Doyle On Doyle

As he steps away from the stoves after a 40-plus year career at the top of the Sydney restaurant game, Peter Doyle reflects on how the business has changed.

- Peter Doyle

My happiest moments in the kitchen have been the moments of camaraderie and banter between the staff. You spend a lot of time together, often under stress, so a friendly atmosphere is very important. Every successful service feels like a win.

The thing I remember most about my first day in the kitchen was the fast pace and the fact I nearly severed my index finger at the first joint. One of the chefs squirted some powder on the deep cut, wrapped it in a Band Aid, and I was told to “get on with it”. It only took six months to heal and I still have the scar.

Things were different then. Restaurateurs were the owners, not the chefs. Most menus tended to list the same dishes of “international cuisine”, which were broadly drawn from French-influenced cuisine. The à la carte menus were very long and the restaurant “scene” had not changed for decades.

There’s also a lot that hasn’t changed. The customer, for instance, is still always right. And it’s still a long, hard day where the satisfaction of caring for the customer and building relationships overrides the financial gains. It’s a very competitive industry.

When I started, a big night out in Sydney meant silver service. There was more emphasis on the dining room and the dishes on the menu reflected that. Waiters were formal career waiters, gueridon service was commonplace. 

The average Australian restaurant-goer was out for the night and just happened to be out at a restaurant. It wasn’t necessarily about the food, the wine or even the atmosphere. It was all about going out with company to enjoy the night.