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FOOD
Guillaume Le Gal is the genius in the kitchen at famed Lane Cove restaurant, Garcon. He tells Neighbourhood media about his life and love of food. garcon.com.au
LET’S start with a little story of my life. I grew up in France - Brittany - on the west coast. My father was a fisherman, retired now. I eat so much fish and seafood, so many family meals where you stay five hours at the table without a smartphone! After high school I didn’t really know what to do, like many young people. I start a degree of hospitality hotel management; I was one of the worst at cooking but I loved it. After my degree I worked six months in France and packed my bag to go to England for a year. I couldn’t speak a word. Every morning before work I was going to the supermarket with my little notebook to learn more vocabulary. Then I move to New Zealand for one year, travelling and doing different job, fruit picking, kitchen hand, chef. I work for six months for Danger Sohnke, a German chef who was awarded the best restaurant in Taranaki. I left New Zealand to Australia on the Gold Coast with $800 in my pocket. I find a job in 3 days with a French chef who used to be a Michelin star in Belgium. It was hard, long hours but so much to learn. Then I left to Sydney. I work in Bondi for a couple of years, starting a sponsorship. I transfer my sponsor for my first position of head chef at Bitton Gourmet - I was 25 years old. I work almost four years there; during this time I participate in a couple of cooking competitions including chef of the year Australia 2018. When I finished my sponsorship I wanted to learn more about Asian cuisine, I worked at Mr Wong. I did an opening with my Indonesian friend at Auvers Dining in Darling Square. After that I wanted to focus again on my French cooking background and start at Garcon five months ago. We open a new restaurant in Lane Cove trying to create a French menu with seasonal product; food you share with friends and family, humble food, done with French techniques without shortcut, with love and memories from my childhood, twisting it a bit. Like the stuffed mussels I used to do every Sunday - I just change it, adding some sambal to spice it up. I believe food is sharing and creating memories around the table. We don’t spend enough time talking and eating good fresh local produce in our busy city life.
l it t l e r e d ro bi n re s t au ran t & win e bar C o ntempo ra ry De g u st at ion Dining
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Wine Bar Menu & European Wine List
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