Chef Ben Shewry – Diligent in All Endeavors

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Head chef of Attica, Chef Ben Shewry, has a very straightforward culinary philosophy, and that is to be very diligent in all your endeavors. Simple this may be, but this philosophy has worked wonders for his culinary career. Right now, Attica is considered as the 73rd best restaurant in the globe, and with his enthusiasm and meticulousness, we are sure to see more of his scrumptious creations.

Having grown up in a back county in New Zealand, Chef Shewry’s childhood was, according to him, relatively isolated. Their farm provides all that they need when it comes to fresh ingredients and produce. Their vegetables came from their gardens, and their meat from their animals. However, it was his childhood and his experiences of growing up on a farm that has prompted him to pursue a culinary career. In fact, at the very young age of 5 years old, he already knows what he wants to be, and that is to be a chef.

When he was 10 years old, he found work at a commercial kitchen, marking the start of his culinary journey. By the time that he was 14 years old, he was already helping in the food preparation as well as doing his kitchen duty as a dishwasher in a restaurant. However, the defining moment of his career came when he went to work with one of the country’s top chefs, Chef Mark Limacher, at the Roxburgh Bistro in Wellington. He was in his late teens or early 20s at that time.

Chef Limacher served as his mentor, and it was with this great chef that the young cook began to understand what fine haute cuisine really is all about. The bistro, after all, is considered as among the top dining places in the country. The two had a very good rapport that it soon developed into a true friendship that still continues.

After his stay at the bistro and armed with what he learned from Chef Limacher, he then moved to London where he found work at Nahm. Here, he furthered his culinary training and techniques under Chef David Thompson, whom he also developed a good relationship.

However, the place that influenced his cooking style the most was Southeast Asia where he learned to appreciate the vast and distinct herbs and spices used in Thai cooking. His culinary journey took him to several countries all over the Southeast Asian region before finally settling in Melbourne, Australia. In Melbourne, he found work as a sous chef in some of the city’s dining hotspots like Circa, the Prince where he got to work with Andrew McConnell.

About four years ago, he became the head chef of Attica. It was a rough start at first. He received a not-so-favorable critic from a diner one day, which placed doubt in his culinary ability; however, he also received a very good feedback from another diner a few days later, complimenting his cuisine. Instead of letting the negative feedback put a damper on his drive, he turned it into a positive thing and aimed to work much harder.

His efforts finally paid off when his culinary skill turned Attica, a restaurant in the suburb, into a worldwide success. Right now, they are enjoying the 73rd spot on the San Pellegrino list.

Chef Ben Shewry’s Simple Potato Dish

Ingredients:

6 Cecil potatoes (other potatoes are fine, too)
1 tsp grapeseed oil
River salt to taste
2kg soil
350ml water
2 cabbage leaves
2 Hessian sacks, soaked in water
2 tea towels, soaked in water

For smoked curd dip:

250g fresh goat´s milk curd
250g fresh cow´s milk curd
Salt to taste

For garnish and adding texture:

1 tbsp burnt coconut husk ash, optional
1 tbsp freshly ground coffee
100g finely grated mojama (salt-cured tuna), optional
1 salt bush branch (dehydrated), optional

Directions:

Method for makeshift hangi cooked potato:

Season the potatoes with grapeseed oil and river salt.
Place 1kg soil into a deep roasting pan and moisten with water.
Place a cabbage leaf on top of the soil.
Top it with a Hessian sack and tea towel.
Place the seasoned potatoes on top of the tea towel and cover with the other tea towel.
Top it with the other Hessian sack and then the cabbage leaf.
Top it all off with the remaining soil and cover tightly with an aluminium foil.
Bake it in a preheated oven of 150C for about six hours.
After six hours, lower the temperature to 50C and bake for another two hours.
Take the potatoes out of the heat, set them aside to rest for an hour.

Method for smoked curd:

Place the curds (mixed) into either a cold smoker at 4C for 15 minutes or place woodchips onto a baking tray and place bowl of curd in the middle of the tray and smoke under griller for two to four minutes or until the curd turns a light yellow.

To assemble:

Place a small spoonful of dip into the centre of a serving bowl.
Sprinkle the smoked curd with the burnt coconut husk ash (if you have any) and ground coffee.
Top with baked potato and garnish with the dehydrated salt bush branch and grated mojama.

Tip: The heat in which you cook the potatoes can be adjusted according to the potatoes you use. Just check the potatoes and then reduce or increase the heat accordingly.

# Shewry advises you never peel and soak potatoes or vegetables way ahead of cooking time. This results in loss of flavour, starch and goodness. For instance, onions develop an overpowering scent when you peel them way before cooking time.

Image Credit: gourmettraveller.com.au

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