Chef Interview: Ollie Drayton / Bracu
What are your favourite Sabato ingredients and why? All the of course!
What's your favourite thing to cook when you're at home? Thai food or a good roast.
What makes this a successful kitchen/you a successful chef? My boss giving me the freedom to do what I want and a good team.
Best advice for someone wanting to get into a kitchen? Go and work a couple of days in a few different kitchens until you find a place you like and learn as much as you can.
What's your guilty pleasure, food-wise? My mum's rice bubble chocolate mousse cake.
Sweet or savoury? I always crave savoury because I'm around sweet all day.
Where have you travelled that has inspired you the most? Barcelona inspired me, I love Thai food, and Spain or England are my favourite places to dine.
Three words that sums up your cooking style? Work in progress.
What's your ultimate comfort food? Shepherd's pie and sticky toffee pudding.
What's your favourite drink? Whisky and ginger.
How has your cooking style evolved over the years? It's becoming lighter and simpler
What's the best thing about NZ food? It is simple and unpretentious
If you could cook a meal for anyone, who would it be and what would you cook? I would cook Frank Sinatra a good fry up with a whisky on the rocks.
If you weren't a chef what would you be doing? Marine biologist or snowboard instructor.
What's your signature dish? Balsamic honey blackberries, earl grey tea milk chocolate mousse and honeycomb, with a blackberry sorbet.
Favourite tool of the trade? My Raplette.
What's your favourite seasonal produce? Rhubarb.
Bracu Restaurant 49 Main Road RD1 Bombay Auckland 2675 Tel (09) 236 1030 view website