Turning up the heat

Feeling a little more pressure this year compared to last, Sean said the overall experience was once again a rewarding one.

“I was certainly a lot more nervous heading into this year’s edition,” he said.

“I guess the expectation that I would do as well or better than my first year was certainly in my head.”

With the spotlight on all 32 chefs, competitors must demonstrate flawless technique, a deep understanding of flavour and the ability to craft two exceptional dishes — all while using a carefully curated selection of featured ingredients.

It’s known as the ‘ultimate pressure test’ for a reason.

“The competition is seriously hard, and there is no room for error,” Sean said.

“You have to be completely attentive, switched on and locked in from the very first minute to the very last.”

The competition’s defining moment is the mystery box challenge, where finalists are presented with key ingredients and tasked with preparing four servings each of an entrée and a main dish.

The challenge is designed to highlight the unique flavours of the ingredients while showcasing the chef’s creativity and technical prowess.

With every dish meticulously judged, chefs are evaluated on taste, presentation and overall execution.

“The judges were quite helpful throughout the heat and did offer some great feedback to the group at the end — mainly around seasoning and adding flavours throughout the cooking process,” Sean said.

“I do think that it takes quite a lot of technique and skill to execute a chicken roulade in under 60 minutes — but overall, I wasn’t over the moon with the composition of the whole dish.”

Sean unfortunately bowed out after the first heat, but cheering him on from the sidelines the whole time were Elsewhere at SAM co-owners Ricardo Vilsson Mullor, Jono Chan and Alaina Tuckett.

“We’re really lucky to have a close team with a wonderful team culture — something I’m very proud of — and watching the entire team come together to cheer and support Sean was such an amazing feeling as a co-owner and operator,” Jono said.

“Sean always jokes that it’s his time to hang up the apron, but I think after competing two years in a row, there’s a newfound motivation and creativity with food, which is really nice to see.”

So, what’s next for this culinary creative after his latest shot at the culinary crown?

Will he compete again? And if so, how would he approach it differently?

“I think I will apply to compete again, but ultimately that would be up to the selection committee,” Sean said.

“I don’t think I would prepare any differently, necessarily — maybe just do a few things mentally to calm the nerves and concentrate a bit better.”

So for now, ladies and gents, we can all still enjoy his culinary expertise right here at Elsewhere at SAM.

And if you were to ask Jono what he thinks about that, his answer is heartfelt.

“While this was never pursued for Elsewhere, it’s inspiring to me knowing that our head chef — and my mentor in the kitchen — has an elite level of knowledge and experience, which is incredibly hard to come by in a regional town,” he said.

And when it comes to Sean, the motivation runs much deeper.

“It’s always a nice feeling to represent and stand up for the establishment that pays your bills — but for me, this is about much more than the restaurant,” Sean said.

“This is me representing my friends (Alaina, Jono, Ricardo and the whole team), my family and also myself.”