Julian Lloyd began his love affair with seafood while growing up in Padstow. He started work experience with Rick Stein at 14, and has worked alongside him since. Julian is now executive chef at Rick Stein at Bannisters restaurant in Australia.
Cassandra Murnieks travelled to Mollymook on the New South Wales coast to meet him.
Is Mollymook at all like Cornwall?
It does remind me of Cornwall in the sense that it’s busy in the summer and quiet in the winter. There is a beach here called ‘Racecourse Beach’ which is similar to Tregirls in Cornwall.
How have you found the Australian way of life?
I first came to Australia in 1998. I worked at the Pig and Olive in Cremorne (on Sydney’s northern beaches) and then travelled north to Cairns where I worked at a place called Fishlips for about a year. The other times I have been to Australia have been on holiday. I like it here; it’s very relaxed and a great part of the world. I live about a five minute drive from the restaurant and on my days off I like to go fishing.
How do you find Rick as a boss?
He’s brilliant. We have a good relationship and hardly argue. He is respectful and I am thankful of the opportunities that have come my way. He is also very hands on with the restaurant. Rick will eat at the restaurant and will recommend any changes, if needed. He has a natural instinct when it comes to food. There are a few new dishes that he has up his sleeve. I want to get kangaroo on the menu, but Rick isn’t so forthcoming about that at the moment.
You have been labelled as Rick’s protégé, how does that make you feel?
Parts of it are true. But I’m not there just yet.
What are the comparisons in seafood in Australia compared to England?
There’s a big difference. I think the seafood is better in Australia, but then England’s shellfish is better. I think it has to do with the colder waters. The shellfish is good in Cornwall but even better in Scotland, where the water’s even colder. We always have shellfish on the menu. The pippis, mussels and oysters are from here on the south coast and very good quality. Also, the fish here in Australia is of outstanding quality, although one of the things that I miss about England is the cod. There is more variety of prawns and the kingfish, tuna and dolphin fish are better here. The fish that we use for the fish and chips is called Hapuka, which is caught on the Australian/New Zealand continental shelf.
How have you found the success of Rick’s restaurant in Australia?
Of course, with Rick’s name comes publicity, but it also comes with expectation and demand. I came out to Australia at the end of August and we had about six weeks before we opened at the start of October. The restaurant is going great though. A lot of people are travelling to dine here, which is a great sign. There are things that we have learnt and we are continuously tweaking the menu. The menu is similar to The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. We used that menu as a starting point but have added additional dishes to suit the Australian lifestyle and the produce.
Why a sleepy fishing town rather than a busy city like Sydney?
Rick’s fiancée Sarah has been coming down to the south coast since she was a child. When Rick came down here, he found it to be like Cornwall and fell in love with the area. Rick is more of a country boy than a city boy. And it’s relaxed down here, not as stuffy or pretentious, unlike the big city vibe. We are in a good position here too - about three hours from Sydney, two and a half hours from Canberra and it’s a regular holiday spot for a lot of people. A lot of our clientele is local, which kind of surprised me, seeing our food is similar to Sydney prices.
What is your signature dish?
There are four dishes that are on the menu that are my particular favourites:
* Indonesian seafood curry with ling, squid and Mooloolaba prawns
* Warm shellfish with parsley, chilli, olive oil, garlic and lemon Juice
* Sashimi of salmon, tuna and kingfish
* Fillets of John Dory with poached oysters and abalone
The John Dory is my favourite one as it’s my creation. The biggest sellers are the Ravioli lobster with a spinach and basil sauce and the Crisp smoked trout and green mango salad. Rick came across the salad when he was travelling in Cambodia and put his own spin on it. I would love to trial a lobster and mango salad during the summer months.
What was your reaction when you were asked to head up Rick Stein at Bannisters?
It all happened last June. I was looking at leaving the company to set up a restaurant with a friend. We were going to be in direct competition with Rick. Rick told me he didn’t want me to leave and how would I feel heading up the restaurant here. It was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up as I could still set up a restaurant back home in the future. In the meantime, I’ve made the commitment to being here for the next few years.
Are there any hints of English cooking in the menu?
The menu has a good mix. Of course we couldn’t leave fish and chips off the menu, which is a staple food in England. I would say that the rest of the menu is a mix of European and Asian flavours. The fillet of blue eye trevalla with slivers of potato, mushrooms and truffle oil is a popular European choice. I’m a big fan of truffles and would love to use them more. I have recently discovered a place in Tasmania that does summer truffles, which I would be keen on using in the menu.
How have Australians reacted to the food?
Very well. With such good quality produce, we have had it good from the start. We had to tinker with the John Dory dish as it had mixed reactions. Originally it was John Dory with kipfler potatoes, capers and anchovies. Being an Italian dish, it didn’t really pay off with the Australians, so I made a few changes that have been well received. The warm shellfish surprised me as well. Knowing that this dish suits an English climate, it’s one of the better sellers here.