Monty Koludrovic

 

1. Your restaurant/business:

Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, 1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach NSW 2026, Australia

2. Describe your kitchens:

A modern Italian restaurant & kitchen... busy!!

3. Favourite Chef item and why:

My trusted Chef Works Volnay short sleeve jacket (PCSS) with the slim buttons.

4. First job:

At Papa Bears in Byron Bay perfect for sandwiches and surf :)

5. Your cookbook:

Is yet to be printed, so stay tuned.

6. Awards/Achievements:

Consistent maintenance of 2 Hat level over 8 years and 2 restaurants.

7. Your cooking inspiration:

I am inspired by the cultural diversity of our relationship with food and how people communicate with their individual food story.

8. Your speciality dish:

I prefer not have a speciality dish as I like to continually learn and develop. Although I do love to cook seafood.

9. Favourite dish to eat:

That’s a difficult question! Pizza, Laksa spicy noodle soup, Thai salad, oysters and fish pie. I cannot name just one!

10. Wierdest thing you have ever eaten:

I have a big list from a trip to Japan, however the weirdest would be fast food. For 4 years I haven’t eaten any big chain fast food and I can’t believe I ever did. That stuff is weird!

11. Favourite ice cream flavour:

Dark Chocolate

12. Favourite drink:

The one in my hand.

13. Favourite wine:

Ronco Severo Pinot Grigio from Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy.

14. Who would you most like to cook for:

It was a hoot cooking for Marco Pierre White. I would love the chance to cook for my dearly departed Nona (Grandmother). Food was important for her and has continued to be so for me and my family.

15. Who would you least like to cook for:

I don’t like to cook for people who sit down to a meal with preconceived ideas and expectations.

16. Favourite things to do outside of the kitchen:

Eating, playing tennis and golf, watching sport, reading and swimming with the kids.

17. Your latest project:

 At the moment I am enjoying getting stuck into work at Icebergs and spending time with some great Australian charities including OzHarvest and Surf Aid.

18. Favourite city and why:

Sydney — such an amazing city with beautiful weather, people, places and hospitality.

19. Your greatest indulgence:

My Range Rover Sport. Realistically not something I need, but boy it’s a nice ride.

20. Your all time best culinary tip:

Use good ingredients — if you start with amazing bricks then you simply end up with an amazing building.