaurant & Cafe’ . Melange offers a great atmosphere, presentation and accommodating service all working in harmony, with the four chefs from different backgrounds and regions propelling Mélange Restaurant and Cafe into the winners’ circle. This exceptional North Shore restaurant tempts with flavours ranging from a happy twist of home style cooking to the rare and exotic. Herbs and spices are masterfully utilized in duck, seafood, steak, fresh vegetables, crust, glazes and the unequaled jus. The chefs present the kind of food patrons actively remember and return for.

The unique Modern Australian concept is visible in the food which is exotically presented and always served with a smile. The ‘Mélange’ of various regions and cuisines is incorporated in the specials menu which takes you to a different level altogether. The style of food is simple yet creative and the type of service is formal yet friendly.

You can experience the food at its very best every Thursday night when all the chefs put together a degustation menu which changes every fortnight. It is recommended to make reservations in advance. The plus point is that if you are a celiac or vegetarian or have any kind of allergies they will design a special degustation menu for you to make sure that you don’t miss out on any of the excellent flavours.

At Mélange you can also book for big groups and choose from their various set menus according to your taste, appetite and budget. Mélange is open 7 days a week from 6:30am till late for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Melange Café & Restaurant
760 Pacific Highway
Gordon NSW 2072
Phone
Fax

Sure we’d all love to be a restaurant reviewer, but the hard-working judges insist it’s not all beer and skittles. Apart from enduring expanding waistlines, as a third of this year’s entries were from regional NSW, the judges spent more time driving lonely country roads than actually eating. It seems that country towns are no longer just pit stops where one picks up a meat pie and a Fanta before continuing the trip.

Hundreds of restaurants made the cut to be featured in the guide and naming the best of the best is not an enviable job. But these brave souls packed their notebooks and antacids and hit the road, finding the year’s most impressive restaurants and industry professionals.

Tetsuya’s Sydney ‘Restaurant of the year’

Tetsuya Wakuda works hard to stay at the top of the national – and international – restaurant scene. His complex French/Japanese food and consistently high standards make Tetsuya’s an easy choice for restaurant of the year.

Foveaux Restaurant and Bar Surry Hills ‘Best new restaurant’

Foveaux is a bit off the beaten track (head away from the buzz of Surry Hills towards Central Station), but ex-Banc chef Darrell Felstead saw the potential of this old sandstone warehouse. The subsequent success of his sultry modern European diner – though it may have surprised Crown Street snobs – has made this award well-earned.

Astral Pyrmont ‘Vittoria chef of the year – Sean Connolly’

Whether you’re a gambler or an anti-pokie puritan, there’s a damn good reason to go to the casino these days with Astral crowning Star City. Chef Sean Connolly’s modern French menu brings an extra dollop of luxury to this most hedonistic of destinations, and his dramatic cuisine has not gone unnoticed.

Darley’s Katoomba ‘Best regional restaurant’

This Lilianfels Resort restaurant has been up against some tough competition, as country NSW continues to offer screeds of amazing eateries that put many of their city cousins to shame. But this Katoomba fine diner sets the bar pretty high and has scooped the award for this year.

‘The Josephine Pignolet best young chef award – Daniel Hong’

The Josephine Pignolet award is a particularly big leg up for chef Daniel Hong, who receives a flight to Europe and the chance to work in some of the continent’s finest restaurants.

Two Flat Whites had the pleasure in interviewing newly-graduated Enoteca Vino Bar Chef Antony Campbell . Antony was awarded ‘Apprentice of the Year 2007’ & wowed the judges with his attitude, commitment & knowledge.

Antony won the award against all trades, quite an achievement! Antony’s passion for great food and the perfect dining experience, as well as his affable, easygoing nature make him a valuable member of the Enoteca kitchen brigade.

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

I grew up in Pyalong, Victoria and am currently living in Epping.

In your own words, what do you do?

I take ordinary products and work with them to create something memorable and exciting for our diners. I get to express myself through the food I cook. There aren’t many jobs you get to express yourself so freely in, it’s like being an artist.

What inspired you to become a chef?

The freedom to express myself through my work! The hours, the adrenaline & the whole environment have always been attractive to me. Being surrounded by such amazing produce is really exciting & the possibilities and combinations are endless.

What is your favourite meal?

Generally anything that I don’t have to cook is a bonus but I really love sushi!! Any kind salmon, tuna, avocado, whatever…

Name three (3) restaurants you dine at?

Three One Two
Rockpool
Nobu

Can you share a recipe with our readers?

Chocolate Fondant (made easy)
Ingredients
100gm dark chocolate
100gm butter
2 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
50 gm caster sugar
30 gm plain flour
Butter for greasing

Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius
– Grease 4 coffee cups with butter
– Melt your chocolate and butter in a bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water, remove from heat and set aside
– In a separate bowl whisk your eggs, yolks and sugar together
– Pour the chocolate mix into the egg mix and stir well
– Add the flour and stir until well combined
– Pour your fondant mix into your greased coffee cups, fill to 1cm from the top to allow for the fondant to rise
– Place the cups on a tray and put into the oven to bake for 8 minutes, no longer and no less!
– Remove from the oven and serve
– To serve, leave in the cup and dust with icing sugar. Be careful, as the cups will be very hot.

Childhood Memories:

TV Show – Simpson’s and Futurama

Hobby – Music (drums, bass and vocals)

Food – My Nonna’s spaghetti bolognaise

Fear – Dying young, there’s way too much I want to do!

Defining moment – Work experience in Year 10, I worked in a kitchen watching the chefs doing their thing with such discipline and precision and having fun whilst doing it. I knew it was what I wanted.

Schooling memories, chore or cherished?

Chore, I couldn’t wait to finish. I look back now and am glad I completed my VCE (Year 12) though.

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

There are two – the little town of Westbury in Tasmania and Willmot up in the hills of Tasmania near Forth. Their bakery is a great place to relax for ½ hour or so.

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

Generally busy working my butt off to get ready for lunch service at noon, and after lunch service busy working my butt off to get ready for dinner service at 6pm.

Where can people see your work?

Enoteca Vino Bar , 920 Lygon Street, North Carlton.

For love or money?

Love, you don’t become a chef to earn good money, there’s no such thing.

What future endeavors are in the pipeline?

A lot of travel – London, France, Italy, Spain and all around South America. Relief work in Africa with my fiancée (she’s a nurse).

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Assuming I make it back from Africa! Back in Australia toiling behind the stove…perhaps of my own restaurant.

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

Andrew McConnell – I want to pick his brain and work out what makes him tick. His food is inspiring to me.
God – I want to know the meaning of life.
My fiancée – because I work too much.

Coffee or Tea?

After 10pm tea, before that its coffee, coffee & more coffee!

The Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award is calling for ambitious young chefs to put knife to board and pen to paper and enter the contest which once again offers up and coming chefs a career changing, international culinary adventure of a lifetime.

Open for entries until Friday 9th May 2008 , the Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award is the only annual culinary competition dedicated to the development of Australia’s junior and apprentice chefs, aged 23 years and under. This year’s National Winners will be given a golden opportunity travel experience, worth $15,000, to head to the 2008 World Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany and watch the Australian Team in action.