Last weekend, we had a chat with Head Chef, Mark Bennett, from Esca Restaurant at Bimbadgen Estate.
In Part 1, Mark talks with us about his management responsibilities as a head chef, his hopes for the future and at home with partner, Rosie, and their 2-year-old boxer dog named Dobby. (Read Part 1 here).
Fine dining is a tough and competitive industry. How did you become a Head Chef before 30?
Drive, work ethic and a little bit of luck. It was a tough question that I had to ask myself “am I ready for this?” I believed I was and I think that came through in my interview.
Nine months on, I am obviously not perfect and there are a few things that I am still learning, but I believe I developed a strong base of knowledge and skill about the industry by working with great chefs, which prepared me for the role.
How do you motivate the other qualified chefs, kitchen hands, wait staff and others around you?
Talking about food and what other famous international restaurants and chefs are doing, gets all of us excited. I also try to keep everyone rested with a consistent two days off a week, which definitely helps keep the team motivated and energetic. In an industry where your busiest days are on the weekend when everyone else is enjoying their time off, it’s easy for your staff to think “is there something better I could be doing?”
A chef needs to pay attention to the needs and energy levels of their staff. Giving an opportunity for your chefs to have time off to act like normal people can be all it takes to keep them loving their work and industry.
How do you relax?
Usually by doing very little as my weeks can be quiet busy. I also enjoy walking my dog with my partner or kayaking out on the lake near my house. Sitting around the house reading a book or going out to eat are also favourites. I don’t get a lot of time to do these things, usually my off days are filled with catching up on washing and yard work, finishing university assignments and last minute study for exams. But I do make time for the things I love and I don’t feel guilty for doing them, what is life if you can’t enjoy yourself?
And the question, everyone wants to know from a chef ... do you cook at home?
At the moment my cooking at home is limited.
I am spoilt cooking in a commercial kitchen everyday but my current house has a TINY little kitchen. I get quite frustrated with a slow electric burner hobs and small oven. I would love to build my own house and have the opportunity to design a kitchen for myself, one designed around a family environment.
What would you like to be doing in 10 years time?
I’d love to be running an owner-operated bed and breakfast with a self-sustaining kitchen garden that has a culinary dining experience as its focus.
__small.png)
