Celebrity Profiles
Feildel, Manu
It seems that Manu Feildel was destined to become a great chef from the moment he was born – his great grandfather was a pastry chef, his grandfather and father were chefs, his cousin is a chef in the United States and his mother is a great cook. But, as a child, he saw his future on the stage rather than in the kitchen, and at 13 years old he joined an amateur circus school.
By the time he turned 15, Manu had decided that the road to becoming a professional clown was a very long process, so he started as an apprentice in his father’s restaurant. After a year, he progressed to a fine dining restaurant where he finished his apprenticeship. Shortly after, Manu was bitten by the travel bug and he packed his knives and headed for London.
His first job at The Cafe Royal was hard, to say the least, as Manu didn’t speak any English. But his perseverance paid off and, after working at restaurants such as Les Associes and Café des Amis du Vin, he took up a position as Chef de Partie at the seafood restaurant Livebait and that's when he says he really began to understand and love the career he had chosen. Manu stayed with Livebait for couple of years, progressing to Sous-Chef and then Head Chef with the nomination of best seafood restaurant in the UK in 1998.
In 1999 Manu flew to Melbourne where he worked at Toofeys for about 6 months before heading north to Sydney. After 6 months with Hugo’s at Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach, he opened the kitchen at the new Hugo’s Lounge in Kings Cross. Manu ran the kitchen for about 18 months before he moved to Restaurant VII with its exciting fusion of French and Japanese cuisine (2 Chef’s Hats from Sydney Morning Herald).
In 2004, Tony Bilson approached Manu to open his new venture Bilsons at the Radisson Hotel. In its second year of opening, the restaurant won 2 Chef’s Hats, and in its third year, this accolade had increased to 3 Chef’s Hats. In 2008 Bilson’s won three chefs hats for the third year running.
It seems Manu’s career has turned full circle, as he returns to his roots cooking contemporary French cuisine. Moreover, his natural ability and desire to entertain has also been given another opportunity to shine – Manu was asked to join the cooking show Ready, Steady, Cook and, after 4 successful seasons, has become one of the most popular and entertaining chefs on the show.
Manu, alongside friends Gary Mehigan, Adrian Richardson and Miguel Maestres has just completed his first hosting role in “Boys Weekend” a 13 part series to air on Lifestyle Channel in Australia from April 2009. The series has been sold to a number of overseas networks, and there is an accompanying book in the works. In 2008, he was a regular presenter on “9am with David & Kim”, as well as being asked to be Guest Chef at numerous dinners and events around Australia.
Forrester, Pip
Pip Forrester has over 20 years experience in the area of regional food and food tourism through ownership of the multi-award-winning regional restaurant, Salopian Inn, and the establishment of the first residential cooking school in a winery in Australia, The Retreat at Chapel Hill Winery.
She was the founder, and inaugural Chair of the Fleurieu Peninsula Food Group, served on the Premier’s Food Council as the representative of the State’s food group network and on numerous regional and state Boards and Committees dealing with matters concerning regional food and food & wine tourism.
Currently, Pip is Deputy Chair of the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association,
serves on the Minister for Tourism’s Round Table, and is a member of the Southern Adelaide Economic Development Board.
Pip has a continuing interest in regional food and the role that regional food and food tourism can play in the quality of our life and the sustainability of communities, particularly regional communities.
Fraser, Jerry
My introduction to oysters was at the age of thirteen as more of a dare than as a culinary delight. It was the beginning of my love affair with this jewel of the sea.
While studying a geology degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa, I was given the opportunity to manage an oyster bar from 1980 – 1982.
The fringe benefits were great – free food and drink! I graduated to pursue my career as a geologist, but on a visit to London I was presented with a chance to manage an oyster bar called Bentleys. I managed four oyster bars in London, including launching the oyster bar at the Savoy Hotel.
I arrived in Perth in 1996 and ran a restaurant for a year. In October 1997 I helped to launch the Fish House and managed the oyster bar until October 1999. Then I managed Meads for a year, moving to also manage Black Toms Bar and Grill until 2001. Since April 2001 I have freelanced, showcasing oysters at many restaurants including; Reflections, Must Wine Bar, Hansons, The Melbourne Hotel, The Western Australian Club, C Restaurant, Box Deli, The Red Herring, Darlington Estate Winery, Blakes and Browns of Subiaco.
I have also showcased oysters at The Grand Hyatt Hotel in Jakarta and The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago. Annually I work at the Burswood Food and Wine Festival; the Culinary Inquisition at West Cape Howe; Spring in the Valley; Moonlight Music Festival; Diggers and Dealers in Kalgoorlie; The Race Round in Kalgoorlie and the Chefs Long Table Fundraiser in Bunbury. Future trips to Brisbane, Melbourne and Bali are planned.
