O Bar & Dining in the heart of Sydney’s CBD is a delicious mix of great food and drink, and a killer view like no other. Perched high above the city it offers a delightful experience that is unlike any other, in honour of Fathers Day we chatted to their head chef Darren Templeman to find out what makes him tick.
1. How did get into the food industry and what was one of your earliest memories of cooking?
I have always always had an interest in cooking, from watching my mum and grandmother from an early age, but decided to give it a real go (at age 15) as a way of improving my life and leaving the council (housing) estate that I grew up in. I quickly realised that I was quite good and had a natural talent and cooking has been a source of inspiration ever since.
2. What is your food philosophy at O Bar & Dining and how do you inspire your staff to stay on vision?
The food philosophy that we have at O is the healthy choice, where food can be delicious and healthy at the same time without compromising on flavour and technique. The best way to keep the chefs on vision is to send them on regular trips to the markets, farms and producers, that way they get to interact with the very people who produce the food that we use and the respect level for that produce then is amplified. For them to understand the background of all the great produce that we have is very important.
3. What new produce discoveries are you vibing on at the moment?
We are very lucky here in Australia, we have some of the best produce, ranging from land to sea, along with some of the hardest working farmers and producers, so everyday when I taste the produce we receive at the O kitchen, I marvel at the quality from the diverse landscape that the producers face. But if I had to vibe on one thing it would be sprouting golden cauliflower, delicious lightly grilled with a squeeze of lemon and olive oil.
4. Have you got anything exciting planned for Fathers Day menu?
We have an amazing steak, it is cut from the rump deriving from a short horn breed of cattle, which has an amazing flavour, this has been dry aged for two months to increase the flavour further and to tenderize the meat.
5. What do you like eating on your Days off?
I like to spend my days off with my three daughters and at the moment their favourite is Chinese dumplings, so that makes it mine too!
With Fathers Day coming up September 2nd this is the perfect time to book in at O Bar & Dining, treat Dad to a dining experience he’ll be talking about for years to come.
www.obardining.com.au
by Arrnott Olssen
Editor Rogue Homme
