Dine Out: Isobel Whelan-Little x Old Palm Liquor

Even in the world of high-end cheffing, cooking over naked flames is a particular skill. It’s one that Sydney-based chef Isobel Whelan-Little mastered as part of the opening team at famed London restaurant Brat, which holds a Michelin star. Back in Sydney she ran the kitchen at LP’s Quality Meats and now holds the role of culinary director at the ever-cool Ace Hotel, which includes overseeing in-house restaurant Kiln and its wood-burning hearth.

For Broadsheet’s second Dine Out festival, presented by Doordash, Whelan-Little is heading south to cook a collaborative dinner with another fire master: Old Palm Liquor’s co-owner Almay Jordaan. Jordaan designed the kitchen’s grill, which is halfway between an Argentinean parrilla and the more rudimentary, charcoal-powered braais she grew up with in South Africa.

Together the duo will prepare a genre-bending, fire-kissed four-course dinner, starting with Old Palm’s famous wood-fired flatbread with toum and its coconut-creamed lentils with tomato and curry leaf. The restaurant’s full, impressive wine list will be available on the night. Please note, dietary requirements cannot be accommodated due to the menu’s set nature.

MENU

Start
Coconut creamed lentils, tomato, curry leaf, cracker
Confit potato, pickled mussels, classic tartare seasoning

Small
Woodfired flatbread, toum, sumac, labne
Charred squid, braised chickpeas and onions, anchovy
Spiced roasted pumpkin, sunflower cream, herbs

Larger
360g Collinson & Co. flatiron, bagna cauda
Organic leaves, OPL house dressing
Eggplant, prunes, goat’s yoghurt

Dessert
Smoked almond, caramel and prune slice
Cardamom koeksister