FOCUS ON Great Southern Rail Outback service
Onboard rail catering for a trip through Australia’s desert can be a challenge, especially when expectations are high. Julie Baxter got on track with chefs on The Ghan
T
he Queen Adelaide Restaurant, onboard The Ghan, travels 2000km in three days through the outback
from Adelaide to Darwin (or vice versa). Many of those coming to dine have saved long and hard for this trip of a lifetime and are expecting something good. So, from a kitchen space of just 4ft by 8ft, two chefs, Damian Gow-Smith and Juliea Velasquez, get set to impress them at breakfast, lunch and dinner. They rarely fail. With linen tablecloths and napkins, cut glass and silverware, the restaurant aims to lay on the style and for many the three course menus are the highlight of the trip. Tenderised pork with macadamia and sage crunch sits alongside pumpkin and saltbush lasagne on the dinner menu; while handmade goats cheese tartlets or marinated chicken breasts on pickled fig and pistachio couscous battle for passenger attention at lunch. The menus are mouthwatering, with up to six choices of mains, and the challenges are intense. Chef Damian, who has been doing the
job for four years, has it all under control but admits: “The logistics are a challenge. We load food in Adelaide because we can’t get much en route through the Red Centre so we certainly have to plan ahead. Desserts, soups and jus are generally pre- prepared but all protein and veg is cooked onboard and pretty much freshly cooked to order as the passenger makes their choice. “The dishes need to be relatively simple but also special and memorable. Everyone eats with their eyes first so it has to look good. Movement is our main enemy with bumps in the tracks making stylish food stacks tricky (they fall over!) and soups a struggle if momentum sets in. “We are serving 80-120 meals in less than
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we try to use regional product to lift the level of the dining experience. If we have a group of Germans, for example, chances are everyone will want to try the kangaroo, quandong and saltbush. “Travellers today are much more food
an hour and a half sometimes ,and the goal is to maintain consistency and give a real quality of service every time.” Damian has eight waiting staff squeezed
into his kitchen, standing by to deliver, and feedback is excellent. The travellers are primarily 65 years plus and while the majority are Australians who largely choose fish, chicken or the red meat option, in summer there is a much more international passenger base and the demands change. “International travellers love to see
regional ingredients on the menu and so
aware. They watch the likes of Masterchef and think they know a lot about cooking. We aim for menus which are tasty and have special touches but that aren’t too clever. We want them to feel we have given them a truly memorable experience but the truth is most like simple, solid, good food.” The train has three restaurant carriages which are served by three kitchens – one for prep and two working kitchens. Each departure has four chefs on board plus casual support staff. In addition to the passengers, the chefs have 32 crew members to cater for too.
greatsouthernrail.com
Pictured: The Ghan ready to depart and onboard chefs Damian Gow-Smith and Juliea Velasquez
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