Next-level cooking with flames at the workshop kitchen, tamworth
The Workshop Kitchen at Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges is on a mission to bring a whole new world of wood-fired cooking to Australian culture – and there’s one man leading the way.
Photography credit: Aaron Hofman
@herd.media
When Nader Shayeb finished high school, he had no idea what he wanted to do next. He tried six different careers in a six-month period. Nothing stuck. That was until he secured the position of apprentice under renowned Irish-born chef Darren Simpson at Sydney’s Aqua Luna Bar and Restaurant.
This was it.
The heat, the intensity, the adrenaline rush of service. The opportunity to build on his love of food, educate himself in the expansive world of cuisine and different cultures.
Nader Shayeb was addicted – and has remained so for the past 25 years.
But there’s one particular style of cooking he’s drawn to more than most, and it all began one afternoon in his mum’s lounge room, while he sat watching TV.
Man Fire Food
The program playing that fateful day was called Man Fire Food, a cooking show presented by chef Roger Mooking that features the inventive ways Americans cook with fire – from small campfires to creative, custom-made grills and smokers.
“I turned to mum and said: ‘This is my future’. From that moment on I was hungry to learn everything there is to know about how barbeque is used in different cultures,” says Nader.
He bought books. His wife bought books. Books that took him from South America to North America, across Europe and into Asia, with a detour in Mexico. He researched recipes and tested new flavours while his wife looked on, supporting his passion and caring for their children – something Nader is hugely thankful for.
With her support, Nader had the space to discover just how big, deep and wide the world of barbeque is – but spend five minutes with him and you can see it’s fuelling. It lights him up and ignites a fire in his belly for his role as Corporate Executive Head Chef for The Workshop Kitchen at Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges.
“The Powerhouse has given me the opportunity to really explore and honour that style of cooking, and show people just how sensational the flavours can be by using different barbeques to create the dishes on our menu.”
To do that, the man needs the right tools. Thankfully, The Workshop Kitchen is now armed with an Argentine Parrilla Grill, two small portable barbeques, two cabinet smokers and a rotisserie. Because options are crucial.
“The two small barbeques sit on each side of the kitchen,” says Nader. “We use them for our entrees, like the quail in tamarind and fish sauce and the coriander seed-crusted fish.
“The smokers live out the back – one is a cabinet smoker for lower temperature products like sausages, yoghurt or butters, and the second one is for our Texan-style short ribs. They need a slow-cooking style to achieve great texture.
“Then there’s the rotisserie-style barbeque that can also be a grill or smoker. We use that for special occasions, like a wedding that might call for a big joint of meat cooked over the fire for a long period of time.”
That’s a whole lot of cooking with flames in all its forms. But it’s the Argentine Parrilla that will catch your eye first – it sits in the heart of The Workshop Kitchen, no doubt drawing the diner’s gaze on a daily basis. It’s a thing of beauty, and not something you can snap up at Barbeques Galore.
“That was made here in Tamworth by Douglas Engineering,” adds Nader. “I said if we really want to hone our skills for grilling steak, we need the kind of equipment the big players are using. So we showed them the specs, Powerhouse owner Greg Maguire briefed them in and the end result is amazing.”
He’s right. It’s impressive. It also means Nader and his team can raise the grills up and down, allowing them to adjust the temperature according to what’s happening with the flames. The real benefit here is being able to lift an entire pork neck or leg of lamb, suspend it above the flames and cook it slowly for up to three hours. It’s a method that truly honours Chinese and South American barbecue traditions and is something Nader is incredibly proud to offer his guests.
“You create such a different level of flavour when you cook meat that way, the smokiness comes through and by the time it reaches your plate, it should be like cutting through butter – of course, the quality of the meat plays a huge role in achieving that end result too.”
Photography credit: Aaron Hofman
@herd.media
Enter Jack’s Creek Beef
The Workshop Kitchen is all about serving the best – and thankfully, Jack’s Creek Beef offers Nader access to a whole range of cuts of meat with a high marble score. We’re talking about your classic ribeye, scotch and sirloin, as well as less common cuts like skirt, flank and chuck.
“We’re known for our Jack’s Creek steaks, and rightly so – they’re beautiful. We cook them on the wood-fired grill, resting gently on the open bars so the flames can pass through,” says Nader. “The steaks take on the flavour and aroma of the smoke thanks to that high marble score – it’s like making perfume.
“When cooking our steaks, we don’t use gas or electricity. We light our wood-fired grills and ovens with local ironbark or yellow box to create embers which are used to enhance the smoked flavour and characteristics of the meat.
“As for those less common cuts, your standard butcher would usually turn that all to mince. But in a high marble score cow made for that purpose, these cuts are praised in places like South America, Japan and Korea because they’re perfect for barbeque. So I’ve created dishes especially for these cuts, not only to introduce sensational flavours to our own Australian culture, but because it also means there’s no waste – we’re using all of the beast,” says Nader.
The result is a Zabuton cut cooked tataki style over the fire, thinly sliced with a shio koji dressing and a ginger vinaigrette, nashi pear and caramelised onion. Then come the hot links, house-made smoked Jack’s Creek Beef sausage using up the trim and served at breakfast alongside scrambled eggs or mac and cheese created with Belton Farm Red Leicester at lunch. They are flavour sensations and just one small portion of what Nader and his team deliver on a daily basis.
Then there’s the dry ager… another remarkable piece of kit that sits front of stage in Nader’s kitchen. The glass cabinet houses various cuts of meat, hung by chains so the weight of the product pulls the meat down, stretches it out and tenderises it. Referred to as ‘dry ageing’, the technique sees all moisture leave the product, leading it to shrink and create a highly concentrated flavour in the meat.
“It’s another way to ensure none of the beast is wasted, while also creating these incredible flavour profiles for our grass-fed beef,” adds Nader. “It’s a huge process, but the taste and texture experience is remarkable and it’s something more people are asking for – so we’re thrilled to be able to serve it here, alongside the rest of our beautiful menu.”
It’s a feast for the senses, the kitchen, the menu, the chef at the helm and the flavours that unfurl from the flames. We just have two things left to say: boy are we glad Nader Shayeb stuck with his seventh career choice, and make a reservation at The Workshop Kitchen pronto.
Smoking hot menu
Nader Shayeb has a fire in his belly and just about everywhere else in The Workshop’s open kitchen. With an authentic passion for local ingredients sourced from nearby producers, Nader’s heartfelt menus roll with the seasons. He leads a formidable kitchen team with food that is polished, thoughtful and focused on provenance.
The Workshop Kitchen
248 Armidale Road, East Tamworth
(02) 6766 7000
Website
@powerhousetamworth
