OUT AT LUNCH

Paul Wood, Former Adelaide contestant on 'My Kitchen Rules'

2010-06-24T17:31:00.005+10:00

24 June 2010

Paul Wood, one half of the highest score-rating South Australian pair on Australia's hit cooking reality program, My Kitchen Rules, shares 'Takeaways' with Out At Lunch.

Paul is food and wine editor of online magazine GLAM Adelaide and has plans to develop food and wine tours in South Australia.

Takeaways

1. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Fresh brewed coffee and homemade danishes. I generally cook the breakfast so I have to get out of bed if I want it!

2. What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn?
That you need to realise when there are people in your life who bring you down or don’t add value, despite the history you may have. This applies both professionally and personally.

3. When and why did you have to swallow your pride?
Haha! My pride was well and truly swallowed when I had to serve undercooked Beetroot Gnocchi to six of Australia's top chefs on national television!

4. What is your tip of the day?
Don’t forget to take a step back and breathe.

5. What is your favourite takeaway?
Indian. There are some brilliant little family run indian restaurants around the Adelaide suburbs and I try different ones all the time. I love the flavours and it's the only food I will eat as leftovers! While I've tried to match the food when cooking it myself, you just cant beat the traditional family recipes and flavours. Another favourite is Ethiopian, a delicious alternative to Indian - similar dishes, but with a unique flavour that sets it apart.

Chef Andre Ursini, Andre's Cucina & Polenta Bar

2010-06-18T17:22:00.022+10:00

18 June 2010

Earlier this month, Masterchef series 1 contestant and former project manager, Andre Ursini, opened the doors to his own restaurant in hometown Adelaide, South Australia - Andre's Cucina & Polenta Bar.

Ursini, 29, just missed out on the final six when he went up against fellow contestant, Chris, in a curry taste test.

At his new restaurant, expect Andre to be at front of house where he will guide you through the menu for a culinary experience that Adelaide has yet to offer.

"There is no cliche Italian-Australian dishes on our menu - no carbonara or neopolitana pastas which you see a lot around Adelaide," explains Ursini.

"The menu is not structured with entrées, mains and desserts - it is a light sharing-styled menu with fine-dining ingredients."

The down-to-earth Ursini will personally "educate" you through his menu where he will describe the dishes, offer suggestions that suits or dares, and share anecdotes of the dishes peppered across his menu.

His personal touch is a dogged determination to serve his diners the experience.

"Our fine ingredients are served on wax papers or wooden boards where we encourage you to mix it up from one board to another," Ursini explains.

"It is about true Italian favors - we don't do cross cultural food such as a tapas-meets-pizzas menu."

Four years ago, Ursini lived in Dublin (Ireland) and frequented an eatery set up by the local Italians. It was from his visits and memories of antipasto meals on wax papers and wooden boards that inspired him to re-create the same in his own restaurant with a personal favourite - Polenta.

"The (added) concept of the Polenta Bar came up after Masterchef because through the show I was known as the guy that made polenta, gnocchi and lasagne," Ursini recalls candidly.

Andre talks to Out At Lunch from his restaurant and shares his story on the ups and downs of his new project.

For the full story, email idataylor8@gmail.com

Chef Luke Nguyen, Red Lantern Restaurant

2010-06-18T12:38:00.028+10:00

11 June 2010

Luke Nguyen is known to Australians as the award winning chef and owner of the Red Lantern restaurant in Sydney, as a widely recognised television chef, and the author of "Secrets of Red Lantern" & "Songs of Sapa" showcasing recipes from his motherland, Vietnam.

It was from his frequent trips and other visits back to his ‘home’ country, that Luke saw just how many youths were living on the streets, working in poor conditions and all without an education. It was seeing this that motivated Luke and his partner Suzanna Boyd to set up the Little Lantern Foundation.

Chef Luke Nguyen talks to Out At Lunch from Vietnam where he is currently shooting for the SBS second series of 'Luke Nguyen's Vietnam', continuing his work to develop the Little Lantern Foundation, and writing his new book. Luke is also shooting a television program with fellow Chef Gordon Ramsay.

About Little Lantern Foundation

The Little Lantern Foundation is a not-for-profit project established to support disadvantaged and under-educated Vietnamese youth to improve their lives through vocational training programs.

The program will help students - who will be sponsored with study, board and food - develop skills for the restaurant, hospitality and tourism industry.

Chef Luke Nguyen intends for the program to provide the graduating students with internationally recognised qualifications which allows their mobility.

He shares with Out At Lunch that a few vocational training schools in Australia have expressed interest in providing the educational program for the Little Lantern Foundation project in Vietnam.

Despite his busy schedule with the filming of the second SBS series, Chef Luke is taking the opportunity to also scout for a site in Hoi An City for the development of the Little Lantern Foundation hospitality school.

Chef Luke intends to leverage from the tourism boom in this area to provide a one-stop-shop of school meets restaurant/accommodation where tourists can dine and stay therefore providing the students with practical experience.

For the Little Lantern Foundation website, go to: www.littlelanternfoundation.org ; or click here to make a secured online / tax deductible donation to the Foundation.

What inspired the Little Lantern Foundation?

"I see the kids in Vietnam working at such a young age and think to myself, if my parents had not left Vietnam, I could be like one of the young people I see on the streets, selling food or drink," realises Chef Luke.

What difference does A$100 make?

"A$100 is a really-really good wage per month in Vietnam - a rice farmer may only earn that amount per year," Chef Luke Nguyen explains.

For the Little Lantern Foundation website, go to: www.littlelanternfoundation.org ; or click here to make a secured online / tax deductible donation to the Foundation.

Chef Luke Nguyen: An introduction

2010-06-18T08:31:00.006+10:00

11 June 2010

11 June 2010

Takeaways:

1. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
A steaming aromatic bowl of 'Pho' (beef noodle broth)

2. What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn?
Dedicating all your time and energy to work is not healthy - you need balance.

3. When and why did you have to swallow your pride?
I worked for a company who had no sense of service or quality in what they did. It was all about money and numbers to them. They would not listen to my concerns. I had to swallow my pride and stick it out for another month. I then promised myself that I would never work for anyone else again. I opened red lantern the following year - I was 23 years old.

4. What is your tip of the day?
If you dread going to work in the mornings - change jobs.

5. What is your favourite takeaway? Turkish Pizza

Tetsuya Wakuda

2010-06-12T11:04:00.008+10:00

For Wakuda, the service is as important as the food.

"There is no point if the food is great but the service is poor; you don't want to go back. I don't think it is too much to ask to make sure the food and the service are great," says Tetsuya.

For full story, click to: feature people