Tassie Chef

Well it is about time that I updated my blog. It has been a while and I have done a fair bit since my last post so this may have to be over two posts. So first up I have taken up the Executive Chefs position at Hadleys and have been hard at work there since April 26th. What attracted me to Hadleys, apart from being back in Hobart with Mrs Chef, is what Hadleys once was and is going to be again. I am part of a new management team that has been charged with resurrecting Hadleys and making Hobart fall in love with Hadleys once again. Also we have been charged with the opening of the new Hadleys Collins street development. look out Hobart Hadleys is coming back and is going to have something for everyone. Hadleys Murray street will continue with our restaurant, high teas, conference and function rooms. While Hadleys Collins street will add around another 130 rooms more conference and function rooms another restaurant with a huge wood fired Argentine grill, boy am I looking forward to getting my hands on that grill. Wood, fire and meat does it get any better than that not to mention the seafood that I can grill on that bad boy.

The old stables will become a fantastic function room perfect for intimate weddings. We will also have a Complete Gourmet deli stocking all your favorite deli lines as well as a range of ready to go take home meals for you to finish at home. At the other end of the deli will be a cafe with boxed lunches to go for the office worker on a time line. And out side in the glass covered court yard will be our wood fired pizza area. So with two restaurants, multiple function rooms, over 200 rooms, deli, cafe, pizza area, conference and weddings I am going to be a busy chef, but what a buzz getting all this sorted. I am lucky to have been given the chance to design and fit out the kitchens and it will be nice to work in a space designed for chefs with things where they are supposed to be.

Ok food wise the first two months were spent getting the kitchen into some sort of shape and getting to know my new team and work out what level they were at. I am very pleased to say that the team are very keen and eager to learn and have embraced all that we are striving to achieve. That is not to say that we have not made a few mistakes in the first few months but each one has been learning experience for the team. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel just give it a bit of a polish. Nor are we trying to be the best 5 star restaurant in town. But we do want to be producing good food and our first menu is a good training ground for the team. So look forward to bigger and better things.

As far as food adventures go I have not had a lot of time to get out there yet but I have been to Bruny Island Cheese, and did not want leave the cheese room. Never miss the farmers market Sunday mornings. We spent the day yesterday with Nick from Bruny Island Cheese making cheese, something that we have been wanting to do for a while, and what a day it was. I will post the photos on the next post and updates on how the cheese is maturing over the next two weeks.