Solotel’s Chiswick has a new head chef leading the kitchen as the Sydney venue gears up to celebrate 10 years.
Taylor Cullen joins the Woollahra restaurant after time at Bondi Harvest and Paperbark. And Matt Moran says the group couldn’t have found a better fit for the job.
“His approach to living off the land and working with local, seasonal and sustainable produce, along with his ingenuity in creating menus that highlight vegetables as the hero of the dish are among the reasons why we are so thrilled to have him on board,” he says.
“A focus for us was in finding someone who would challenge themselves to make use of [the kitchen garden] in interesting and creative ways.”
Cullen has already put together his debut menu, which heroes hyper-local, seasonal produce.
“Some of the best meals I’ve ever had are those made from ingredients grown yourself, cooked thoughtfully with fire and plated simply,” says the chef.
Diners can look forward to beginning their dining experience with roasted peppers with lemon from the garden; roasted fennel with stracciatella and pickled citrus and wood-fired halloumi with stone fruit and honey.
Mains encompass grilled swordfish with bitter leaves, olive and sumac alongside coffee-roasted carrots with quinoa and shiitake. The Chiswick slow-roasted lamb shoulder is also sticking around.
On the sweet front, guests can finish off their meal with a classic pavlova teamed with sesame, honey and spring fruit or a dark chocolate-centric dessert with mandarin and marshmallow.
Chiswick is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.