FOOD

FOOD L 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 In-

Guillaume Le Gal is the genius in the kitchen donesian friend at Auvers Dining in Darling Square. After that I wanted to focus again on my French cooking backat famed Lane Cove restaurant, Garcon. ground and start at Garcon five months ago. We open a new restaurant in Lane Cove trying to create a French menu with seasonal prodHe tells Neighbourhood media about his life and love of food. uct; 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. garcon.com.au 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.

little red robin restaurant & wine bar

Contemporary Degustation Dining Wine Bar Menu & European Wine List

Birdwood Lane, Lane Cove

littleredr o bin .net. au

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SUMMER IN A GLASS

WWITH one sip, a good cocktail will transport you to a tropical island where you lay in a hammock suspended between two palm trees, a salty, cool breeze blowing through the fronds. There are some keys to creating the perfect cocktail and we’ve included some here, as well as a selection of drinks from menus around The Canopy. Follow the recipe.

Don’t be tempted to free-hand it. It’s like making a cake - you have to get the measurements right and add things in the right order.

Chill the glass first.

A cool receptacle will keep your refreshing, icy drink refreshingly icy for longer.

Be artistic.

The alcohol in your cocktail should be a brand you’d happily drink straight. Same goes with the other ingredients - use fresh fruit, real juices, good mixers. Use quality ingredients.

Presentation is particularly important for a cocktail. Use fresh, nicely shaped garnish, try layers and patterns with the liquids, get some funky swizzle sticks, parasols, cute ornaments, metal straws.

Get the accoutrements.

A basic toolkit includes a jigger, shaker, strainer, bar spoon, and muddler, but, like everything else, you can just keep adding gadgets and gizmos. A selection of glasses would be ideal. LILLAH MIDDLE EASTERN The Passion Queen Gin, homemade passion fruit cordial, citrus, fresh parsley & ginger beer

LITTLE RED ROBIN: Royal-Tea Archie Rose Dry Gin / Belsazar Rose Vermouth / Peach Liqueur / Earl Grey Tea

PERSIAN BASEMENT Sex On The Beach Vodka, Peach Liqueur, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice

THE ALCOTT Spring Spritz Italicus Rosolio (premium liquor) , vermouth, Pinot Gris, lemon ginger tea with grapes, lemon and mint SUNSET DINER Sunset Soda Gin, grapefruit, limoncello, fino sherry

PERSIAN BASEMENT

THE ALCOTT

SUNSET DINER