Obviously you’re an advocate for local foods, as you have your own farm. How did you get inspired by lamb from Australia?
As a chef our job is to find the best product, and especially with consistent high quality. While there is some great lamb here in Canada, Australia has the advantage of being able to pasture-raise all year round. That makes for a beautiful, high-quality and consistent product that I can serve with confidence and pride every night. Once I got to try it out and cook with it, I was hooked!
You had the opportunity to see Australian lamb farms first-hand. Any lasting impressions from that trip?
I think the scale is something that’s hard to comprehend until you see it. We’re not talking about 100 acre or even 1000 acre farms…these are 30 square miles. The rotational grazing, natural lifestyle for the animals, and above all the care that goes into it from the pasture to the butchers was outstanding, and so different from what we typically see. This is lamb raised right!
What do you like about being an Aussie Lambassador?
Seeing the support that Australian Lamb provides to chefs is incredible. Hosting events, helping bring the public in, answering questions…helping the chefs feel valued and important. That counts for a lot! These days chefs can buy anything from anywhere…it’s the connection that counts.
What are some of your “go-tos” when creating dishes with lamb? Any favorite dishes?
Racks are obvious, especially in the summer. We’ll do shanks in the winter. I find the shoulder is super versatile – braised and pulled for pastas, or done up latin style for Taco Tuesdays. There is something about the classics though — I remember the first time I enjoyed a glass of red wine as a young cook, it was with a rack of lamb. That pairing is just magic, and can make a taste memory that will last a lifetime.
You did a lamb event out at the farm for Bastille day last year — tell us about that!
We had 10 top chefs from Ontario came to the farm for a day of outdoor cooking. We had Australian lamb saddle, shoulder, chops, legs, shanks, you name it. We had a blast, and then served a group of about 40 at the end of the day. One of the best dishes of the day was a lamb ham a couple of the chefs made with a molasses, maple and cranberry cured lamb leg, finished on the smoker. Almost like a pastrami, it was so good. I still think about about that lamb ham.
Sounds aussome Chef! Can’t wait to see what you and your Lambassador mates cook up next…