Chef
Shannon Binnie was a cheeky kid when he met Luke Mangan. After 12 years under Mangan's tutelage behind the burners of some of Sydney's hottest kitchens, Binnie is braced to become the leading man in Mangan's newest venture, a Tokyo version of his flagship restaurant, Salt. INTERVIEWED BY AIMEE BROWN
I've learned how to treat people, run a business and about cooking I actually knew nothing of him when I started chefing. I went to a place called Chefs on the Run and they put me on to him. I went for a trial and saw he was pretty serious about cooking. I thought this would probably be a good career choice.
He used to work in the kitchen a lot more when I started. I've been with him for about 10 years on and off but for the first three or four years, there were a couple of pans chucked at me, but as soon as he got out of the kitchen he was all right. Among the things I've learned from Luke are how to treat people, how to run a business and, of course, about cooking. The travelling has been a good thing. Pretty much every year I've worked with him we've been overseas. Although, he still flies in business [class] and he sends me back little gin and tonics while I'm in cattle class, but it's been worth it.
He's got enough trust in me now to run one of his own restaurants, so I'm going to Tokyo. I can't wait. It's going to be seven days a week when I get there but the main thing I'm worried about is the language barrier. That will be pretty full-on. SHANNON BINNIE.
He's got a good temperament in the kitchen; he's well-balanced. He was really cheeky; he looked innocent. He reminded me of me when I started. He was 15 or 16 when we started him as an first year apprentice. I remember I said to him: `Are you sure you want to do this? It's pretty hard work', and he said: `Yeah, yeah.'
He's been the best apprentice I ever hired. He'd get into the kitchen before anyone else because he wanted to learn and he was the last to leave. Nothing's changed. His work ethic is unbelievable. He's calm, he's got a good temperament in the kitchen; he's a well-balanced guy. He knows right from wrong and he knows when I'm p...ed off. Yeah, he knows how to play me as well.
He's cooked for Bill Clinton with me, he's cooked for Princess Mary, he's been to Richard Branson's island, he's cooked at some of the most fantastic places. I take him to those things because he's been with me the longest, he's shown loyalty and respect and is bloody good at what he does.
I'm opening Salt in Toyko in April next year and he's going to head that up. He deserves that. LUKE MANGAN
By Aimee Brown, Shannon Binnie and Luke Mangan, The Daily Telegraph, July 29, 2006.
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