Café del Mar Sydney welcomes two new chefs

Café del Mar Sydney has brought in two esteemed chefs to launch a brand new food direction for the rooftop venue.

Group executive chef Damien Brassel has joined the group as part of its international expansion, having worked under some of the world’s top chefs including Marco Pierre White, Patrick Guilbaud, Pascal Sanchez and Bobby Flay.

In Australia, Brassel oversaw the opening of some 20 restaurants with Rockpool Dining Group and also led the pass at Ananas in Circular Quay.

In his new role, Brassel is devising a new menu for Café del Mar alongside the restaurant’s new head chef Peter Hutchinson, who cut his teeth in the kitchen at entertainment venue SKYCITY Auckland.

Hutchinson then went on to work for Peter Gordon at the two-Michelin-starred Sugar Club in London and later under Michelin-starred chef Georges Blanc before moving to Sydney where he was sous chef at Aria.

Brassel and Hutchinson have developed a premium casual menu for Café del Mar inspired by Mediterranean cuisines with refined techniques.

“We have elements of Italian, Spanish, French and Turkish cuisines working together, all focusing on fresh clean flavours, quality ingredients and a menu that is made to share,” says Brassel.

“Peter is joining the brand at an exciting time as we’re going through international expansion, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him at the helm of the kitchen in Sydney.”

Dishes from the new menu include hiramassa kingfish ceviche with Ras el hanout; seared scallops with sautéed spinach, za’atar eggplant and bacon and spice reduction and Moroccan spiced lamb shank with apricot couscous, smoked eggplant, toasted almonds and mint chimichurri.