Earlier this year, Brad Guest took on the role of head chef at Shell House Dining Room & Terrace, a trio of spaces housed in a multi-level art-deco Wynyard building. He’s taken the reins from Aaron Ward, Shell House’s starting head chef, who left to join Bathers’ Pavilion as executive chef in October last year.
“[Cafe Paci is a] 45-seat wine bar, Shell House has a much larger footprint. It was a bit of a challenge, initially, to get my head around that change,” Guest tells Broadsheet. “I’ve worked in some award-winning restaurants around town in the last 13 years, and I just really wanted to take that step across from small owner-operator to a big operation.”
Those award-winners include Sepia, Bilson’s and Rockpool, plus Stanmore fine diner Sixpenny and Oncore by Clare Smyth, where Guest was on the starting team. He’s debuting at Shell House with an autumn menu, adding snacks like a scampi-and-pumpkin-topped brioche, a buttery prawn risotto and a flounder roasted whole.
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SIGN UPWe chat to Guest about his new role, plus the best career advice he’s been given and the best thing he ate this week.
Brad, what’s your new job title and what does the role entail?
My new job title is the head chef of Shell House Dining Room. Basically, I oversee the kitchen side of the three venues within Shell House: our à la carte dining room, a bespoke event space – what we call our cocktail bar – and then the Sky Bar upstairs.
At Shell House, what does a classic workday look like for you?
Look, I’m very much a hands-on chef. It’s important for young chefs to see the head chef in there doing it. So in between developing dishes, working with our events team and writing all the bespoke menus, I really enjoy being in the rush of service as much as I used to when I was younger.
How do you approach menu development?
I just want a menu where the produce and techniques on the plate do the talking. I like paying respect to the produce we have in Australia, and I don’t like having things in the middle of autumn that we should see in spring. I’m trying to pay respect to [the fact that] the restaurant was here before I came on board. We’ve got a couple of people that come in two or three times a week, so it was a balancing act: what can I take off? What do I have to update? What’s brand new? Just to keep the people coming back excited to try new things, but some people come in and they still want the same dish.
Run me through what you think the ultimate order at Shell House is.
The menu is designed to share – how I like to order if I was to sit down, a bit of everything. We’d start with some oysters, some snacks and a glass of champagne. A couple of entrees – I’d throw a pasta in there too – then a protein and sides.
I’ve just put on a chargrilled abalone and shiitake skewer, which we glaze and roast in chicken fat. And another is scampi served on a brioche toast, with a pumpkin and vanilla puree. They’re super respectful to the produce – not a lot going on.
What things do you have planned for the future of Shell house?
We’re always in discussion on where we want to go, and I think the bones of Shell house will always remain the same. You know, we’re not going to drastically change our direction. But there are some exciting things in the pipeline. We’re looking at doing a chef’s menu where you sit at the pass – seven or eight courses served at the kitchen pass, by chefs.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?
Best piece of career advice was actually not from a chef. It’s from my father. He said, “The harder you work, the luckier you will get”. I’ve never forgotten that. People say, “You’re lucky” all the time. But I think a lot of hard work on my side has gotten me to where I am today.
What’s your favourite thing about dining in Sydney?
We’re so lucky in Sydney, to eat and work in so many intertwining cultures. To be able to experience different chefs and the way they interpret different cuisines or their heritage. You can literally go out seven nights a week and eat something completely different. That’s amazing. And it’s all at such a high standard.
Why did you become a chef and what’s kept you in the industry?
I fell into cooking while I was travelling. In my early twenties, I packed my bag up and left New Zealand to work and travel around the world – I fell into cooking in a ski chalet in Austria. I fell in love with it and I came to Australia to gain experience and qualification. Then I started working at Bilson’s; I just got addicted to the industry, to the hospitality family. That’s why I’m still in it. It’s such an accepting industry for so many people, from any walk of life. It's really been amazing.
What’s the best thing you ate this week?
Well, my wife and I, we have a bit of a tradition. We go to a little local Sri Lankan street-food takeaway for breakfast most Sundays – New Shakthi in Homebush. They make these fresh parathas and egg hoppers, lamb rolls and curries and we just sit on the side of the street. That’s our breakfast on Sundays. It is one of the most underrated takeaway joints in Sydney.