10 Year Anniversary

Thursday the 22nd is a special day on the calendar for me.

This year it marks the 10th Anniversary at the helm of the Wild Oak.

In this Business you are 87% likely to fail within the first 12 months. Of the 13% that don't, they are over 90% likely to fail within the following 5 years.  True my high school teachers did say I was an underachiever.

Now for those of you that have been around long enough you would know that the "Wild Oak Cafe" was born in 1994 by Gary Cooper and his then wife Sonia and named after the wild sown oak trees that sit behind the restaurant. Janette and Doug Greenall piloted the ship for 6 years after that, and by chance I had the good fortune they hired me. The rest as they say is history.

As I look back at the last 10 years I would like to extend a thankyou that goes beyond words to everyone that has dined here over that time. Maybe you had a light lunch or maybe it was a lavish birthday celebration, you have all been quintessential making up the fabric that has become our Wild Oak. I would also like to extend a very hearty thankyou to all of our staff over this time, whether you scrubbed the dishes, swanned across the floor or worked the pans you have been invaluable and have also been the fuel that drives me quite daily.

Over these 10 years the Wild Oak has been fortunate to play host to soo many happy memories for soo many people, combined with our off site catering we have catered nearly a thousand weddings, in excess  of 10,000 birthdays, Anniversaries, naming ceremonies, graduations, first dates, last dates, 10 valentines days, mothers days, fathers days, New Years Eve drinks and I daresay how many dirty weekends in the hills :)

Because of your support we have been enabled to support our community here donating products, cash and hosting fundraisers that have been in excess of $100,000.00 for everything from Limbs to life, heart kids, black Saturday appeal, palliative care, legacy, cancer fundraisers, local schools, kinda, football clubs, cricket clubs, playgroups, scout groups, book fairs, church fetes and more. We are only as strong as the community we exist in and for this we are lucky to be as strong as the mountain ash that tower above us all. Thankyou.

For me personally I have had the ability to cook 3 times for the prime minister, formula 1 legends, Moto GP legends, Premiers,  govt ministers, MP's, TV stars big and small. I have had the opportunity to cook feature dinners in locations like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Laos, Bangkok, Hanoi.
I have had the opportunity to cook onstage at good food and wine shows, fine food shows, food and wine festivals here and there, TV appearances, Splash magazine and newspaper pages here and there, I have been fortunate to consult to many food companies and share my passion and indeed been lucky enough to be Head Chef of the recent Canberra 100 dinner for 4500 people by the shores of lake Burley Griffin, the biggest of it kind ever held. I have had the opportunity to be a national consultant and trainer for MLA working many times with Sam Kekovich and many others on meaty projects here and there. I have had the opportunity to open the first dedicated cooking school space within the region and sharing great recipes and laughs with hundred of great people along the way.

The most rewarding part of being in the hospitality buisness is to comfort of seeing people happy, yes its true some people are impossible to please, and some are just a pain in the arse, but we do like a challenge also :) it is richly rewarding to see the instant gratification when someone has had a great night out with a loved one, and we take seriously the responsibility of being the guardians of this.

Secondly to this it is a great thing to be able to play a key part in lives of our young team members. Some kicking off their very first jobs, some starting their career, others putting themselves through uni or tafe. Of the 15 apprentices we have been involved in training 2 have been finalists in the most illustrious apprentice award in the country, 1 of them winning it. Two others owns their own cafe- restaurants, many have travelled and worked overseas, one has even cooked for the queen. and some do not even work in restaurants now at all. Of all the staff we have had I am proud of you all and thankyou for your part in my dream.

In restaurants the average working hours are nothing short of ridiculous, the profits are often non existent, service periods hot and hostile, the pace is frantic, the effects on your social life, sport, recreation, family and relationships diabolical. Still I wouldn't change the last Ten years for anything.

Specials thanks must also go to family members whose unwavering support has been crucial, you all know who you are and how much it is appreciated.

of course it would be remiss of me not to mention at this time the never ending, and unquestioning support of my fantastic albeit unwilling parents Rob and Glenys.

And we would not be able to achieve what do day to day without our magnificent team here at the moment headed by David Dos Santos comprising Stuart, Bryce, Tom, Lachie, Jay, Cassy, Helen, Nick and Sarah whom you will no doubt see regularly in and about the Oak.

Lastly but definitely not least it would be despicable not to acknowledge the unwavering support and guidance from my lovely wife Jilly whom in the past half decade has added with what can only be described as her natural essence of hospitality, special thanks.

On behalf of myself and our team here...

