Devlin is touted as one of Australia's rising stars in the culinary world and is lauded for his approach to utilising native Australian ingredients. — PIPIT
Throughout the world, there has been a growing shift towards embracing local produce. This locavore-driven movement has been pivotal in changing mindsets and developing love for homegrown ingredients.
Among chefs, this has spurred a move away from the idea that imported premium produce is the best, which in turn has birthed the growth of restaurants that put native ingredients front and centre.
This is exactly what acclaimed Australian chef Ben Devlin does at his flagship two-hatted restaurant Pipit in Pottsville, Australia, which was named Best Regional Restaurant in the Good Food Guide.
Devlin grew up in Byron Bay, Australia and his first initiation in a restaurant kitchen was at his cousins’ restaurant, which he worked at when he was in high school.
He later completed an apprenticeship in Brisbane, Australia and eventually moved to Copenhagen, Denmark where he worked at Noma, arguably the best restaurant in the world. From there, he helped open Esquire, Brisbane’s first two-hatted restaurant and eventually opened Pipit in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia with his wife.
At Pipit, Devlin actively champions a range of native Australian ingredients like bunya nuts, lemon myrtle and Dorrigo pepper – all sourced from the region – as well as sustainable seafood, but says there were hurdles and obstacles to getting to where is.
Pipit has been named Best Regional Restaurant in Australia. — PIPIT
“As a young chef it definitely felt like native ingredients were not fashionable items to add to a menu, there wasn’t much information or training about the diversity that we have. Certainly it felt like we valued the food cultures of European and Asian cultures much higher than our own.
“For me it was the effect of working at Noma, working in the belief that the things that were growing in your area at specific times were telling the story of your cuisine, and you just needed to listen more to what nature was saying to find your own voice,” he says.
Since opening Pipit, Devlin says there is now an increasing number of Australian chefs – who like him – believe that there is a place on the table for native ingredients.
“They are definitely more widely utilised and valued by the emerging generation of hospitality and consumers. The hope is that people continue to also value the context that the ingredients should be imbued with, owing to their value to generations of First Nations people.
“I have also seen evidence of some of our unique products being grown in the Americas and the Nordic region. So it is definitely growing in popularity,” he says.
At Pipit, Devlin says bunya nuts – the nuts of a giant pine cone – are a special feature on his menu. The nuts have been a staple for thousands of years for First Nations people.
Devlin is a fan of sourcing produce from the Aussie regions closest to his restaurant Pipit. — BEN DEVLIN
“The trees fruit every three years approximately, so it’s a big deal when we can get a good harvest. We can turn them into shoyu, vinegar, miso, masa and flour to incorporate into pasta, or use similar to chestnuts to make monte blanc. We are fortunate to have miso from a batch three years ago and are making a range of ferments to use for the next three years.
Running a restaurant with a strong focus on sustainability that supports local producers is not without its challenges though.
“Any time you are using small production and foraged goods you are at the mercy of the elements with regards to availability, so supply is often a challenge.
“Also realistically there are things that have a great story for our area that don’t meet the criteria of sustainability or quality, so in that instance we just don’t work with them. The down side for us is a narrower more focused range of products we are willing to work with, but we can stand behind the quality.
“The same goes for our preservation techniques, it’s great to minimise the waste and find a way of using everything, but if the results aren’t delicious then it’s not worth the work. In that area there is constant trial and error to find the best results,” he says.
On Sep 5 and 6, Devlin will be applying his considerable skills and mastery of native Australian ingredients in Malaysia where he will be running a kitchen takeover at Yellow Fin Horse at Else KL. Devlin’s kitchen takeover is in association with the Kita Food Festival, which is being held in KL from Sep 4-8, and will involve a range of kitchen takeovers and collaborative dinners involving top chefs from across the region.
At his restaurant, Devlin is mindful about sustainability and makes use of preserves and ferments as much as possible. — PIPIT
Interestingly – aside from Australian bush ingredients like strawberry gum which he will be bringing with him to KL – Devlin will also be utilising Malaysian ingredients like buah kulim and local cocoa to present a menu that is largely plant-based with a smattering of seafood.
The menu for the two-night dinner includes tantalising options like fish bone flour and slipper lobster dumpling, smoked squid with keluak and fresh vegetables with tasty waste paste.
“Our restaurant works mostly with vegetables and seafood, because we feel like they offer us the best quality and sustainability from our producers.
“There is definitely a wide selection of the dining public that is looking to lower meat or looking for meat-free options, either for personal or environmental reasons.
“For me it also boils down to what makes me happy to work with, and it’s definitely seafood, fruits and vegetables that I enjoy working with the most. They have such variety and present so many unique challenges,” he says.
Ben Devlin’s kitchen takeover at Yellow Fin Horse KL will take place on 5 and 6 September. Tickets are available at www.kitafoodfestival.com.
