Through the back door of Al Brown’s beachside bach, a pad for informal living of the good life, New Zealand’s azure waters remind us of Wagonga Inlet.
Leading NZ chef and restauranteur, Al is on his summer break and is chatting to us on video about his journey with partner Wendy to Narooma in May for the 18th Narooma Oyster Festival. Before we can ask what a ‘bach’ is he explains.
“Bachs (pronounced batch) are little humble spots on the river or the lake, sometimes they’re called cribs as well, very informal.”
“Informality is the flag I wave continuously, and with food it’s got to be super delicious and super generous and fun.”
As we talk, he is indeed generous, relaxed and a great story teller and we know his time in the Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstrations is going to be special, for him and for all of you. He’ll arrive in Melbourne mid-way through Rock Oyster Week, driving to Narooma with a few stops for fishing and oysters along the way.
“I love seeing behind the scenes and talking to the producers and learning, and I’m really looking forward to doing the Melbourne to Sydney road trip around the festival.”
As for the festival, while he’ll have to leave NZ’s famous Bluff Oysters behind he’s already dreaming of sashimi, kina custard and oysters in keeping with his ethos and shared of course via our recipe cards.
“Recipes are like culinary love letters, keep passing them on,” he said.
“There’s something lovely about connection through food, and recipes do that.”
Al’s first restaurant after a Culinary Arts Degree in North America was Logan Brown which opened Wellington in 1996. A fine dining icon, it is still revered today. He says he always felt like “the jacket didn’t fit” and 10 years later he handed over the tools and sat down to have a think about what to do next.
“I thought a lot about eating, and where all my good memories came from, and they were always informal situations, like campgrounds and bachs where informality rides free. In campgrounds no one cares what you do, they just care who you are, so there could be a high court judge talking to a freezer worker.”
“So that’s what I try to do with all my hospitality offerings. It’s black, white, gay, straight, fat, skinny, rich and poor, everyone is treated the same and that’s my buzz.”
Al’s hospitality offerings are really a burgeoning empire. After Logan Brown came Depot (2021 Trip Advisor Top 10% Worldwide), Federal Delicatessen (his take on an old-school New York Jewish Delicatessen), Best Ugly Bagels (Montreal style wood-fired bagels) and Tipping Point wines (with benefits going to NZ charities).
There’s a 15 year television career with four seasons of Hunger for the Wild, followed by Coasters, Get Fresh, Dishing Up Australia and Masterchef. There’s seven books (some will be at the festival) coffee, condiments, pantry and cooking equipment.
Al knows a few of our festival friends too, like John Susman, host of our Ultimate Oyster Experiences, Chair of Judges at Sydney Royal Aquaculture Competition and a man who can determine an oyster’s provenance, and often the farmer, by taste and sight alone.
“I love the Sus, he’s an iconic character on both sides of the Tasman,” Al said.
Another is chef Analiese Gregory, a fellow Kiwi now living in Tasmania after trading Michelin stars for foraging and hunting, writing and television (season two of Girl’s Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Cooking Wild will start on SBS in February).
“Analiese was my pastry chef at Logan Brown back in 2000. I’m so proud of her and what she’s done and she deserves all of her success.”
Come the week of April 26, we’ll be sharing Al’s Rock Oyster Week Road Trip to the Festival, in the meantime you can follow his Instagram.
It’s always a full house in the Narooma Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstrations at Narooma Oyster Festival. Recipe cards and tastings are all part of the experience.
Chefs love to visit Narooma to share their favourite recipes and explore the oyster farms and local producers and the audience love learning new things to try at home.
Admission is included in Saturday General Admission Ticket, with dates set for May 2-4, 2025, with Rock Oyster Week beginning on April 26. Tickets on sale from Wednesday, February 5.
Proudly supported by Julian, Liz and the team at Narooma Better Home Living
