Hot off the plane from Paris via Sydney, chef Lili Sebbag has landed firmly on her feet at Public Wine Shop, and she’s bringing with her plenty of Parisian delights – chicken and pork pâté en croûte, produce-driven snack plates (see: radish lathered in lavish butter) plus a sweets program featuring dishes you might not pronounce perfectly but will have no trouble ordering twice.
Sebbag’s approach is highly seasonal and exceptionally local: throughout her two-month residency she and the Public Wine Shop team are sourcing only from organic farms within an hour’s drive. For the French-born chef, cooking with sustainability in mind is a top priority – but all you need to know is whatever you’re ordering is going to be delicious.
Here’s Sebbag now with the back story, and what she’s got planned for the plate at Public Wine Shop.
The one thing I want you to try from the menu before you leave is our house-made pâté en croûte! It’s made of chicken and pork and served with a red wine sauce and pickles. And if you like sweets, we’re going to serve several French classics including choux (think profiteroles, garnished with different custard flavours), riz au lait (an airy rice pudding), plus caramel cream and more.
The way I go about putting together a new menu is having a look at what is available in terms of seasonal produce and focusing on one main type of produce in each dish so that it’s the star of the show. Then, it’s all about punchy and creative homemade sauces, condiments and dressing (often fermented or smoked) for balance. I use every part of each ingredient to avoid waste – push creativity and what’s possible with each ingredient is also part of the process.
The menu will change and evolve a lot during those two months. You will find new dishes almost every week.
Before coming to Melbourne and joining the team at Public Wine Shop, I was in Sydney cooking at such establishments as Paski Vineria Popolare with the amazing Enrico Tomelleri. I learned a lot about the science of making fresh pasta every day and regional Italian cuisine. I also spent time in the kitchen at 10 William Street.
Before that, I was cheffing in Paris at Le Comptoir des Résistants. That was a huge step in my career not only in terms of creative French bistro-style cuisine but also in building my responsibility as a chef.
The brief for my new gig is… Providing food on a restaurant scale has raised my awareness of our impact on our environment and I want to share that vision of consumption. Working with sustainable and local producers, trying to minimise waste as much as we can, all while being creative and appreciating seasonal produce in as many ways as possible is my aim for this residency at Public Wine Shop. It’s also a blessing to be close enough to the ocean that I can include seafood and fish on the menu.
You’ll see a strong French influence on the menu, too, with classics like radis au beurre (my take on a radish and butter snack), the pâté en croûte and choux pastry.
Catch Lili Sebbag at Public Wine Shop from now until Tuesday 23 December, 179 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North, publicwineshop.com.au, @publicwineshop