Magill revamp spells end game for top chef Jock Zonfrillo
What's happened to the beautiful relationship between Penfolds Magill Estate and head chef Jock Zonfrillo? One minute Penfolds' PR people are pressing the flesh with national media, telling the story of an innovative direction for the premium Adelaide restaurant when it reopens this year after at least 18 months under redevelopment; next minute, Zonfrillo is gone.
Jock Zonfrillo at the old Chapman's Smallgoods Factory, Nairne.
It's a strange turn of events, because Zonfrillo, a Scot who worked in London for both Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay, joined the high-end restaurant in October 2010, impressing those who ate there, but when Penfolds closed Magill at the end of 2011 for the revamp, the chef was kept on the payroll. He has been closely involved with planning changes to dining room and kitchen. "The end game is that Magill will be a world-class restaurant," he told Adelaide Now at the time. "I want it to be one of the restaurants you must go to if you're coming to Australia. Why shouldn't it be?" But after 15 months of Zonfrillo not actually cooking food to sell but spending time with indigenous communities researching food and travelling the world ... Penfolds last week announced it was looking for a new chef
For "contractual reasons", Zonfrillo told us, "I can't speak on the record until April 23." Other than to tell us he is involved in "discussions regarding a few exciting new culinary projects". And to indicate in writing that the Penfolds press statement was wide of the mark. "Following recent discussions on the redevelopment and future direction of the Magill Estate restaurant, we both agreed that it would be best if Jock pursued his culinary dreams at another establishment. We are confident that this is the right decision, and in the best long-term interests of Jock, Penfolds and the Magill Estate restaurant," said Penfolds Simon Marton. "At least (my statement) is truthful," said Zonfrillo, "which is more than I can say for their official press release."
In Melbourne's sommelier merry-go-round, Jackson Watson has left Taxi and headed up - literally - to Vue de Monde, where he replaces Rocco Esposito (First Bite, March 12), who has tree-changed to All Saints vineyard as hospitality manager. Watson has the requisite London experience (at Chez Bruce) and a lot of respect in the industry. His big shoes have been filled by Vicki Brewer, a Taxi veteran of five years, having assisted both Lincoln Riley and his successor Watson.
In Sydney, Frenchman Guillaume Brahimi has given the position of group head sommelier - across Melbourne, Perth and Sydney - to a former sommelier of the year award winner, Chris Morrison, back in the restaurant business after five years with multinational wine corporation Pernod Ricard. Does this mean Jacob's Creek on the Bennelong wine list? Unlikely, but you never know. It's a new position. Over at Teage Ezard's Black at the Star, former Glass Brasserie sommelier Kim Bickley has taken over the decanters.
In Brisbane, there's movement at the station at French-Vietnamese Libertine, where head chef Grant Skinner has exited the kitchen to be replaced by his second in command, Kirin Bingham. Proprietor Andrew Baturo (who also has Popolo, at South Bank) confirmed last week he's talking to one of the city's best-known chefs, Kym Machin, about consulting on some kind of Asian street food project. "To have the injection of someone of Kym's calibre into the business would be pretty exciting," said Baturo. He also confirmed that, with partners in the music events business, he's about to sign a lease in the city for a new bar within an old NAB bank building. He's just back from an American inspiration-seeking trip.
Two recent openings in Perth at very different ends of the spectrum ... In the city, the people with the Australian Jamie's Italian franchise have opened the doors to the second operation Down Under (the first in Sydney has been a success from day one). Apparently JI Perth, under head chef Lorenzo Schiaffini, employs 100 staff. Over in Inglewood, at an up-and-coming Beaufort Street address, Iain Lawless (ex-Kitsch) has launched Miss Kitty's Saloon to what he describes in his almost impenetrable Glaswegian brogue as "a huge response". The meaty, beery Miss Kitty's has been doing "more than 100 every night", Lawless told us. The restaurateur/caterer has just received a liquor licence for his next project, a Frenchish small bar, Wee (First Bite, November 6) in Leederville. He reckons on a June launch.
Source: The Australian, 2 April 2013
