Ben Shewry is a New Zealand Chef, storyteller andrestaurateur of Attica restaurant in Melbourne. A friend of the brand, we are delighted that Ben's playful take on the culinary arts often features our objects.
His book Uses for Obsession,a memoir meets manifesto that reframes the way we think about restaurants, cooking, hospitality, leadership and humanity is available now.
Enjoy our interview with Ben Shewry
Ben Shewry is a New Zealand Chef, storyteller andrestaurateur of Attica restaurant in Melbourne. A friend of the brand, we are delighted that Ben's playful take on the culinary arts often features our objects.
His book Uses for Obsession,a memoir meets manifesto that reframes the way we think about restaurants, cooking, hospitality, leadership and humanity is available now.
Enjoy our interview with Ben Shewry
If you could choose one meal to make for someone to fall in love with the pleasure of food - what would it be?
For me it begins and ends with Bolognese, so much so I have written 10,000 words, 3 different recipes and the strongest opinions ever shared on the subject of Bolognese for my new book Uses For Obsession.
Bolognese (and its progeny, Lasagne) is a special family dish for us Shewry’s and cooking it is one of my earliest experiences where I learned that cooking is magical. With cooking I can use my hands, my mind, my everything to transform raw materials and to create joy for others. And, to me, a truly great Bolognese is the clearest way I can say to a person I love you.
If you could choose one meal to make for someone to fall in love with the pleasure of food - what would it be?
For me it begins and ends with Bolognese, so much so I have written 10,000 words, 3 different recipes and the strongest opinions ever shared on the subject of Bolognese for my new book Uses For Obsession.
Bolognese (and its progeny, Lasagne) is a special family dish for us Shewry’s and cooking it is one of my earliest experiences where I learned that cooking is magical. With cooking I can use my hands, my mind, my everything to transform raw materials and to create joy for others. And, to me, a truly great Bolognese is the clearest way I can say to a person I love you.
What is the most interesting ingredient you’ve created a dish with?
I think the most interesting ingredient is the one right in front of us. By that I mean the one that belongs in the ground where we stand. In Australia, that means the huge collection of endemic foods that call this continent home. The more than 8000 native ingredients that belong here, that taste like this climate and landscape, whose history is so magnificently intertwined with the cooking and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. At Attica, these are the foods we are most passionate about working with, and I’m humbled and proud to cook in a country with such a vast history of cooking, eating and celebrating food that goes back more than 65,000 years and that is still vibrant and alive today.
What is the most interesting ingredient you’ve created a dish with?
I think the most interesting ingredient is the one right in front of us. By that I mean the one that belongs in the ground where we stand. In Australia, that means the huge collection of endemic foods that call this continent home. The more than 8000 native ingredients that belong here, that taste like this climate and landscape, whose history is so magnificently intertwined with the cooking and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. At Attica, these are the foods we are most passionate about working with, and I’m humbled and proud to cook in a country with such a vast history of cooking, eating and celebrating food that goes back more than 65,000 years and that is still vibrant and alive today.
If you were to serve a dish to someone you love, which Maison Balzac platter would you choose and why?
Well, my wife Kylie adores a good prawn cocktail. So clearly, it's important for me to respect that love. But a great prawn cocktail needs two things! 1. Sustainable prawns. Use the GoodFish sustainable seafood guide to select your prawns from the green list. goodfish.org.au
And 2. A stylish handmade dish. There can only be one—Maison Balzac’s prawn cocktail platter. Let's be honest here—a prawn cocktail is not a beautiful dish, so I let my Maison Balzac platter do all of the work, and I worry about the flavor!
If you were to serve a dish to someone you love, which Maison Balzac platter would you choose and why?
Well, my wife Kylie adores a good prawn cocktail. So clearly, it's important for me to respect that love. But a great prawn cocktail needs two things! 1. Sustainable prawns. Use the GoodFish sustainable seafood guide to select your prawns from the green list. goodfish.org.au
And 2. A stylish handmade dish. There can only be one—Maison Balzac’s prawn cocktail platter. Let's be honest here—a prawn cocktail is not a beautiful dish, so I let my Maison Balzac platter do all of the work, and I worry about the flavor!
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