Restaurants

Brett Graham: sublime flavours

The critics’ darling
Brett Graham, 27, The Ledbury
Like many Australians living in London, Brett Graham thought he’d come over, do a bit of work in the UK and then travel. He wanted to see Spain. But it hasn’t worked out as expected. While chefing at The Square in Bruton Street, he was asked to head the kitchen at the owners’ new restaurant The Ledbury in Notting Hill, one of the finalists in the Time Out Awards Best New Restaurant category in 2005. ‘I knew if I didn’t take up the offer, someone else would,’ says the 27-year-old. Critics picked up on Graham’s sublime flavour combinations and attention to detail immediately and, unusually, he won a Michelin star just nine months after opening. Feature continues

‘That’s my proudest achievement as I’d never been a head chef before. What I’ve got to do now is develop the food and take more time to think about what I’m doing rather than just working all the hours God sends.’ Graham’s been in London five-and-a-half years now and, while he quite fancies setting up a restaurant in his home town of Newcastle (about an hour and a half’s drive north of Sydney), he isn’t in any hurry to head back down under. ‘I miss the family and going for a swim in salt water, but the standard of cooking and the consistency are higher here.’ And after all, he still hasn’t been to Spain.
The Ledbury, 127 Ledbury Rd, W11 2AQ (020 7792 9090) Westbourne Park tube.