Latest news with #RossLusted
Herald Sun
25-06-2025
- Herald Sun
Chef Ross Lusted has travelled the world, these are his highlights
Chef-owner of Sydney's Woodcut and Melbourne's Marmelo, and now in-flight dining partner with Qatar, Ross Lusted, makes local specialities a priority when roaming the globe. This is his Travel CV:. I was 10 and I think I only got to hold it once when we moved from South Africa. I remember the gilded crest and the smoothness of the green cover. I love passports. I used to go through a 300-page one every year when I worked for Aman Resorts, filled with visas and crazy stamps. My first holiday memory is… Going to the Drakensberg mountains, the range that denotes the border of Lesotho and South Africa, when I was 10. We stayed in rondavels, round mud houses with thatched roofs. It was very wild then. We woke one morning to a very loud scratching noise, a female rhino had entered the camp and was scratching her leathery skin against the rough walls of the rondavels. No one seemed to be the least bit concerned. We'd go hiking or horseback riding, crossing rivers where my parents would put Champagne and beer in the cold water for the return ride. It was my introduction to the breakfast buffet. This was the time I fell in love with hotels. I've been to 39 countries… And I've lived in seven. My favourite place in Australia is… Melbourne. I love how easy it is to get into the country. I visit a lot of our producers there and the landscape feels quiet and gentle. The place I'd love to visit in Australia is… The Kimberley. I lived on the border of Utah and Arizona for a couple of years and I find deserts magical. Lying on the warm desert floor by a crackling fire with the stars so close you feel like you can almost catch them. The place I'd rather be right now is… Portugal. We have a lot of Portuguese heritage in South Africa, so it has always seemed a bit familiar to me. I love the coastal towns which all seem to have a small fish market, and seaside restaurants serving traditional dishes, regional wine and of course pastel de nata and Ginjinha. The place I've visited most is... Italy. It is definitely my happy place. My partner and I got married in September so we could go to Alba for the start of white truffle season on our honeymoon. We used to live in Dubrovnik, so it was easy to do quick trips. The place that most surprised me was... Bhutan – the most extraordinary country I've travelled to. I first went about 20 years ago. The uniqueness of the five distinct valleys, architecture, lively markets and the people couldn't be more proud and welcoming. The place that didn't live up to expectations… Baja California, Mexico. It was no doubt very charming but is now extremely crowded with one hotel after another. The advice I'd give to young travellers is… Travel with only hand luggage and don't book a thing so you can be spontaneous. My holidays are devoted to... Eating, art, architecture and spending time by the sea. Denmark is a favourite. The sickest I've been on holiday… I was doing a deep dive into Bangkok street food on one trip, with a focus on nahm, a fermented pork street food – absolutely delicious until you relive it at 3am. I still eat it, however now I get it grilled a bit more. The souvenir I always buy… Ceramics. Our cupboard is like a travel diary of ceramics – pieces that instantly take you back to a time and place. The weirdest thing I've experienced while travelling... Decades ago I called a friend who was travelling in Bhutan to ask if he needed anything when I came. He said to bring a sleeping bag, flea bombs and Aerogard. It was for me for when I checked into the guesthouse. The instructions were – strip the bed, Aeroguard the mattress, flea bomb the room, go for dinner. I slept well. The weirdest things I've eaten while travelling was... Oh, so many. Yakitori chicken still in the eggshell, live eel sushi, live squid you douse in sake to slow it down before you eat it, yes, it is still moving, rakija in Croatia I'm sure you could use to run your car. My go-to for room service is... I don't have one. I always go out, cities are the best as they are waking up – chai in India, hot noodles and roti prata in Asia, jamón and fried eggs in Barcelona. The best hotel I've ever stayed in… For me it's the destination that makes a great hotel. Amanbagh in Rajasthan, set in the former walled hunting grounds of the maharaja of Alwar, is truly magical. How many flights have you missed? I've never missed a flight, although I came very close to it in Frankfurt because I left the airport to buy rye bread to take home to Croatia. Passports/visas/wallets/luggage lost? I lost luggage from New Delhi to London. I then flew to Barcelona, so it was sent there. I had left for Seville when it arrived... it was then sent to Seville. But I had left for London when it arrived. I never saw it again. I still miss those boots. What is your favourite travel companion? Camera and a Moleskine sketchbook and pencil. Flight/cruise/car or train? Flight. The only cruise I like to do is the fishing kind. When in India I love the trains. Driving everywhere else. Originally published as My Travel CV: Chef Ross Lusted has travelled the world, these are his highlights
