You may or may not have heard, that restaurant Noma is coming to Australia. Like Heston Blumenthal did last year( Fat Duck) , they’re hosting a super exclusive pop up (though in Sydney this time) and if you wanted in on this exclusive opportunity you had to be ready and waiting at your computer. Credit card in hand, to snap up tickets. And they weren’t cheap, coming in at $485 per pop mind you.
Hungry and wanting to cash in your dinner booking (if you got one) well, it’s actually not happening until next January, so it’s toast and avo for you tonight dear friend. None the less at the new (and controversial) Barangaroo complex in Sydney. From everything we’ve read about the multi Michelin starred René Redzepi, chef of Noma it can safely be assumed he’s the business.
When it comes to fine dining, Noma is the bee’s knees, and since opening its doors in 2003, it’s taken out the top honour of Restaurant Magazine’s title of “World’s Best Restaurant” in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. Throughout the culinary scene and industry too, Redzepi has picked up titles such as Chef of the Year and also got himself a mention from Time Magazine as one of the most influential people of 2012. No small feat at all. I envisage he travels with a entourage of Danish groupies in tow, carrying his truffles in a chequer plate road case with foraged local flowers adoring their probably golden hair.
I looked over their menu and wine list, and quite frankly the food seems beautiful, and well thought out. Kudos buddy! Redzepi is clearly a chef with a passion and love for his craft. Having attended events and dinners at some pretty amazing restaurants globally, I’ve always left venues where the food and the plating take prevalence over portion size feeling pretty fricking hungry. For me this new and on trend “Farm to Table” really ought to be “Farm to Table to McDonald’s”, and I know I’m not the only one that ends up nursing a kebab after.
It amazes me people are so quick to jump the bandwagon of a venue and dining experience they’ve only heard of and read about. That if they don’t secure tickets, they “cant’ even”. Seriously thought this foraging trend ugh. Come to mine and I’ll forage any day of the week for you (through my cupboards- and the local Kings Cross community) and you can pay me a ¼ of the cost.
Consider for a moment, what’s happening here at home in Sydney. Open your eyes to the local restaurants and venues right in your backyards! Struggling to get people in the doors (I don’t think I’ve ever seen Melbourne Cup bookings so fricking cheap) yet a fancy name turns up visions of Øland wheat and virgin butter, which are the must have this season! Boom booked out in minutes! (P.S what the fuck even is Virgin butter – maybe the price tag is worth it?)
Before you think me a starving creative or a bitter and tasteless simpleton, I can assure you I’m part food wanker and foodie. I probably know more than you underestimate me for! I know off the top of my head (and personally) a massive number of amazing local chefs and venues Australia wide who are kicking arse in venue and on plate 7 nights a week right here.
And when you notice they’re no longer there six months from now, and over a Chardonnay(none the less) say “Oh damn, I always wanted to try them” maybe if you’d supported those local venues they’d either still be standing down the track or in years to come. I encourage you to dine and support local, before you get swept away in another international fad and all this must have bs fed to you…. Just saying!!