Executive chef Jay Tesorero shows us around Perth

I was born in Manila, where my mom is originally from, but I owe my love of food to my dad, who grew up in Bicol province. As a child I would watch him cook every day and wonder why he was so particular about his methods when there were easier ways available. For instance, he would use a pot made of clay instead of metal, and woodfire instead of a gas stove. He also made coconut milk from scratch whenever he cooked a curry dish. These impressions have guided me to this day. If I want to excel as a chef, I need to pay attention to detail rather than look for the easiest route.

In 1999, I originally wanted to enroll in a hotel management course, but my older brother convinced me to go to culinary school instead. There, I joined a cooking competition in an open category – this meant that students could compete against professional cooks – and won a silver medal for two dishes I made from roasted chicken. I realized then that I had the talent – and that being a chef was what I wanted to do.

My early years as a chef in the Philippines were exciting but challenging. I was working in a fine-dining restaurant but wasn’t earning much. I could have given up, but since I didn’t have to spend on rent as I was still living with my parents, I soldiered on.

 

I moved to Western Australia in 2007 after a former colleague told me about a job vacancy at the Mercure Hotel Continental in Broome, a beach resort town in the Kimberley region. I was hired for the role of executive chef at the hotel’s popular Conti Bar & Bistro.

In Broome, I would join other chefs when they went fishing on weekends, even though I tend to get seasick. I saw different kinds of fish, such as barramundi, tripletail, mangrove jack and dhufish. This was how I learned about Australian produce; I would write everything down and also gather tips from the local chefs.

I’ve been based in Perth since 2011, but it was only last year that I joined the Quay Perth hotel as executive chef. It’s a luxury property in Elizabeth Quay, itself a fairly new mixed-use development project in Perth’s CBD.

Our main restaurant is HQ Bar + Kitchen, and the base cuisine is Cantonese, so I asked the owners – who are Cantonese – why they chose me to head the kitchen.

They said they were looking for someone with knowledge of non-Chinese cuisines who could think bigger, experiment and re-interpret traditional Cantonese dishes. Given carte blanche, I took the liberty of also infusing some dishes with Filipino flavors. I’ve introduced crispy chicken skin served with onion- and garlic-infused vinegar, sticky rice pudding that’s similar to biko, crispy whiting served with lato-like seaweed salad, and king prawns lightly coated with butter that’s infused with bagoong alamang (salty shrimp paste). As a Filipino, I am very proud to hold this important position.

Perth is a wonderful city to raise a family. The streets are tidy and the air is clean, people are friendly and there’s hardly any traffic. It’s surrounded by nature and I can get to a beach from the city in less than half an hour. It’s multicultural with a huge population of immigrants, so even as my family and I assimilate, we’re also inspired to appreciate and remember our Filipino roots.

SATURDAY

9AM

A chef’s work is never done. I’m in the city to see that everyone in my team at HQ Bar + Kitchen has everything that they need. The restaurant has such amazing views over Elizabeth Quay and the Swan River that I end up grabbing a cappuccino, made from beans from Margaret River Roasting Company, and nurse it on the balcony. Quay Perth Hotel, 18 The Esplanade

10:30AM

I drop into Community, our casual eatery at Quay Perth hotel, to have breakfast with my wife, Sandy, and daughter, Sapphire. We order our go-to dish, The Birds Nest, made with Bircher muesli, fruits, seeds, yoghurt and agave syrup. I love the vibe here. We called it Community as hotels are a lot more outward-looking these days. In Asia, dining at a hotel isn’t anything strange. But here in Perth it’s a new experience. Now, new hotel restaurants are becoming the places to eat at, such as HQ Bar + Kitchen, Santini (at the QT) and Garum (at The Westin). Quay Perth Hotel, 18 The Esplanade

11:45AM

The newly developed Elizabeth Quay has given Perth a focal point on the Swan River. It’s really starting to become a distinct food and drink precinct. But beyond that, I really like that it’s inclusive, and that it’s been developed for families to enjoy for free. I walk around the waterside with my family and across the pedestrian bridge, looking back toward the Quay where the Spanda, a huge eight-story sculpture, is located. You’ll also see people enjoying themselves on the water. Along The Esplanade

12:45PM

I indulge in a solo lunch at Hearth, our new neighbor on the quay. It’s for both business and pleasure – as a chef I’m always looking at what my peers are doing, even when the cuisine is radically different from my own. Jed Gerrard, Hearth’s executive chef, built a great reputation at Wildflower, just down the road at COMO The Treasury, for his modern Australian menu. At Hearth, I geek out over the wood-fired grill that has pride of place in the open kitchen. The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, 1 Barrack St

3PM

I catch up with Sandy and Sapphire for a walk through the Supreme Court Gardens (corner Barrack St and Riverside Dr) and then we take a look at the Council House (27 St Georges Terrace), where the mayor’s office is located. It’s not just kids who love the life-size bronze kangaroos there – they’re great for photo opportunities.

