eatdrink.com.au are grateful that Paul Bowell was able to take some time to share his Recipe For Success. Paul is the Head Chef of Tamarind Restaurant at the Pullman Casino, Cairns.

Why did you become a chef/restaurateur?
Ever since I was teenager, I wanted to cook. I would help mum with dinner on the weekend and when I got the opportunity to start my apprenticeship at age 16 I jumped at the chance.

Proudest achievement?
Maintaining the reputation and high standards that have been set at Tamarind. Managing to win both the Queensland Restaurant Caterer’s Association award for Best Fine Dining in North Queensland and the Queensland Hotel’s Association’s state award for Prestige Restaurant again for this year after many years of award winning success.

Biggest stuff-up?
There are probably too many to name but with every mistake comes the opportunity to learn.

Favourite place to eat/drink and why? ?
I really respect any venue that shows great passion for the whole dining experience especially those that incorporate our fabulous local produce with skill. In Cairns The Water Bar and Grill and Ochre are great places, good food and service all the time. Port Douglas has a great food scene with The Living Room and Salsa Bar. Nu Nus and The Reef House at Palm Cove are all great too.

What keeps you going?
Always knowing that I can improve as a chef and that the Restaurant can always get better. If I’m not improving a dish or a recipe then I’m coming up with new menus to make Tamarinds an even better dining experience. We are trying to add little touches so the meal becomes a memorable night out, not just dinner.

Advice to the next generation?
Don’t ‘talk’ better – be better! Be willing to work hard and put the hours in. Try to learn all the time, ask lots of questions, get out and see what the industry is doing around you.

Favourite tool in the kitchen?
The phone: it keeps me in constant contact with suppliers, regular customers and industry colleagues. It’s important to stay connected. Also although it sounds simple good sharp sets of knives are invaluable, also a convection oven makes things easy and lets you do different things.

A cookbook/resource you can’t live without?
There are two, David Thompson’s Thai Food and Ferran Adria’s A day at elBulli, not so much a cook book but it is inspiring to see how the best restaurant in the world operates.

Early influence?
Neil Perry, his Asian influenced cooking made a real impression on me. Also George Calombaris and Manu, it’s inspiring to see two young grounded chefs be successful.

What career would you have followed if you didn’t make it succeed?
Entertainer – unfortunately I can’t sing or act! Luckily for everyone things seemed to have worked out for me as a chef! I never wanted to do anything else.

Business

What is your philosophy for success?
There is no secret to success – work hard, be consistent with great food match with great service. Knowing your customers and listening to them. Not over complicating things.

List your favourite suppliers/distributors and why?
Gallo Dairyland, a local cheese maker, I enjoy being able to go and see where the cheese is made and witness the process of making this top quality product.

Best business tip you were ever given?
Always keep your mistakes in the kitchen and never get complacent; you are only as good as you last service or the last meal you sent out.

What keeps your customers coming back?
We strive for consistency at all times. We make sure that the high standards of Tamarind are met every day and also look for ways to improve. We endeavour to create a personal relationship with our customers through interaction with our experienced long term wait staff and me hosting monthly food and wine tastings.

Trends

Favourite ingredient/s and why?
Living in north Queensland you can’t go past the great fresh seafood such as baby barramundi, also I love using all the aromatics in Asian food such as lemongrass Kaffir lime leaves, galangal and of course chillies.

What’s in and why?
Different textured purees and sauces are in along with incorporating drinks in to the menu such as our grape and lemongrass oyster shooter.

What’s out and why?
Foams, I never liked them. When they are not executed properly they look terrible.

Industry

What would you like to see more of in this industry and why?
The ability to employ and retain good chefs in regional centres. Working outside a Capital city the employment of good chefs is getting harder. I would like to see more training initiatives in regional towns such as Cairns. Also professional wait staff: there are too few around. In Australia our great fresh produce and skilled kitchens are not often matched by excellence in service as too few people see food service as a legitimate career as they do in place like Europe

What would you like to see less of and change about our industry and why?
The decrease in some restaurant service standards, the public deserve better and should demand it. It is very easy and too common for cashed up individuals to create amazingly interior designed restaurant venues that are let down by average kitchen and front of house service. Investments in design must be matched be equal investments in quality staff. Too many restaurants don’t get that balance right.

Recipe –

Penang duck leg with caramelized pumpkin

Ingredients

8 Duck marylands
½ Jap pumpkin peeled and roasted
2 Banana chillis
150g dark palm sugar
300ml water
Roasted peanuts Basil, long red chilli, Kaffir lime leaf, coriander – (for garnish)
Penang Paste
320gm. Red onion
190g. Roasted peanuts
90g. lemongrass
55g. coriander root
30g.dried long red chilli (soaked)
30g.garlic cloves
30g. fish sauce
20g. white pepper ground
20g. Kaffir lime leaves
20g. shrimp paste (roasted)
15g. salt

Method
Chop up onion. Lemongrass, dried chilli and coriander root and place with rest of ingredients. Place in food processor and blitz to a fine paste.

Penang Sauce
500g Penang paste
350g Dark palm sugar, shaved
150ml Fish sauce
3L Coconut milk
Oil or duck fat, for frying

Method
Fry paste in oil over low heat until fragrant. Add sugar and caramelise then add fish sauce, coconut milk and bring to the boil then simmer 5 minutes

Chicken Master Stock
2 ltr Chicken stock
1 cup Shaoxing Wine
125 ml Light Soy
75 ml Dark Soy
100g Rock Sugar
2 pieces Tangerine Peel
2 pieces Cassia Bark
4 pieces Star Anise
1 nob Ginger
2 Chopped Clove Garlic

Method
Bring all ingredients to the boil, simmer for 1 hour. Strain

Method
Place duck marylands in a deep tray and cover with boiling chicken master stock, place foil on the tray and into a oven set at 160 for 1 ½ hours.

When cooked remove from stock and cool

Place duck legs and banana chilli cut in ½ and seeds removed into a oven proof dish with Penang sauce and bring to the boil, when boiling move to the oven and cook for 8 minutes at 200 deg.

While in the oven in another pot place palm sugar and water and bring to the boil, then place pre roster pumpkin and simmer for 5 minutes.

When duck is ready remove pumpkin from sugar and place in with duck and Penang sauce then add picked basil kaffir lime leaf and ½ long red chilli with seeds removed.

Serve in a flat bowl and garnish with roasted peanuts and coriander.