Serge Dansereau - Interview - The Bathers Pavilion

Food epiphany? I started washing dishes in a large hotel kitchen and saw the work from the very skilled Swiss "chef saucier" - he was making this amazing sauce for the restaurant. I thought it was such an exotic and creative job.

Kitchen Hero? The deceased French baker, Lionnel Poilane. He was an extraordinary person who could inspire anyone to develop an intimate respect for tradition and a love for crafting great bread. His shop in Paris on the Rue Cherche-Midi is a testament of his dedication to preserving real bread.

First job in food? I was 16 and working as a "plongeur" (a pot washer) in a hotel kitchen near where I lived in Montreal. One day the head chef put me in a uniform complete with a chef hat and told me that
I was going to slice the roast beef behind the huge buffet for the night. At the end of the evening I was hooked - I enrolled in cooking school a few months later.

Most overrated ingredient? Truffle oil of course, because it's made synthetically and doesn't contain truffles.

Favourite Sydney supplier? Simon Johnson - not only because he is a true friend but also because his range of food products is so inspiring.

Favourite Sydney cheap eat? For amazing value I go to DeVine at the corner of Clarence and Markets Streets in the City.  It is the closest we have in Sydney to a European wine bar and they do unpretentious, delicious food in a vibrant space

Guilty pleasure? Foie gras, foie gras and more foie gras.

Indispensable kitchen tool? At the moment, I am very big on my copper pots - it's a true joy to cook with them.

Food you can't/won't eat? Dried desiccated coconut, so no lamingtons for me, even if you torture me.

Finest food moment? My most pleasurable moment was when I opened Bathers' nearly ten years ago and my three new kitchens suddenly came alive. That sense of satisfaction is still there every day.

Most memorable meal? It takes a bit for me to be blown away, not because I am blasé, but because I tend to admire restraint and simplicity. That said, there is nothing restrained about the Louis XV, the Alain Ducasse restaurant in Monaco, but the style of the food and the treatment of great produce was such that it has got to rate as one of my most memorable meals.

Best food tip for Sydney diners? Restaurant hopping can be fun, but there is a lot to be said about becoming a regular at your favorite restaurant. The level of treatment becomes a bit more personal and your dining experience can only benefit from this.

Advice to the home cook? Have a traditional family meal once a week and get every one involved in doing one recipe each - it's a lot of fun and is very stimulating.

Five ingredients that can conquer the world? West Australian marron, Australian spring lamb, Joe Grilli olive oil, Spanish anchovies, prune and walnut log.

Last supper? Caviar and foie gras and some toast to go with it.

Home cooking? Steamed asparagus with parmesan, home-made chicken pie, braised beef ragoût, my son's fishing trophy... even if it's only big enough to feed one.  

Weirdest thing you've ever eaten? The goanna I cooked in Arnhem Land - that's not a protected species, is it?

Plates... should be antique.

Waiters... should learn French.

Sommeliers... should be women.

Kitchenhands... I was one.

Customers... should come back.

Serge Dansereau is Head Chef at The Bathers Pavilion

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