28-05-2025
Cooking over fire at Iron Gate Kitchen 'speaks to the soul'
It wasn't an easy decision for Joey Ingram and Lara Hagan to leave Pokolbin restaurant Circa 1876 to bring Iron Gate Kitchen to life.
Similarly, restaurant manager Harrison Plant left the hatted EXP. restaurant to take on a general manager role at Iron Gate Estate at Pokolbin's first restaurant.
"For me, it was opportunity and potential that drew me across," executive chef Ingram explained.
"While Circa is one of the most, if not the most, significant restaurants in the Valley, having launched the great Robert Molines, this was an opportunity to not just be a part of Hunter Valley dining history, but to create part of its history.
"It was an emotional decision to move on from Circa after only 12 months, yes, but it's an institution of a restaurant, and it will be fine and continue to thrive.
"This was an opportunity to create something that's a little bit more aligned with my own personal beliefs in dining, that's what really attracted me."
Cooking over fire is a passion of Ingram's, and it's what brings Iron Gate Kitchen's Mediterranean-inspired menu to life. He says it's a "really beautiful, intuitive way to cook" that "shows a lot of honesty ... there's nowhere to hide".
He is also in favour of offering diners a broad and flexible menu that caters for walk-ins and differing budgets.
"That spontaneous market is what we want to tap into, in terms of our approachability," he said.
"We are doing a refined offering but we want to position ourselves in a more premium-casual part of the market.
"We've done away with a mandatory set menu and that spend-per-head direction that I think was a bit of a hanger-on from COVID, when there were capacity restrictions. I don't necessarily think that's aligned with pure hospitality.
"We want people to be able to come in, have a glass of wine and a plate of octopus, and be in and out for under $40 in under 40 minutes.
"If they want to settle in for longer, they are welcome to. We want people to be able to use the restaurant in a way that works for them."
Lara, who is head chef at Iron Gate Kitchen, said she could not pass up an opportunity to "make a mark on where I see the hospitality industry is going".
"Having creative freedom so early on in my career, and the opportunity to lead a team, I had to do it. Also, I quite like intuitive cooking ... there's something that speaks to the soul when you cook over fire," she said.
The menu at Iron Gate Kitchen is inspired by Mediterranean cooking and complements the varietals produced by Iron Gate Estate, however, there are "little twists on things" in terms of presentation and approach.
"We're seeing the Hunter winegrowing region really lean into those Mediterranean varietals. It's very Mediterranean in climate anyway, so for us it makes sense," Ingram said.
"We make no statement that we are traditionally Spanish - we are cooking from that region, but we are trying to tap into the emotions of Spanish dining without necessarily having to be locked into traditional rules.
"Our food is lightly perfumed by smoke, rather than being low and slow, and while there are some large cuts of meat, our menu is quite soft and refined.
"We don't skimp on flavour or texture, but in its composition, our food has a real finesse and quality about it."
It wasn't an easy decision for Joey Ingram and Lara Hagan to leave Pokolbin restaurant Circa 1876 to bring Iron Gate Kitchen to life.
Similarly, restaurant manager Harrison Plant left the hatted EXP. restaurant to take on a general manager role at Iron Gate Estate at Pokolbin's first restaurant.
"For me, it was opportunity and potential that drew me across," executive chef Ingram explained.
"While Circa is one of the most, if not the most, significant restaurants in the Valley, having launched the great Robert Molines, this was an opportunity to not just be a part of Hunter Valley dining history, but to create part of its history.
"It was an emotional decision to move on from Circa after only 12 months, yes, but it's an institution of a restaurant, and it will be fine and continue to thrive.
"This was an opportunity to create something that's a little bit more aligned with my own personal beliefs in dining, that's what really attracted me."
Cooking over fire is a passion of Ingram's, and it's what brings Iron Gate Kitchen's Mediterranean-inspired menu to life. He says it's a "really beautiful, intuitive way to cook" that "shows a lot of honesty ... there's nowhere to hide".
He is also in favour of offering diners a broad and flexible menu that caters for walk-ins and differing budgets.
"That spontaneous market is what we want to tap into, in terms of our approachability," he said.
"We are doing a refined offering but we want to position ourselves in a more premium-casual part of the market.
"We've done away with a mandatory set menu and that spend-per-head direction that I think was a bit of a hanger-on from COVID, when there were capacity restrictions. I don't necessarily think that's aligned with pure hospitality.
"We want people to be able to come in, have a glass of wine and a plate of octopus, and be in and out for under $40 in under 40 minutes.
"If they want to settle in for longer, they are welcome to. We want people to be able to use the restaurant in a way that works for them."
Lara, who is head chef at Iron Gate Kitchen, said she could not pass up an opportunity to "make a mark on where I see the hospitality industry is going".
"Having creative freedom so early on in my career, and the opportunity to lead a team, I had to do it. Also, I quite like intuitive cooking ... there's something that speaks to the soul when you cook over fire," she said.
The menu at Iron Gate Kitchen is inspired by Mediterranean cooking and complements the varietals produced by Iron Gate Estate, however, there are "little twists on things" in terms of presentation and approach.
"We're seeing the Hunter winegrowing region really lean into those Mediterranean varietals. It's very Mediterranean in climate anyway, so for us it makes sense," Ingram said.
"We make no statement that we are traditionally Spanish - we are cooking from that region, but we are trying to tap into the emotions of Spanish dining without necessarily having to be locked into traditional rules.
"Our food is lightly perfumed by smoke, rather than being low and slow, and while there are some large cuts of meat, our menu is quite soft and refined.
