Food has always been in my heart and a huge passion that I've cultivated since I was knee high to a grasshopper. My mother was a superb cook and sparked an interest in food that I decided to make my life's work from the tender age of 17.

After my extensive training (3,5 years) in South Africa and Italy, I worked in some of South Africa’s top restaurants. I racked up 6 years of solid experience as a chef in professional, fine-dining kitchens – most notably I was the executive sous chef of the Pot Luck Club (the 9th best restaurant in South Africa 2016) where I worked for 3 years.

I then took up a career as a private chef on Superyachts, in May 2017, seeking to explore the world and immerse myself in new cultures.

I’ve worked on private and charter super yachts, ranging from 30m – 116m, as both motor and sail yachts. In 6 years of working professionally for clients with the most discerning palettes, I know how to cater to any occasion or taste preference.

After finding my partner in crime, I am now living in Victoria, where we both are looking to build our lives together, in this spectacularly beautiful place!

For me, cooking is...

The ability to tell a story without words. No matter where we're from, or what language we speak - we all understand the language of good food.

I learned to cook at...

Prue Leith chefs academy in South Africa, ALMA university of gastronomy in Italy and at my first long term job with acclaimed chef Luke Dale-Roberts.

A cooking secret...

Letting every ingredient shine on the plate, when it's at its best and bringing harmony to the senses with each bite.

My menus

A culinary adventure

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Grilled duck breast slivers, orange and yuzu dressing, cashew nut and coriander pesto, pickled watermelon rind, sweet potato crisp

Tuna tartare, soy + sesame dressing, avo emulsion, togorashi, wakame glass, raspberry coulis

Beef tataki, hoisin dressing, crispy purple yam, sesame, watermelon radish, cilantro

Yellowtail ceviche, green apple and jalapeño leche de tigre, red onion, black quinoa, corn tuile

Prawn avocado ritz, smoked peanut brittle, red chilli, coriander, spring onion and Marie-rose dressing

Caprese salad, buffalo mozzarella, heriloom tomatoes, basil and pine nut dressing, balsamic reduction

Classic charcuterie board: preserves, fruit, cheeses, cured and smoked meats, crackers

Marinated vegetable terrine, grilled baguette, lemon aioli, black olive tapenade

Freshly shucked oysters, smoked peach chilli sauce, horseradish, kale chips

Grilled peach and pine nut salad, wild rocket, glazed shallots, aged balsamic

Parmesan arancini stuffed with mozzarella, burnt leek powder, apple and garlic aioli, aged balsamic

Antipasti: fresh focaccia, olives, grilled vegetables, prosciutto, melon, basil pesto

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Beetroot gravadlax, chèvre goats cheese, burnt honey and soy, smoked pine nut meringue, beetroot dust

Charred white asparagus, asparagus consommé, parmigiano crème, pickled shallot, puffed wild rice, porcini powder

Pea and truffle velouté, pancetta crisp, parmigiano and cinnamon foam, fresh snow peas

Spaghettoni alla vongole, chilli, parsley, vermentino, Ligurian olive oil

Pickled porcini and parmigiano quiche, pan seared mushrooms, steamed green beans, porcini powder, mushroom glaze

Ricotta, spinach and parmesan agnolotti, shaved parmigiano, parsley velouté

Summer minestra consommé, tomato concasse, julienne zucchini, carrot and snow peas

Kimchi pork gyozas, gyoza dipping sauce, spring onion

Hot and Sour Miso Soup, Marinated Silken Tofu, Spring Onions and Heart of Palm

Roasted butternut soup, orange, smoked paprika, croûtons, créme fraiche

Tom yum soup, prawn, chilli, coriander, coconut

French onion soup, aged cheddar toast point, parsley

Vegetable spring rolls, nam jim dipping sauce, rocket salad

Gin steamed mussels, gin and hazelnut velouté, pine needle oil, sour dough toast

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Wild mushroom risotto, roasted crown of quail, quail jus, truffle emulsion, 24 month aged parmigiano chips, baby spinach pureé

Thai green chicken curry, steamed coconut and jasmine rice, bamboo hearts, mung bean sprouts, baby corn, coriander oil

Roasted rack of lamb, potato croquettes, confit carrot, charred tender stem broccoli, roasted garlic and red wine jus

Lasagna, parmesan crust, nutmeg béchamel, homemade garlic butter baguette

Miso salmon, egg noodles, mushroom dashi, togorashi, tahini dressing, charred spring onion

Grilled red snapper, charred tender stem broccoli, coriander and cashew nut pesto, roasted new potatoes and smoked paprika dressing, charred sweet corn salsa

Grass fed beef strip-loin, bone marrow, parmesan polenta, roasted baby carrots, zucchini shavings and pine nut jus

Spiced almond and sumac crusted yellowtail tataki, tonkatsu, mixed bean ragout, lime emulsion, rice crisps

Beer battered halibut, crispy fries, chip-shop curry sauce, pickled cucumber, tartare sauce, minted mushy peas

Slow roasted pork belly, honey glazed root vegetables, pommel pureé, apple jus, crispy sweet potato

