Firedoor Opens in Surry Hills

Things are getting heated in Surry Hills, with the debut of Australia’s first fire-powered menu in the contemporary national dining scene. Opened this Wednesday within the old Silknit house on Mary Street, the open kitchens at Firedoor have no gas or electric ovens. Instead, renowned chef Lennox Hastie is going old school, serving seasonal dishes cooked using wood-coal powered flame.

According to their website, Firedoor introduces "the ancient language of fire" to contemporary cooking, "eschewing efficiency and convenience to showcase the natural beauty of woodfired cooking." Hastie previously worked as the sous chef at Etxebarri, a grill house in San Sebastian regularly included on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Firedoor marks his latest collaboration with the Fink Group, who also own Quay and Otto Ristorante.

The rotating menu will be decided on a daily basis depending on the availability of fresh produce. Expect things like grilled prawns, 150-day aged beef-rib, and oysters served on hot coals with pork cheek and seaweed. In addition to their dual wood-fire ovens, four grills and an Australian made Aga, the kitchen also has its own fish tank and butcher’s block.

But according to Hastie, as important as the equipment or ingredients is the type of wood itself. Chefs will work with a variety of different species, including ironbark, apple, orange, stone-fruit, oak, olive and nut, each of which will imbue the food with its own distinctive flavour.

Firedoor is located at 23-33 Mary St, Surry Hills. For more information including operating hours, visit their website.

Images: Nikki To.

Via Good Food.