"We don't skimp on flavour or texture, but in its composition, our food has a real finesse and quality about it."
It wasn't an easy decision for Joey Ingram and Lara Hagan to leave Pokolbin restaurant Circa 1876 to bring Iron Gate Kitchen to life.
Similarly, restaurant manager Harrison Plant left the hatted EXP. restaurant to take on a general manager role at Iron Gate Estate at Pokolbin's first restaurant.
"For me, it was opportunity and potential that drew me across," executive chef Ingram explained.
"While Circa is one of the most, if not the most, significant restaurants in the Valley, having launched the great Robert Molines, this was an opportunity to not just be a part of Hunter Valley dining history, but to create part of its history.
"It was an emotional decision to move on from Circa after only 12 months, yes, but it's an institution of a restaurant, and it will be fine and continue to thrive.
"This was an opportunity to create something that's a little bit more aligned with my own personal beliefs in dining, that's what really attracted me."
Cooking over fire is a passion of Ingram's, and it's what brings Iron Gate Kitchen's Mediterranean-inspired menu to life. He says it's a "really beautiful, intuitive way to cook" that "shows a lot of honesty ... there's nowhere to hide".
He is also in favour of offering diners a broad and flexible menu that caters for walk-ins and differing budgets.
"That spontaneous market is what we want to tap into, in terms of our approachability," he said.
"We are doing a refined offering but we want to position ourselves in a more premium-casual part of the market.
"We've done away with a mandatory set menu and that spend-per-head direction that I think was a bit of a hanger-on from COVID, when there were capacity restrictions. I don't necessarily think that's aligned with pure hospitality.
"We want people to be able to come in, have a glass of wine and a plate of octopus, and be in and out for under $40 in under 40 minutes.
"If they want to settle in for longer, they are welcome to. We want people to be able to use the restaurant in a way that works for them."
Lara, who is head chef at Iron Gate Kitchen, said she could not pass up an opportunity to "make a mark on where I see the hospitality industry is going".
"Having creative freedom so early on in my career, and the opportunity to lead a team, I had to do it. Also, I quite like intuitive cooking ... there's something that speaks to the soul when you cook over fire," she said.
The menu at Iron Gate Kitchen is inspired by Mediterranean cooking and complements the varietals produced by Iron Gate Estate, however, there are "little twists on things" in terms of presentation and approach.
"We're seeing the Hunter winegrowing region really lean into those Mediterranean varietals. It's very Mediterranean in climate anyway, so for us it makes sense," Ingram said.
"We make no statement that we are traditionally Spanish - we are cooking from that region, but we are trying to tap into the emotions of Spanish dining without necessarily having to be locked into traditional rules.
"Our food is lightly perfumed by smoke, rather than being low and slow, and while there are some large cuts of meat, our menu is quite soft and refined.
"We don't skimp on flavour or texture, but in its composition, our food has a real finesse and quality about it."
It wasn't an easy decision for Joey Ingram and Lara Hagan to leave Pokolbin restaurant Circa 1876 to bring Iron Gate Kitchen to life.
Similarly, restaurant manager Harrison Plant left the hatted EXP. restaurant to take on a general manager role at Iron Gate Estate at Pokolbin's first restaurant.
"For me, it was opportunity and potential that drew me across," executive chef Ingram explained.
"While Circa is one of the most, if not the most, significant restaurants in the Valley, having launched the great Robert Molines, this was an opportunity to not just be a part of Hunter Valley dining history, but to create part of its history.
"It was an emotional decision to move on from Circa after only 12 months, yes, but it's an institution of a restaurant, and it will be fine and continue to thrive.
"This was an opportunity to create something that's a little bit more aligned with my own personal beliefs in dining, that's what really attracted me."
Cooking over fire is a passion of Ingram's, and it's what brings Iron Gate Kitchen's Mediterranean-inspired menu to life. He says it's a "really beautiful, intuitive way to cook" that "shows a lot of honesty ... there's nowhere to hide".
He is also in favour of offering diners a broad and flexible menu that caters for walk-ins and differing budgets.
"That spontaneous market is what we want to tap into, in terms of our approachability," he said.
"We are doing a refined offering but we want to position ourselves in a more premium-casual part of the market.
"We've done away with a mandatory set menu and that spend-per-head direction that I think was a bit of a hanger-on from COVID, when there were capacity restrictions. I don't necessarily think that's aligned with pure hospitality.
"We want people to be able to come in, have a glass of wine and a plate of octopus, and be in and out for under $40 in under 40 minutes.
"If they want to settle in for longer, they are welcome to. We want people to be able to use the restaurant in a way that works for them."
Lara, who is head chef at Iron Gate Kitchen, said she could not pass up an opportunity to "make a mark on where I see the hospitality industry is going".
"Having creative freedom so early on in my career, and the opportunity to lead a team, I had to do it. Also, I quite like intuitive cooking ... there's something that speaks to the soul when you cook over fire," she said.
The menu at Iron Gate Kitchen is inspired by Mediterranean cooking and complements the varietals produced by Iron Gate Estate, however, there are "little twists on things" in terms of presentation and approach.
"We're seeing the Hunter winegrowing region really lean into those Mediterranean varietals. It's very Mediterranean in climate anyway, so for us it makes sense," Ingram said.
"We make no statement that we are traditionally Spanish - we are cooking from that region, but we are trying to tap into the emotions of Spanish dining without necessarily having to be locked into traditional rules.
"Our food is lightly perfumed by smoke, rather than being low and slow, and while there are some large cuts of meat, our menu is quite soft and refined.
"We don't skimp on flavour or texture, but in its composition, our food has a real finesse and quality about it."
