Charlie interviewed chef Darren Robertson of the Three Blue Ducks fame at The Farm at Byron Bay where he moved to 5 years ago after, amongst other things, being the head chef at the world famous Tetsuya restaurant in Sydney. Darren also speaks frankly about the pressures and strains of the hospitality industry, his initial interest in cooking, what he looks for in staff, and his gratitude for his life's journey thus far. This is a conversation that will interest food lovers, farmers, the hospitality industry and everyone in between.
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Episode Takeaways :
Establishing the Three Blue Ducks restaurant at The Farm at Byron Bay was a massive step up and into the world of farming and sourcing fresh produce directly from producers | Creative 'root to flower' cooking with food straight from the paddock | Australian salads are the best in the world! | Marco Pierre White was Darren's first culinary inspiration | Moved to Australia to work at the world famous Tetsuya in Sydney and fell in love with the food scene | Surfing was a game changer for keeping Darren focused and not falling down the rabbit hole of the late night hospitality industry | Advice for chefs in the time of Covid 19 | Hospitality industry mental health as a global crisis | Chefs evolving appreciation for food and its origins | Advice to a young Darren Robertson - put away 10% of income for Future opportunities and a rainy day, and be grateful today for what you have | Creating a community of passionate staff is a big part of their success | There’s no where to hide in a kitchen! |The Biodynamic practice of peppering to rid rabbits of an area | Darren's parting advice- be kind, and give it a crack!
Links:
Darren Robertson - IG
Three Blue Ducks
The Farm - Byron Bay
Tetsuyas - Restaurant
Marco Pierre White - chef / restranteur