Born In Britain, Marked By Melbourne with Ian Curley

Posted on by James Henderson

Ian Curley has had regular TV appearances, hosting his own show on Channel 7’s Conviction Kitchen and recurring guest spots on popular programs like MasterChef Australia and Yes Chef.

He’s a British-born, Australian-based chef, with a career that’s spanned kitchens from Australia to the United Kingdom.

Over those 40 years (and counting), more than half have been spent leading iconic venues in Melbourne and more recently, consulting as the creative culinary partner to the RASV Showgrounds of Victoria and Ovolo Hotels in Brisbane, Canberra, and Melbourne.

Ian’s signature style of European cuisine, that champions simplicity, as the highest form of complexity, was built from a foundation of rigorous training in his early career in London.

He’s currently the co-owner and chef at French Saloon and Kirk’s Wine Bar, Director of restaurant consultancy group, Exec Chef and has had a successful partnership with The Melbourne Racing Club since 2013. 

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Flavour and Language

Posted on by James Henderson

By James Henderson

Our finite arsenal of words attempts to convey a sensory experience, unique to the individual.

This collision of two abstract worlds magnifies communication error.

Despite the flexibility of language, it’s not robust enough to adapt to this personal and intimate envelopment of the senses.

Language is beautifully metamorphic and powerfully applicable but still bounded.

There are an incredible number of factors involved to effectively communicate flavour: idea conception, protocol knowledge (each party’s understanding of the chosen communication language), breadth and depth of flavour experience (and recall of such) and synthesis of protocol and recall to correctly articulate what the participant wants to — the choice of language matters.

How someone identifies themselves, could potentially influence their perception of the experience; their mood, the season, day and general temperament are all justifiably contributors to the retrospective experience.

Generally accepted terminology may reign supreme but it is in itself, another language — a subset of its parent, with altered linguistic relationships.

Understand language to — by definition — better articulate experience.

Language is paramount.

Without selecting words appropriately, reality may disappoint or fall short of its capacity to deliver — this differential is the ‘dead weight loss’ of language.

The story of flavour may be better than the flavour itself.

A Recipe For Change

Posted on by James Henderson

By James Henderson

The hospitality environment we live in is diverging.

There are those who appreciate the in-person nature of our craft and those who would rather get their meal delivered to their couch. The shortest path to sustenance is cutting out the art of our industry and distilling it into a pure science, where robots serve for the purpose of meal delivery and patrons sit, undisturbed, on social media.

May we consider that technology, in all it’s magnificence, is in itself a tool — a powerful tool of humanity that must be harnessed appropriately — carefully applied.

I’m not suggesting we fear technology’s impact and ability to disrupt, but rather that we steer it in a direction that we’d like — a direction that proliferates more important ideas than those possessed by simple minds.

Without the influence of industry players who speak up and push for the appropriate change, technology will mutate our beautiful industry into a beast that we aren’t proud of.

There will be job losses. But they will reallocate.

There will be business closures. But new ones will rise in their place.

Be someone who supports the creation of a robust entity to balance Hedonism and longevity in an industry that flirts with myopia.