AUSTRALIA
PAST PRESENTS AT NICKEL All the interior opulence and comfort of the past. All the menu sophistication and preparation of the present. It’s no wonder Brisbane’s Nickel Kitchen & Bar has already claimed its first chef’s hat and, with it, confirmation of a bright future ahead.
When TJ Peabody opened Nickel Kitchen & Bar with his wife Kim earlier this year the experienced restaurateur had a very clear vision for the Fortitude Valley business. Here he wanted rich and decadent interiors matched by classic fine-dining dishes re-invented for the modern era. It’s a vision that’s since been incredibly successful. Though only open for a few months Nickel has recently received its first chef’s hat. It has also been listed as one of the top five best new restaurants in the 2017 Good Food Guide. This rapid success should come as no surprise considering the family’s extensive industry experience. TJ sits on the board of highly regarded family-owned New Zealand winery, Craggy Range and its renowned Terrôir restaurant. The couple also own and manage the popular Nantucket Kitchen & Bar
8
and the dynamic burger establishment, NKB Express. The Peabody family was also responsible for The Phantom Room in Brisbane, a first of its kind fine-dining establishment that was very successful in the 1980s. “Our family has been in the food and wine business for a long time, with our involvement with restaurants initially largely through our winery,” says TJ. “Our ongoing mandate is to serve our wine in the best restaurants in the world. We’ve achieved this in 68 countries.” After many years travelling the world, distributing wine and investigating successful restaurant models they had a good idea for what would work in the new establishment. “We wanted to do something outside of the city, and we chose Fortitude Valley,” he says. With the interiors they went for a formal yet classic look, with large turquoise lounge seats, soft lighting, rich mahogany