The Best Advice Ever: Josh Niland on Collaboration in the Kitchen
Concrete Playground chatted to Saint Peter chef Josh Niland about the best advice he's ever received.
"The initial engagement with Talisker was fascinating to me — there are very few metrics around for what you can do with fish and whisky. It's a very robust alcohol to weave into a fish dish. But, I like being pushed into the corner and told 'this is all you're allowed to do'.
How do you go about choosing the right partners for your venues?
"There were definitely some... should we say 'quality checks' — not just from me, but also from my chef Ben, who gave it a good taste."
Speaking of quality products, I assume there were a few whisky tastings involved in the process?
"I feel like Julie and I are obviously very aligned. We've been married nearly 13 years so we've had meals together and experiences together, and that polishes the edges of what we feel we want to be doing as professionals. 
How do you approach collaborating with Julie, your wife and co-owner, particularly if you disagree?
"It's been a learning experience the last two years, how to be a better coach as opposed to captain. We're now starting to see the benefits of mentorship and looking after the guys really well, and they're starting to feel more confident with what they can offer to the team.
How do you collaborate with your chefs at Saint Peter?
"Consistent and reliable — that's actually the biggest challenge. You can never rely on anybody and you can never rely on the weather. When what we plan at the beginning of the week doesn't arrive, then we need to change.
Obviously finding consistent and reliable producers plays a huge role in what you do. How do you approach managing those relationships?
"'Treat everyday as a sprint, but life is a marathon.' Simon Marnie from ABC Radio told me that, he's a friend from a long, long time ago. I had just got back from overseas and he could see all the layers of places I wanted to go and people I wanted to meet in my eyes, but he kind of slapped me over the head and said 'listen'. 
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
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