From Hell's Kitchen to Wareing's parlour

Australia's most-popular food blogger Not Quite Nigella, aka Lorraine Elliott, sits down for a private lunch with two-Michelin star chef Marcus Wareing

It's funny how life changes. Two years ago I dined at Marcus Wareing's Petrus restaurant (back when he and Gordon Ramsay were business partners) and we had a fantastic meal where every single little course, including the amuses and in between courses sparkled. It was a meal we remembered well because there wasn't a single jarring note. We got on the plane back to Australia thinking that it was a lovely memory. Fast forward two years and I find myself the lucky beneficiary of an invitation to a Private Lunch with Marcus Wareing from the lovely people at Visit Britain. Marcus Wareing was of course visiting here as part of the Sydney International Food Festival.

We take a seat in the private dining room of the Four in Hand Dining Room and we are given our first taste of the day, an amuse bouche. Looks are deceptive. Resembling a carrot or pumpkin soup this elegant little demitasse of fish soup with citrus is deliciously rewarding, given depth with the fish stock and an accent with the citrus flavour.

I have to admit that the smear wasn't perhaps the most fetching feature on the plate but underneath the long shreds of pickled cucumber were some delectable sashimi pieces of bonito fish and tuna. I see bonito popping up more on menus nowadays and it's a lovely, mild flavoured fish. The snow is the tangy green granita in the centre and there are also slices of raw cauliflower and radish. It's more a sashimi salad and I'm a bit perplexed by the green smear as it has a very mild taste.

I take some photos and then look up and see Marcus watching and smiling. "Are you the actual Not Quite Nigella?” Marcus asks me across the table. He tells us of how he used to ban food bloggers from taking photos until his staff convinced him otherwise. "I'm old fashioned” he says and shows us that he has a phone that is just a phone "and I may sometimes text” he says. His main objection to food blogging is people writing awful things and taking poor quality photographs.

Daisy next to me is a vegetarian and Marcus says that he loves vegetarians. Pardon me? I almost have to ask. Many chefs are known (notoriously Gordon Ramsay who told people he'd like to throw them out of a plane) for disliking vegetarians but Marcus tells us that they have a special vegetarian degustation and want to give them the same quality of meal as an omnivore.

"Ginger beer jelly?” I say out loud. On the right is a crispy deep fried pig's ear which is fantastic (and I know you're going to ask, it doesn't taste "ear-y”). I do love corn and this roast corn and crab salad is generously portioned with sweet pieces of crab meat. As for the ginger beer jelly, I like it in small amounts but it's tangy and sweet and quite strong and it is surrounded by a mayonnaise type of sauce.

In just what has to be the most feast-like presentation, the slow cooked shoulder of lamb sits in the centre of the table to be shared between 3-4 people. It's served with a variety of Dutch carrots in fetching shades of yellow, purple and orange and battered white anchovies. It is also served with what has to be one of the best mashed potatoes I've had – they're silky smooth and creamy and covered in a blanket of herbs. Chef Colin Fassnidge is Irish and at the risk of culturally profiling someone, he definitely has a way with potatoes!

And what might be the other way? Well it is the lamb cutlet in a light broth and vegetables which include carrots, broad beans, fennel and white turnip tops as well as shreds of the slow cooked shoulder. The lamb is juicy and tender but out of the two, the slow roasted meat is my pick and I go back for more.

A very pretty picture, this dish is made up of fresh and poached strawberries, tapioca balls, herbs with a most unusual sorbet – Besace Affine is a goat's cheese and yes this is a goat's cheese sorbet! The herbs and goat's cheese sorbet lend it a savoury flavour. I found I preferred this dish with just a touch of the sorbet.

I also got a chance to interview Marcus and have some burning questions answered by the two Michelin star chef. It was originally scheduled to be a face-to-face interview but as he was concerned about his SIFF dinners, all interviews were cancelled and as a result, it needed to be done by email once he returned to the UK.

NQN: This is your first time to Australia. What do you think of it and the food scene here and how does it differ from the UK? Where have you eaten?

Marcus Wareing: I find the food scene here very diverse; given the Asian influences which are not as prominent in the UK. It adds a great amount of freshness and interest to the food offerings available. The UK has greater influence from Europe so you see more of the Italian, French and Spanish cuisines present.

This is an abridged version of the original blog post. To read on click here.