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AGFG Chef's Hat Award 2011
AGFG Chef's Hat Award 2011
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AGFG Chef's Hat Award 2012
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The Age - M Magazine 31/01/10
The Sunday-drive dream is a traffic-free spin to a gorgeous country hideaway where informed, give-a-damn waiters serve exceptional local food until you fall asleep in a hazy heap. Sadly, the reality can be much less fabulous — don't get me started on the no-show pizza and emo waitresses I endured in the Dandenongs last weekend.
Archies on the Creek is pretty close to the dream. It's a serious new restaurant and reception centre near Wonthaggi, two hours east of Melbourne. Businessman Vern Rickman is the dude with the dream. His United Electrical Engineering company is doing nicely out of warranty and call-centre services so he can pour money into this foodie folly — the Rolls Royce has arrived, stand by for accommodation and a winery. It's probably the biggest thing to happen in Archies Creek since the butter factory spread its wings a century ago.
The charmless boxes that house the operation were built as the Bass Coast Shire Offi ces in 1979 before being taken over by United Electrical in 1996. Their reincarnation as a hospitality hotspot has entailed major gussying up — there's a lake and fountains, a spacious, glossy dining room and a well-kitted bar with a whisky and beer focus.
Outsourcing is Rickman's business so it's no surprise he's turned to a restaurant professional to get Archies off the ground. Step in consultant chef Paul Wilson (Middle Park Hotel, Match Bar & Grill, ex-Botanical). The cowhide menus, attractive tableware, can-do staff, name-checked produce and careful cooking have Wilson's fingerprints all over them. And it gels, it hums, it's good. Service was perfectly pitched: country friendly, city sharp.
The chef on the ground is Shaun Nielsen, who left a safe job as executive chef for Mirvac Hotels to shift his family to Gippsland. He's cooking contemporary dishes (asparagus with smoked egg yolk, roast barramundi with almond puree) and souped-up steaks.
My sirloin was outstanding, cut from local beef that's dry-aged here. Also excellent was a chilled pea soup, simple but served in an eye-catching glass alongside breathtakingly good fried prawn toasties.
Not everything was as memorable but I get the feeling the food here will just get better. All restaurants live and die on the sword of staffing. Country restaurants duel harder. But if Rickman can keep his crew on board and on song, Archies will feature in scores of Sunday-drive dreams.
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Bendigo Bank Business Award for Hospitality 2011
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Epicure - Espresso 15/12/2009
ARCHIES Creek is a blip on the map in Gippsland but is about to become home to an ambitious venture comprising a 120-seat restaurant, cafe, conference centre, tasting room and 20,000-bottle wine cellar.
It's the project of local businessman Vern Rickman, head of United Electrical and a Wonthaggi native looking for something to do with his none-too-shabby wine collection.
The restaurant at Archies on the Creek will focus on the region's produce, including Black Angus beef dry-aged on the premises, farmed barramundi from Garfield and local cheeses.
There are plans afoot to host regular farmers' markets and transform Rickman's latest acquisition, a coastal property in nearby Kilcunda, into boutique accommodation.
Gun-for-hire Paul Wilson has been consulting on the project and its people. Executive chef will be Shaun Nielson (formerly executive chef for Mirvac Hotels and sous chef at Crown and Werribee Park Mansion); sous chef, Sam Pinzone (ex-Rockpool and Jacques Reymond); sommelier, Nick Bowring (The Botanical and Half Moon); manager, Michael Augustin (Palazzo Versace); and assistant venue manager, Hamish Small (Philippe Mouchel).
"We're experiencing some minor delays with our liquor licence but the venue is almost complete and the key staff are settled in Gippsland. We hope to open by the end of the month," Wilson says.
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Age Review High Tea 2011
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