He's known in Australia as one of the hottest chefs in town. At his Sydney-based restaurant Automata, crowds flock to the sleek, industrial space for a taste of his bold, at times even provocative, cuisine. His resume sparkles with fine-dining names such as Tetsuya's, Noma, and Quay.
So what inspired chef Clayton Wells (pictured, left) to open his second restaurant here in Singapore? For one, Wells comes here a lot. "The dining scene here is fantastic, and I've got quite a few good (chef) friends here as well," shares Wells, who names Dave Pynt of Michelin-recommended restaurant Burnt Ends and Sam Aisbett of one Michelin-starred Whitegrass among his circle.
Blackwattle is where Wells gets to experiment with a bounty of produce unlike what he can find back home. We sit with him to find out more.
So what inspired chef Clayton Wells (pictured, left) to open his second restaurant here in Singapore? For one, Wells comes here a lot. "The dining scene here is fantastic, and I've got quite a few good (chef) friends here as well," shares Wells, who names Dave Pynt of Michelin-recommended restaurant Burnt Ends and Sam Aisbett of one Michelin-starred Whitegrass among his circle.
Blackwattle is where Wells gets to experiment with a bounty of produce unlike what he can find back home. We sit with him to find out more.
How did you get to know Unlisted Collection founder Loh Lik Peng?
I got to know Peng while working at (now-defunct) restaurant Viajante in his London hotel, Town Hall, back in 2010. When I moved back to Sydney to open Momofuku Seiobo with (chef) David Chang, Peng dropped hints that he was planning to open a new restaurant in Sydney — I saw it as an amazing opportunity to open a restaurant in my home town.
I got to know Peng while working at (now-defunct) restaurant Viajante in his London hotel, Town Hall, back in 2010. When I moved back to Sydney to open Momofuku Seiobo with (chef) David Chang, Peng dropped hints that he was planning to open a new restaurant in Sydney — I saw it as an amazing opportunity to open a restaurant in my home town.
The interior of Blackwattle in Singapore.
Your resume has an interesting mix of chefs you have worked with. Who is the most colourful character you have met?
I'll have to say David Chang (laughs). Working with him was a really important moment in my career — it was the point where I moved away from traditional fine-dining and gained a bit more freedom as a cook to test things out and make mistakes.
I'll have to say David Chang (laughs). Working with him was a really important moment in my career — it was the point where I moved away from traditional fine-dining and gained a bit more freedom as a cook to test things out and make mistakes.
Share with me an incident in Momofuku that you are sure would never happen in a fine-dining restaurant.
A weekend to opening, Dave (Chang) was glazing a pork shoulder in the oven. It smelled so good, with its caramelised skin and the aroma of brown sugar. Diners were all finishing their desserts, and Dave decided to break up the pork shoulder and serve it to diners right there. No cutlery — they had to eat that sticky, glazed pork with their hands.
That definitely wouldn't go down well in a fine-dining restaurant. But that incident took away the seriousness you'll usually get in a fine restaurant, and showed me a new, fun side to cooking.
A weekend to opening, Dave (Chang) was glazing a pork shoulder in the oven. It smelled so good, with its caramelised skin and the aroma of brown sugar. Diners were all finishing their desserts, and Dave decided to break up the pork shoulder and serve it to diners right there. No cutlery — they had to eat that sticky, glazed pork with their hands.
That definitely wouldn't go down well in a fine-dining restaurant. But that incident took away the seriousness you'll usually get in a fine restaurant, and showed me a new, fun side to cooking.
Stracciatella cheese, tomato, kombu and shellfish oil from Blackwattle.
What can we expect from the menu at Blackwattle?
I'll say it's a similar style of cooking to Automata, in that we let the ingredients dictate what we cook. It's a very organic process, that also encourages learning along the way.
For instance, I enjoy walking through the markets in Chinatown or Tekka and picking out unfamiliar ingredients such as gooseberries or gingerflower, then tasting them and working them into dishes. And yes, we went as a team to haggle together because I don't think I could have done it alone! (laughs)
I'll say it's a similar style of cooking to Automata, in that we let the ingredients dictate what we cook. It's a very organic process, that also encourages learning along the way.
For instance, I enjoy walking through the markets in Chinatown or Tekka and picking out unfamiliar ingredients such as gooseberries or gingerflower, then tasting them and working them into dishes. And yes, we went as a team to haggle together because I don't think I could have done it alone! (laughs)
