Gourmet Traveller June 2021

Win a Thermomix As we officially welcome the start of soup season, we’re celebrating with the ultimate kitchen helper. Simply subscribe to GT (or renew your subscription) and you’ll be in to win one of 20 prize packs, each valued at more than $2500. magshop.com.au/gmt Tumami by Alice If you’re still not quite clear on umami, head to page 60 for our comprehensive explainer. But for a real life lesson, grab yourself some Tumami and get tasting. Made by Alice Zaslavsky, it combines tomato and black garlic to create a flavour bomb in a jar. Boom. byalice.com.au Lobster kitsch Crustaceans are having a moment, particularly when it comes to tableware. We’ve seen ceramic crabs, prawns and lobsters aplenty. But none have tickled us quite as much as this retro delight. theboathousehome.com.au Mr Morris Just weeks after featuring…

Last year marked the first time Gourmet Traveller had ever published a Japan issue in its 55-year-history. We were excited but apprehensive – not least because the world was in lockdown and travel anywhere seemed a very distant dream. So we were both surprised and delighted when the issue went on to become a bestseller. The response was overwhelming; our readers love Japan and they loved the issue. This year, we’re giving you more of what you love with our second edition of the Japan issue. And while it will still be some months until we can visit the island nation, there are plenty of places to experience a taste of Japan right here in Australia. In addition to exploring hidden Japanese gems, we retrace the history of Japanese cuisine in Australia and…

KAZUKI TSUYA chef East meets west Hailing from Akita in northern Japan, Melbourne-based chef Kazuki Tsuya has forged his own path, while drawing inspiration from top chefs. “When I started cooking in 2002, all the articles in food magazines were about Tetsuya and I thought: he came from Japan and started as a dishy so maybe it’s the same for me.” In this issue, he shares modern Japanese recipes from his restaurant, Kazuki’s in Carlton. ANNE HASEGAWA writer Taste of Japan With roots in both Japan and Australia, Anne Hasegawa believes she gets the best of both worlds. In this issue, she speaks to Japanese-Australians and uncovers the best spots to experience a taste of Japan in our own backyard. “We’re always convinced that we have to hop on a plane to find something authentic,” says Hasegawa.…

Matakana, New Zealand The sun was shining and the Champagne flowed as I arrived in Matakana, north of Auckland, to reunite with my closest friends after more than a year apart. The day was spent dining alfresco and playing Kubb on the lawn overlooking this spectacular view. Heaven. Joanna Hunkin, editor Nico’s Sandwiches These sambos aren’t simply sustenance, they’re reason enough to hustle back into the CBD and celebrate Friday with a Cubano in hand and disco music playing in the background. 1 Healeys Lane, Melbourne, Vic. Jordan Kretchmer, writer Fleur From pouring sake to reworking sushi, the dining room inside The Royal references Japanese cuisine in cool, unexpected ways. Case in point: these elegant kangaroo and pork tsukune – fluffy, smoky, and all too easy to eat. 531 Wellington St, Perth, WA. Max Veenhuyzen, WA state editor Natural…

SYDNEY Surry Hills has welcomed Bar Suze, a wine bar by three pals who met working across the likes of Pinbone, Acme and 121BC. In the kitchen Phil Stenvall’s Swedish heritage comes through in the ever-changing menu, which may include smoked prawns with saffron aïoli one night, and smoked mussels with ’nduja and toasted bread the next; while the wine list favours Italian, Australian and French producers. An ex-Peppe’s chef can now be found at Lorraine’s, the newly minted bistro above Waverley’s Robin Hood Hotel, which pays tribute to the venue’s original owner Lorraine Havin, one of the first female licensees in New South Wales. Chef Clement Marchais is working over a charcoal grill to produce dishes including charred octopus with harissa and potato; and charcoal leek with hazelnut and truffle vinaigrette. Down…

There are few chefs who could say they’ve emerged from the past year with a renewed sense of energy, and Kylie Kwong feels fortunate to count herself as one of them. “I know I am on the best path for this next chapter because everything just feels right and I feel completely reinvigorated,” says Kwong. This next chapter is opening Lucky Kwong, an Australian-Cantonese cafeteria-style restaurant located within the South Eveleigh precinct. Kwong describes it as “super-casual, fast, open, warm, welcoming, energetic – it will feel like you are in [my] home for a meal”. Unlike her seminal restaurant Billy Kwong, it will be a walk-in, no-bookings setup, with a small menu and daily specials. But similarly, it will deliver Kwong’s signature dishes that combine creativity, care and most importantly, the…