Does miso belong on an Italian menu? Alex Wong thinks it does. Or at least it belongs on his Italian menu. “I use five different miso in this kitchen,” says Lana’s executive chef. “For the umami, the earthiness and the salt. It all comes back to flavour.” Wong is between services as he speaks, metres from the Lana kitchen where Asian ingredients crank up the flavour in his east-of-Italian fare.
Growing up in Newcastle with Chinese roots, and cutting his pro-chef teeth in Italian kitchens, Wong’s mega mix of influences has come to define his food. It’s all there; his uncle’s Chinese takeaway and his mother’s stir-fried spaghetti Bolognese, his best friend’s Italian school lunches and the pasta he made from scratch over and over again at Ajò in Rozelle.
Working under Steven Yeomans (ex-Ormeggio) at Il Lago, and Daniel Mulligan (ex-Pilu) at Ajò, Wong was quick to respect Italian cuisine and culture. Appreciation for his own background, though, didn’t come until later. “I wasn’t into my heritage at all as a teenager,” he says. “It wasn’t until I qualified as a chef and moved out, that I started missing home.”
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
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Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
From personal experience
Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.
Kimberley Moulton
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.
Tom Wallace
We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.
Best in class
The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)
A taste of refuge
Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.
BE OUR GUEST
Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation
Barcelona BUZZ
A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.
HEATHCOTE BOUND
MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.
The art of...relishing restaurants
Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner
HEART AND SOUL
Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.
