Watch The Cook and the Chef online: Episode 8 Tetsuya part 1

This week on The Cook & the Chef Maggie and Simon celebrate the meteoric rise of Australian restaurant culture. Fifty years ago Australia was gastronomically a very bleak part of the world. In the early 1950’s dining out for Maggie's family often meant a meal at the local Chinese restaurant, but the choice was limited. For many it was steak & chips, followed by ice-cream and passionfruit syrup at the local café or milk bar. But something was about to happen which would liberalise the drinking laws, throw open restaurant doors and introduce us to whole new culinary world. The post war immigration boom had arrived and brought with not only great diversity of cuisine, but an extraordinary variety of home grown produce. There was a rise in affluence among the broader population and by the mid 1960's Australians had begun streaming into Europe, driven by our sense of adventure. On their return, they demanded much more than steak and chips, sparking a renaissance in home grown restaurant culture. Maggie played her part in this transformation and takes a nostalgic look back at her restaurant days in the 1980's. She cooks her legendary pheasant pie, while Simon shares his take on 'Greek meatballs', a staple from the 1970's restaurants that he and his family used to visit. We meet Sydney Chef Tetsuya Wakuda who arrived in Australia in 1982 with no formal training and nothing more than a small suitcase. From humble beginnings, Tetsuya is now recognised as one of the world’s best chefs and his restaurant has won numerous awards. As a tribute, Maggie cooks her version of Tetsuya's famous 'Confit of Ocean Trout', and Simon reels in some whiting and makes sashimi, with pickled daikon, ginger and a unique dipping sauce, both dishes celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of today’s restaurant scene. Recipes: - Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) - Sashimi - Ocean Trout - Pheasant Pie

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