Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/131975
kitchenconfidential Grand ol ' Brissie dame Michelle Hespe catches up with chef David Pugh at his Brisbane dining institution, Restaurant TWO. There aren't too many restaurants around these days that can lay claim to being open for a decade, let alone pass the 14-year mark, as Restaurant Two in Brisbane has done. Located in a heritage-listed building beside the City Botanic Gardens, this grand ol' dame of the restaurant scene is now confidently sailing towards her second decade of operation under the guidance of owner and head chef David Pugh. And she's certainly still turning heads and impressing diners. "It's been a hard year for everyone in restaurants," Pugh admits, "and there have been a lot of new restaurant openings in Brisbane. But competition keeps you on your toes. It makes you pay attention and ensures you're delivering the best service, have the best staff and are offering the best experience possible. You can't slow down in this business for too long." "The public is a lot more educated now ... They know what's on their plate and they understand the language we use in the kitchen." 38 Restaurant Two feels special, but it doesn't have the austere stuffiness that goes hand in hand with a lot of fine-dining establishments. The staff also strive to offer experiences that can't be had elsewhere in Brisbane. "We carve meat at the table and we also offer special-priced lunch deals for $35 – two courses and a glass of wine. And we have a really large space that people can rent out for a birthday or special occasion," Pugh says. In the 14 years that Pugh has been running Restaurant Two he has maintained one philosophy: "I've always just cooked the food that I would love to sit down and eat. To me, it's about offering our customers the best possible dining experience." Commenting on the change in many people's attitude to dining because they are watching the many cooking shows now on television, Pugh says, "The public is a lot more educated now about cooking. They know what's on their plate and they understand the language we use in the kitchen. They know what's going on now. And that's a good thing – again, it keeps you on your toes." Ultimately, the recipe is simple: Restaurant Two has been around for so long because people keep coming back for more. "The idea is to always have nice food in beautiful surroundings for a good price," Pugh says. "It's all about creating a fantastic experience." www.restaurant2.com.au Vanilla Bean crEme brUlEe Serves 6 Ingredients • 2 vanilla beans • 300ml thickened cream • 8 egg yolks • 100g caster sugar, plus extra to serve Method 1. Split vanilla beans lengthways. 2. In a saucepan, heat cream and vanilla beans together over gentle heat. Do not boil. 3. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together. 4. Add cream mixture slowly to egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Using a double boiler, heat mixture gently for 25–30 minutes or until it has the consistency of custard. 5. Place bowl containing custard over ice to cool. Scrape vanilla bean seeds into custard and discard pods. Stir custard gently to remove all air bubbles. 6. Spoon custard into six ramekins and allow to set. 7. Just before serving, sprinkle extra sugar lightly over top of custard. Spray with a little water and burn sugar with a kitchen blowtorch until golden brown.