Coq au vin, wild rice risotto, sautéed mushrooms, truffle oil, roasted carrots

Scallop and mushroom lo-mein, shiitake dashi, charred sprig onion and chilli oil, king oyster mushrooms

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Tiramisu, vanilla mascarpone, shaved dark chocolate, coffee syrup, almond biscotti

Hibiscus poached white peach, hibiscus consommé, peach granita, vanilla jelly, lemon compressed apple

Macerated summer berries, candied black olive, raspberry sorbet, pink peppercorn meringue

Five-spice chocolate fondant, candied ginger, sesame praline, vanilla and Szechuan pepper ice cream

Coconut panna cotta, charred mango salsa, mango granita, fresh lychee and bergamot crumble

Lime semi-freddo, mixed berry compote, lime chips, white chocolate crema and lime jelly

An authentic Italian experience

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Caprese salad, buffalo mozzarella, heriloom tomatoes, basil and pine nut dressing, balsamic reduction

Marinated vegetable terrine, grilled baguette, lemon aioli, black olive tapenade

Grilled peach and pine nut salad, wild rocket, glazed shallots, aged balsamic

Antipasti: fresh focaccia, olives, grilled vegetables, prosciutto, melon, basil pesto

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Charred white asparagus, asparagus consommé, parmigiano crème, pickled shallot, puffed wild rice, porcini powder

Spaghettoni alla vongole, chilli, parsley, vermentino, Ligurian olive oil

Smoked butternut tortellini, beurre noisette, crispy sage, shaved 24 month parmigiano reggiano

Ricotta, spinach and parmesan agnolotti, shaved parmigiano, parsley velouté

Summer minestra consommé, tomato concasse, julienne zucchini, carrot and snow peas

Spaghetti alla carbonara, guanciale, parmigiano crisps

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Wild mushroom risotto, roasted crown of quail, quail jus, truffle emulsion, 24 month aged parmigiano chips, baby spinach pureé

Lasagna, parmesan crust, nutmeg béchamel, homemade garlic butter baguette

Grilled red snapper, charred tender stem broccoli, coriander and cashew nut pesto, roasted new potatoes and smoked paprika dressing, charred sweet corn salsa

Grass fed beef strip-loin, bone marrow, parmesan polenta, roasted baby carrots, zucchini shavings and pine nut jus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Tiramisu, vanilla mascarpone, shaved dark chocolate, coffee syrup, almond biscotti

Hibiscus poached white peach, hibiscus consommé, peach granita, vanilla jelly, lemon compressed apple

Macerated summer berries, candied black olive, raspberry sorbet, pink peppercorn meringue

Lime semi-freddo, mixed berry compote, lime chips, white chocolate crema and lime jelly

An Eastern escape in the West

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Grilled duck breast slivers, orange and yuzu dressing, cashew nut and coriander pesto, pickled watermelon rind, sweet potato crisp

Tuna tartare, soy + sesame dressing, avo emulsion, togorashi, wakame glass, raspberry coulis

Beef tataki, hoisin dressing, crispy purple yam, sesame, watermelon radish, cilantro

Prawn avocado ritz, smoked peanut brittle, red chilli, coriander, spring onion and Marie-rose dressing

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Kimchi pork gyozas, gyoza dipping sauce, spring onion

Hot and Sour Miso Soup, Marinated Silken Tofu, Spring Onions and Heart of Palm

Tom yum soup, prawn, chilli, coriander, coconut

Vegetable spring rolls, nam jim dipping sauce, rocket salad

Gin steamed mussels, gin and hazelnut velouté, pine needle oil, sour dough toast

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Thai green chicken curry, steamed coconut and jasmine rice, bamboo hearts, mung bean sprouts, baby corn, coriander oil

Miso salmon, egg noodles, mushroom dashi, togorashi, tahini dressing, charred spring onion

Grilled red snapper, charred tender stem broccoli, coriander and cashew nut pesto, roasted new potatoes and smoked paprika dressing, charred sweet corn salsa

Scallop and mushroom lo-mein, shiitake dashi, charred sprig onion and chilli oil, king oyster mushrooms

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Dark chocolate tart, kataifi tuile, candied lemon zest and syrup, elderflower, bourbon gelato

Salted caramel cheesecake, lemon and vodka sorbet, lime chips

Hibiscus poached white peach, hibiscus consommé, peach granita, vanilla jelly, lemon compressed apple

Five-spice chocolate fondant, candied ginger, sesame praline, vanilla and Szechuan pepper ice cream

Coconut panna cotta, charred mango salsa, mango granita, fresh lychee and bergamot crumble

Show me more

Chef Nicholas's reviews

4.83

•

6 services

We had the pleasure of having Nicholas cook for my wife and I's anniversary and it was fantastic! The flavour in his dishes, the plating, and explanation of what we were eating truly made our garden into a fine dining restaurant and gave us a memorable experience that we won't soon forget!

Chef Nic’s cuisine was sublime. It was more than dinner, it was art on a plate. The flavours were incredible and his attention to detail is flawless. A Michelin star like experience in our own home. Highly recommend it.