Posted on Wednesday, 31ˢᵗ July, 2024
According to our research*, Australian chefs believe diners share a thirst for comfort food that is creatively reinvented yet retains a deeply authentic emotional connection to a dish they hold dear.
For some, creating a contemporary take on comfort food means reimagining the classic dishes of yesteryear, evoking a deep pang of nostalgia in the process.
For others, it means applying trending cuisines or techniques to our most-loved dishes, challenging diners with new flavours and experiences within the familiar embrace of a recognisable dish.
We recently released our 2024 edition of Future Menus, a report on the global trends that are driving diner preferences. Among the eight trends is modernised comfort food, which puts a label to this evolving movement.
According to the report, modernised comfort food is about delivering authentic flavours, improving profitability, saving time and inspiring staff, not to mention meeting the simple joy of serving a familiar dish in a bright new way.
Here are three Australian venues that are taking comfort food into fresh new areas.
1. Midden (Sydney)
Prior to European settlement, Aboriginal tribes met and ate in the area around the Sydney Opera House and it’s here that chef Mark Olive runs Midden, where classic dishes are infused with a rich array of Indigenous ingredients to create new comfort food favourites.
Despite its prime position on the harbour, Olive has produced a highly approachable menu that features familiar dishes across the menu.
Highlights include lemon myrtle cauliflower chips, bush tomato soup with native herb damper and quandong-glazed chicken breast with warrigal greens.
2. Freyja (Melbourne)
Melbourne CBD eatery Freyja invites guests to connect over dishes that reflect heritage as well as innovation.
Chef Jae Bang combines Nordic techniques such as pickling, smoking and fermenting with local and seasonal ingredients to create fresh classics like waffles cooked over hot coals with smoked sour cream, chives and trout roe, and a simple side dish of fermented crispy potato.
3. Stanley (Brisbane)
"I want diners to feel warm, comfortable and relaxed," says Louis Tikaram, head chef at Stanley in Brisbane City.
The sprawling menu is inspired by Tikaram’s global travels and his Fijian heritage, adding an authentic twist to a list of classic dishes. His cheffing life has taken him to prominent roles in Vancouver, Barcelona and West Hollywood.
Tikaram expresses himself through comfort dishes with fresh twists, like chilli vinegar-infused fried eggplant with ginger, barbequed free-range crispy pork belly with hoisin and English mustard, and cumin-spiced lamb ribs with chilli, sesame and lime.
Where to start with Modernised Comfort Food
If you’re ready to take your comfort food to the next level, get inspired by our exciting recipes featuring modern takes:
The intense flavour of this dry-aged whiskey steak is a real highlight.
A Southern touch comes to a takeaway favourite in our Louisiana fish and fries.
Global influences collide for our roti tacos with chicken and Asian slaw.
* Food Trends 2023, August 2023, UFS e-panel Australia.
