Overview
Sitting in Matt Moran's CHISWICK in Woollahra, you could be mistaken for thinking you were on some glorious estate in the Southern Highlands — not some 5km from the Sydney CBD. Wherever you are, floor-to-ceiling windows open onto lush greenery; on one side, there's a mini, landscaped park, on the other a thriving kitchen garden. It's the latter that drives the heart of the restaurant's menu, which is famous for its fresh, seasonal produce.
"Matt [Moran] grew up on a farm," says CHISWICK's head chef Richie Dolan. "He's a country boy, so his philosophy has always been paddock to plate — about using the best seasonal produce available." Every morning, the chefs pick piles of herbs, leaves and veggies — and, by midday, they're on your plate. Sounds simple, but it takes a lot of time, a lot of planning and one hell of a vision to do things this way.
In a very special opportunity this February, we gave Concrete Playground readers the chance to experience Richie Dolan's produce first hand, teaming up with James Squire to create a Summer Banquet at CHISWICK. An initimate 34 sitting of 34 lucky readers sat down to a five-course meal custom-made by Richie, each dish paired with a specific James Squire tipple, and were taken through the bespoke menu by Richie and James Squire's head brewer Chris Sheehan. They also took home a bespoke hamper from Sydney company Caring Canary, filled with delicious eats and JS drinks.
Images and video: Samantha Hawker.