Sean Connolly isn't your average chef.
For starters, food is not at the top of his "most important" list when it comes to opening a restaurant.
"Ambiance, staff, lighting, music - all these things come before food," he tells Weekender. And he should know. He oversees The Morrison Bar & Oyster Room in Sydney, The Balcony Bar and Oyster Co. in Byron Bay, Sean's Kitchen in Adelaide, The Bon Pavilion in Gosford, Steak & Co by Sean Connolly West HQ, and QT Hotels in Auckland.
And then there is the list of "Seanisms" on his website. Connolly's words of wisdom. Have a look some time.
Referring to himself as more of a "creative director" than an executive chef, he shares his love of dining "theatre" with diners in different ways.
At the wild flower bar and dining, enviably located at the stunning Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel an hour or so south of Newcastle, Connolly is writing a new script. He's reinventing the restaurant without tinkering with the "charm" of Bells, he says, and being respectful of its brand.
"It's got its own style," he says.
"Owner Karina Barry and Mark Patrick, the designer, took all the tablecloths off and changed the chandeliers to weaved baskets and it's made it a little more casual. But with making it more casual, I thought we had to give some sense of theatre back to the restaurant. One of my big passions is table-side cooking, so we do that with steak tartare, a tossed salad and dessert, and the cracking salt-crusted fish."
Weekender dined at wild flower recently and enjoyed the scampi crudo with lime, chilli and olive oil; the vegetable fritto misto with salted egg yolk and aioli; and the seafood bouillabaisse. Everything was fresh and flavoursome and explained in detail by staff. The choice was a difficult one. Every item on the menu tempted the tastebuds.
"With our menu we're looking to the great restaurants of the Mediterranean where they just do simple food well," Connolly explains.
"It's what we don't do to a dish rather than what we do do. We don't overwork it. We let the ingredients speak for themselves."
Another of his preferences is communal dining. Conversation and laughter was a constant at wild flower when we visited. The space was warm and welcoming and fun - as were the staff.
"In the past there has been too much focus on the art of cooking, I think, and how pretty chefs can make it all look on the plate," Connolly says.
"My art is about minimalism. Standing back and saying 'That's perfect, we don't have to do anything else with that dish'. Food is about bringing people together, I firmly believe that. It's not all about putting the chef and the plate on a pedestal. Yes, it's great to have beautiful food that makes your knees go weak but at the same time it's part of a story. It's one piece of the puzzle, you know? It's all part of the experience."
Connolly and his team are going to sit down "any day now" to talk about adding some warmer dishes to the menu as the weather cools but it won't be a complete reinvention. Again, he's keeping things simple.
"We won't go mad. We're still creating the brand so there are signature dishes that will stay, trolley service will stay and some warm winter dishes will be put on," he explains.
"We'll still be cooking lots of seafood and fish from the local waters and peninsula. Vegetables from our garden. We're doing a lot of specials at the moment, too, plates of the day like duck confit, ox tail ragout, all kinds of things."
Now, about those "Seanisms"? "No one else thinks like me and I'm happy about that. I dare to be different," he replies, laughing.
The accommodation
Bells at Killcare is a five-star boutique resort on arguably the prettiest stretch of the Central Coast, surrounded by Bouddi National Park and close to a rugged beach and the picturesque Hardys Bay. Each of the 25 cottages and suites on the manicured grounds combine coastal tones with Hamptons elegance. Ours overlooked a lake and had every convenience covered - including space in the fridge to stand up a champagne bottle with a stopper. That's important. While you're there, check out the 500-square-metre kitchen garden complete with orchard, bee-hives and free-range hens, and stock up on savouries for a platter in the larder near reception.
The writer was a guest of Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant & Spa
