FOURty Seconds with Robin Wickens

15 Jul 2016
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< 1 min read
Robin is the executive chef at The Royal Mail Hotel in in Dunkeld Australia. Hailing from Southampton originally, after migrating to Australia he was awarded Best New Talent in 2005, by Australian Gourmet Traveller. In September 2013 Robin made the move to Dunkeld and the role of Executive Chef at the Royal Mail Hotel, earning another “2 Hat” rating for the restaurant.

Did your time you cooked back in the UK and at your other restaurants in Australia give you inspiration into the way you cook now?

We are always looking for inspiration, wether it be from past restaurants, reinventing old dishes etc. we use a lot of ideas from past memories, dishes based around childhood sweets and cakes etc.

Do you have some favorite ingredients from Australia that you are particularly excited about?

Wild mushroom season is about to start so we will be out foraging for mushrooms for the next few months.

What are you most excited about on the menu right now?

Our tomatoes at the moment are amazing, also our new petit four is very exciting, an edible pot plant!

How would you describe the style of food you serve at The Royal Mail?

Modern cuisine,based around our garden and farming project.

If not a chef, what else would you be doing right now?

Sleeping.

If you could take a plane ride to anywhere in the world, just for one meal, where would it be and why?

Either L’enclume, Lake District, or New York for Dan barbers Blue Hill Farm. Both restaurants are leading the way in the idea of being a self-sufficient restaurant, a direction we are heading in at the Royal Mail.

What do enjoy cooking on your day off?

Bread and cakes.

Favorite cheap eat?

Sushi and nori rolls

The Royal Mail Hotel

98 Parker Street

Dunkeld Victoria 3294

Australia

royalmail.com.au