Thankyou
Ben

   Our Opening Team 2003 

Mothers Day

Carbonara recipe as promised

Carbonara

Ingredients

•             1 cup chopped parsley 

•             1brown onion sliced

•             1 clove garlic crushed

•             2 rashers streaky bacon or spec

•             2 eggs beaten 

•             ½ cup parmisan or pecorino cheese

•             ½ cup chicken stock or pasta water

                                               

Method

•             Sauté onion and garlic until translucent

•             Add bacon and saute trying not to get too much colour

•             Add liquid and bring to simmer

•             Add your pasta of choice and toss thoroughly

•             Remove from heat, and add parsley, salt, pepper egg and cheese

•             Mix thoroughly and serve

Hollick Wine Dinner at Wild Oak

Join us at Wild Oak on Friday April 19th at 7 pm for a night of fine wines and great food.  You will be enjoying wines from 2years old to 28 years old.  Ian and Ben have got together to make sure the food and wines marry together seamlessly to make it a truly memorable night.  Ian Hollick will be there on the night to tell you more about the wines and the secret behind the door that makes him one of the leading wine makers in the Coonawarra.

Recipes Recipes Recipes

Ok well after many rquests from Todays crowd here they are. My recipes from Knox festival Demos today. Ok for some reason the formatting is going beserk :( drop me an email and i will email you back the recipes French Bean Cassoulet Ingredients • Smoked chicken breast 500g sliced • 1 lge brown onion sliced • 2 cloves garlic chopped • Drizzle truffle oil 3 chorizo sausage sliced • 500g cannelloni beans • Garden fresh herbs of your choice • Tobasco to taste • Crushed tomato Method • Add all ingredients to a large cast iron French oven or pot. • Cook very slowly as low as possible • And serve with spuds or rice Steam Barramundi with crisp greens and sweet chilli lime drizzle Ingredients 2 portions Wild Barramundi Fillets 500g of in season greens (bok choy, choi sum, broccolini or other favourites) 1 Lime 1 table spoon Sweet chilli sauce 1 tsp Fish sauce Method Use a bamboo steamer place greens into basket Place the fillets on top of this in a separate basket and place lid on Place over a wok or pot of boiling water Steam for approx. 10-15 mins Orricette Puttanesca sauce Recipe • 1onion • Capers to taste • Olives to taste • Anchovy’s to taste • 2 cloves garlic • 1 can crushed tomatoes • 1 table spoon of tomato paste • Extra virgin olive oil • Sea salt flakes • Cracked black pepper • 500g Orricette or penne pasta Method Blanch off pasta and set aside, Sauté onion and garlic until lightly browned Add all other ingredients and a little of your pasta cooking water Flavour with herbs of your choice and serve with fresh pasta and Parmigianino Chicken Breasts in French Peppercorn Sauce (Serves 4) Ingredients - 2 whole chicken breasts (skin removed) - 90g butter - 3 spring onions chopped - 55g canned French Green peppercorns - 2/3 cup dry white wine - 1 tablespoon lemon juice - 1 full teaspoon Dijon mustard - ½ cup thickened cream Cut chicken breasts into thin escalopes. Melt half the butter in a heavy pan and sauté the chicken until cooked through (but not overcooked), remove and keep warm. Cook spring onions until soft, then set aside with the chicken. Add peppercorns in their liquid and the wine and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the wine is reduced. Add the rest of the butter, lemon juice and mustard and mix well. Boil gently for 2 minutes, add cream and mix well. Return the chicken and spring onions to warm through in the sauce. Serve with rice.

Knox Festival MAsterchef Kitchen

Wild Oak COoking School is once again proud to sponsor the Knox Festival Demo kitchen this weekend. If your looking for something fun and exciting to do be sure to pop on down to Wally Tew reserve just behind Woolworths. Where you can see great food demonstrations all day with such Talent as yours truly, and our consultant Asian specialist Lillie Giang, there is loads of other things to do also so get on your bike. Ben

Spanish

Spanish Fiesta, thurs 28th. Its here again, some seats left for a night of great wine, dance fantastic food and more. If you miss this one be sure to look out for our next Spanish Night in April / May

Valentines Day, Thurs the 14th Feb. Get in quickly! need I say more this is one of the busiest dates of the year and you do not want to miss out on a table. Here is the menu, Entrée Freshly shucked tasmanian pacific oysters with cucumber vinagrette GF DF Fresh victorian bay mussels, cooked in champagne with fresh herbs ginger and garlic GF Yarra Valley Heirloom tomato tarte Tartin with yarra valley goats cheese and apple balsamic V Cream of exotic mushroom and potato soup GF DF Duck liver pate with homemade relish and toasted sourdough bread Mains Moroccan stuffed chicken with harissa vegetables and spiced yoghurt GF DF Tasmanian salmon fillet with minted snowpea salad and lime hollandaise sauce GF Slow roasted pork belly with caramelised apple and cider jus GF DF Sous vide wagyu beef with with potatoe puree and rich mushroom jus GF DF Our Risotto of exotic mushrooms, finished with truffle oil, yarra valley goats cheese and Italian parmesan V DFM Dessert Our “bombe Alaska” vanilla pod ice-cream, raspberry and warm toasted meringue Coverture chocolate tart with double thick cream and raspberry coulis Lovers Share Plate V Sorbets, our in house homemade fruit sorbets DF V GF Individual cheese plate with homemade lavosh house made quince paste and figs $85pp includes a choice from all of the 3 courses a la carte includes a glass of French Bubbles also.