Restaurant: kirketon dining room
With his baby face and carefree curls, it’s difficult to imagine Jocelyn Riviere in the high-pressure environment of a metropolitan kitchen. Much easier to picture him on the beaches of his home island Mauritius, where his first food memory is of rice and seafood curries. But do not underestimate the toughness of this gentle looking chef, he earned his stripes under Simon Hokinson at London’s Bibendum, a period he describes as unforgettable and a career highlight. Moving back to Sydney, Riviere learned the importance of professionalism at a string of 5 star hotels, including Sheraton on the Park’s Gecko and Darling Harbour’s Hotel Nikko.
When eating out in Sydney, Riviere always heads to Surry Hills. Being a Francophile, he is a regular at Tabou where he says the staff make him feel right at home. For inspiration he looks to chefs like Allan Ducasse and the Roux brothers, but on his days off he’ll return to the recipes of his childhood, usually making a chicken or fish curry with pickles and rice. His advice to homecooks is to be well organised and to season everything before cooking (especially with freshly ground pepper). And most importantly, to remember that it takes a few tries to get it perfect.
Sarah Theeboom, December 06
Recipe image: Mark Roper