3:30PM

Across from the gardens are the State Buildings (corner Barrack St and St Georges Terrace), three interconnected heritage buildings that are a favorite spot for many. First opened in 1874, the buildings were brought back from the brink of being derelict and reopened in 2015. They are now home to bars, restaurants and artisan shops like Rohan Jewellers and Sue Lewis Chocolatier, one of Australia’s best, its founder having trained under Paul A Young in London.

4PM

I catch up with friends at Petition Beer Corner, where the tap choices are off the charts – the beer list is so extensive, it’s projected onto the wall. There’s always something new on the menu, and I’d say I’m new to more than half the list each time. I love the vibrancy of the beer scene in Perth. There are so many craft brewers doing interesting – and sometimes weird – things. As a chef I can appreciate pushing the envelope.

6PM

Long Chim is a place I could eat at every day. While we’re often labeled as Cantonese at HQ Bar + Kitchen, we actually have a wider Asian outlook. Long Chim founder David Thompson is renowned globally for his skill in Thai cuisine. An Australian chef who is a successful restaurateur in Sydney, he opened Nahm in London (which won a Michelin star) and is now based in Bangkok. He has such a singular and respectful focus, but that’s not to say Long Chim is formal. Far from it: It’s an homage to Isan and Bangkok street food. It really gets the energy across, from the walls daubed with street art to the neon lights. We order family-style, sharing as we go, and I’m really into the pineapple and pork curry. Inside State Buildings

8PM

The night is young but we’re not going far. The cocktail program at Long Chim has been strong from day one. We make a move to the bar and take a journey to Thailand through the cocktail menu, each drink inspired by the country’s cities and provinces.

SUNDAY

8:30AM

A big part of Australian life is the beach. We head out towards Scarborough Beach, 16km from Elizabeth Quay. It recently underwent a huge redevelopment and I’m so impressed with the changes. We walk along the landscaped seafront and then head onto the beach to get some sand between our toes. I love to see Sapphire enjoy this beautiful place I’m lucky to now call home.

10:30AM

I take a dip at the new Scarborough Beach Pool. It’s the only beachside pool in WA, and its 50m lanes are beside the ocean. The Indian Ocean is colder than most people think, and I love that the pool here is geothermally heated to a constant 27ºC. 171 The Esplanade, Scarborough

12PM

We’re lucky to grab a table at busy La Capannina, a modern Italian eatery with sleek interiors. While the building is a part of the striking redevelopment of Scarborough, it’s the ocean-view seating that’s the coup. This is my kind of place – very laid-back and doing great things with Western Australian produce. I’m into the chili mussels, Fremantle octopus and a crispy Barramundi main dish that reminds me of my time up in Broome. A cocktail with a killer view – this could be Miami.  1/F, 171 The Esplanade, Scarborough

2:30PM

Back in the city we check out Yagan Square (corner Wellington and William Sts) which has linked the CBD and the edgy Northbridge suburb by sinking the railway line that once cut through this part of the city. I take a minute to look at and appreciate the 9m-high statue here of a Noongar man. It’s called Wirin, which means “spirit” in the Noongar language. It’s a reminder of the culture of Australia’s indigenous people. I walk through the Market Hall area, with its independent vendors.

3PM

While at Yagan SquareI make it a point to stop at Northbridge, which is just moments away. It’s the cradle of the city’s Greek and Italian migrant communities, and it’s also where Chinatown is located. I head further down to some of the specialty food stores in Chinatown to pick up some staples for the week, but also to Kakulas Brothers, which has been here since 1929. There’s a myriad of international foods and bulk spices that draw many cultures here. 183 William St, Northbridge

5:30PM

Across the road from Kakulas Brothers, Chez and Carly De Bartolo are manning the scoops at Chicho Gelato, an artisanal gelateria neighboring State Theatre Centre. I’m finding it difficult, as I always do, to make a choice. It’s not your standard flavor combinations here – the two of them come up with things like green tea toasted rice. They do regular chef collaborations too, which keeps things really fun. 180 William St, Northbridge

6:30PM

Northbridge is the center of Perth’s bar scene. We meet friends at The Standard, which has a busy open kitchen and bustling bar. It’s a warm evening – we head for the courtyard and jump into the mainly Western Australian wine list. After browsing the list of low-intervention wines by boutique winemakers, we start with Blind Corner’s pet-nat, a fun sparkling wine from Margaret River. 28 Roe St, Northbridge

8:30PM

We’ve made a reservation at James Parker Sushi & Sake. It’s a modern Japanese restaurant and I had a real shock when I first came here, thinking it featured a standard Japanese menu. But its approach to ingredients and the style of the dishes are really contemporary. We grab sashimi, an omakase tapas entrée, as well as dishes like wagyu beef tataki and soft-shell crab tosazu (a savory sauce). Shop 2, 182 James St, Northbridge