Amidst all the gloss, pretense and noise in the culinary world, chef Guy Turland wants to bring it back to what truly matters – food.
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Having recently launched a brand new cookbook and television series, ‘Bondi Harvest’, things for Guy and his business partner of four and a half years, Mark Alston, are on the up.
But what they hope to achieve through notoriety is simple: to expand the culinary imaginations of the public by sharing good food and basic techniques.
“The goal for the series is to strip back the intimidation around food and cooking at home, and show people that you can make quick, healthy and delicious food without many ingredients,” Guy said.
“I want people to be able to look at, say, a cauliflower at the supermarket and see all the possibilities it holds.”
Guy said the television series is designed to demonstrate that this relaxed approach really works; it sees him perched atop a rock with minimal tools and ingredients at his disposal.
“Through the series we wanted to show people the proof is in the pudding.”
With roots in the Southern Highlands, Guy was brought up on a diet of “wholesome food”, surrounded by “space and bushland”.
“Mum grew up on a dairy farm and always fed us straight from the source,” he said.
“Growing up in the country, I’ve always been really connected to nature and that’s influenced the way I look at the world, at food and my respect for good ingredients.”
Although Guy said Bondi Harvest “doesn’t prescribe to any particular diet” he is firmly focused on whole food, and hopes his program is able to “steer people away from processed foods”.
“The reason people are afraid of cooking is usually because they haven’t been given the tools. That’s what I want to share.”
Son of local councillor, Gary Turland, Guy frequently finds himself returning to Bowral – a place he hopes to return in the not-so-distant future.
“I’d love to get back there. The dream is to have a block of land with a veggie patch and a view.”
But for now, Guy will have his hands full with plans to install another Bondi Harvest cafe in America (alongside the Santa Monica fit out) and expand the television series abroad.
Bondi Harvest airs on Monday nights at 7:30pm on the SBS Food Network (channel 33).