News.com.au
06-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Owner of popular Sydney restaurant to make food for Qatar Airways in major collaboration
A renowned Aussie chef has done something he's never done before – partner with an airline, in a move that will see his famous dishes enjoyed 30,000ft in the air. If you've dined at Woodcut in Crown Sydney or Marmelo in Melbourne, then you'd be familiar with Ross Lusted's clean, bold and flavoursome dishes. The award-winning Aussie chef and owner of the two popular restaurants has joined forces with the 'world's best' airline – Qatar Airways – curating a new in-flight dining menu for business and first class passengers departing Australia to Doha from June 12. 'This is my first time partnering with an airline, and it's been an exciting venture,' chef Ross told 'Creating food that holds up at 30,000 feet is a unique challenge, flavours behave differently, textures change, and you have to be really deliberate about what you put on the plate.' He said passengers can expect a curated selection ranging from Fraser Island spanner crab cakes to black Angus beef tenderloin, that celebrate world class Australian produce. 'From delicately prepared seafood to locally sourced producer-lead beef and lamb, we've worked hard to curate a menu that feels premium and thoughtful, with Woodcut's core ethos of cooking with wood, charcoal and steam underpinning the dishes,' he said. When asked what his favourite dish is, he said it was a tough call, 'but if I had to choose, I'd say the Black Angus Beef Tenderloin' paired with green beans, tarragon butter, bread and butter pickles.' He added: 'It's a dish that really shows off what we value here at Woodcut, using world class produce, a thoughtful combination of flavours that marry well together.' 'There's nowhere to hide with that kind of dish, especially at altitude, where the balance of flavour, tenderness, and presentation is key.' Chef Ross said he also loves Australian seafood and the seared cured fish plate, 'showcases this more than ever, and is a go-to on the Woodcut menu'. 'Dressed with a blend of soy and sesame oil, pickled young ginger and cucumber, it's fresh, high quality and flavourful.' Chef Ross said he and the airline – named the World's Best at the 2024 Skytrax Awards – are aligned when it comes to quality, innovation, and showcasing the best local Australian produce. 'Qatar Airways is renowned for its exceptional food service and has been honoured with numerous accolades,' he told 'This dedication to excellence mirrors our philosophy at Woodcut, a celebration of incredible Australian produce and the earthy and sensory experience of cooking with fire and steam, imparting a tangible element of flavour and authenticity to each dish.' 'Travelling and living globally has been pivotal influence in my journey. I love that Qatar Airways is connecting Australians to the world and it's been incredibly rewarding to bring my culinary vision to the table and elevate the in-flight experience for Qatar Airways passengers.' The menu will be refreshed every three months with Chef Ross' curation for a total of four menu cycles. It will also be available on Virgin flights departing from Australia to Doha as of June 12. The Middle Eastern carrier partnered with Virgin after the Australian Government gave its tick of approval. Qatar Airways now has a minority 25 per cent stake in the Aussie carrier, in turn expanding Virgin's flight network. Virgin has largely been out of the international market for four and a half years – with its current overseas routes including Bali, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu and Samoa. But since partnering with the major carrier, it will now crack the Middle Eastern market operating an additional 28 flights a week to Doha on behalf of the Australian carrier. The deal means Virgin can lease planes and staff from the Qatari airline and compete on the route.
