5 Minutes with Matt Germanchis

For culinary innovator and internationally acclaimed chef, Matt Germanchis, there are always more ways to collaborate, create and push boundaries with food. But for any kitchen to succeed, he believes the secret ingredient is always teamwork.  Drawing on a career spent in the kitchens of some of Australia’s most esteemed (and daring) restaurants, such as Pei Modern, MoVida, Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred The Fat Duck and Hind’s Head, Matt is now almost a year into his own culinary adventure: Captain Moonlite.We sat down with Matt to talk about Captain Moonlite, teamwork in the restaurant world and how his role as a Your Corporate Kitchen mentor is helping more people acquire life skills from the kitchen.

Named after notorious bushranger Andrew “Captain Moonlite” Scott and inspired by Matt’s urge to bring Greek Island style dining to Australia’s south-west coastline, Captain Moonlite has breathed new life into Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club.

“We source Victorian wines, the seafood is local (Lakes Entrance, Lorne) and that’s why we wanted to do it in a surf club - it’s a lifeline, it’s local, it’s about community support. There’s nothing more Australian than a surf club!”

Matt said the acceptance of Captain Moonlite by the locals is astounding, and the community has been instrumental in encouraging and supporting the new restaurant.

“It’s a real network of people helping each other, supporting you,” he said.

“We source Victorian wines, the seafood is local (Lakes Entrance, Lorne) and that’s why we wanted to do it in a surf club - it’s a lifeline, it’s local, it’s about community support. There’s nothing more Australian than a surf club!”

Matt’s passion for collaboration and synergy extends beyond his local community and into the kitchen - where he says a big misconception is that talent can drive your success as a young chef.

“What people don’t understand (young cooks) about the industry, cooking in general, teamwork in general … is that being a superstar isn’t enough. I treat it as a craft,” he said.

He credits coming to work on-time, having a happy face and getting into it, possessing an unconquerable spirit and thinking on your feet and problem solving, with the advancement of young chefs.“It’s not only about creating magic on a plate. The magic happens in the environment,” he said.

He said those that have grasped this thinking have gone far, in and out of the kitchen.

“They’ve excelled in their personal life and careers because of the attitude and those fundamental skills you put in place in the kitchen,” he said.

“You can build the skills to create your own businesses, or explore entrepreneurial interests, or work in organisations, where it’s more than the cooking, it’s the business side of things.”

“This is where the value lies for participants of Your Corporate Kitchen. They reap the unique benefit of absorbing these very practical skills, and taking them into their office, business and ‘real life’ outside of cooking.”

Always looking to the future, Matt said the theme of collaboration will also drive the food trends he expects in the near future.

“Personally, I think some of the Turkish cuisine will be massive in the coming years… and Arab cuisine.”

“It’s everyday food that’s super delicious, it’s not heavy, it’s always fresh; punchy flavours. Perfect for communal and family gatherings. It carries a strong sentiment of sharing and community.”