Check out Heat in the Kitchen on SBS tonight for a fly on the wall view of what happens when Sydney Morning Herald restaurant critic Matthew Evans visits a restaurant.
Restaurant criticism has never been the blood sport that it is in the UK, thanks partly to a $100,000 libel payout as a result of a Leo Schofield review in the late 1980s. This show however gives an insight into the pressure cooker atmosphere of the kitchens of Matthew Kemp at Balzac, Luke Ngyen at Vietnamese Red Lantern and the hardboiled (we’ve had the privilege of interviewing him) Matt Moran at glitzy Aria on Circular Quay.
Evans, according to Graeme Blundell in the Australian:
“Though Evans presents himself as a model of reasoned equilibrium he reminds me of the one-time newspaper drama critic Leonard Radic who, disgruntled theatre people in Melbourne insisted, would remain aloof during a prostate examination.”
Kenneth Nguyen writing in The Age says:
“In a sense, they are lucky: modest and good-natured, Evans reveals himself to be a man in love with the sensuousness of food rather than his own sense of power.”
Nevertheless, Evans has brushed with the libel sharks of Coco Roco in Sydney although the “fair comment” defence won the day.
Crikey reported the case. Limoncello had:
“flavours that jangle like a car crash; all at once it’s sickly sweet, overtly alcoholic, slippery, salty and bitter.”
Pork belly:
“A generous square of pig’s paunch is snuggled into a mass of starchy lentils. The meat is unevenly spiced with Moorish flavours and the lentils are poor. Texturally, it brings to mind the porcine equal of a parched Weetbix.”
While any chef worth his salt should now who’s who in the business it is remarkable how sensitive these individuals can be. Last year when Tomato featured Melbourne restaurant critics Stephen Downes, John Lethlean and Matt Preston the latter two would only after some persuasion be pictured in the shadows because they didn’t want to be recognised.
Talk to any chef or restaurateur and they’ll have few good words about critics – unless they are being diplomatic or have one in their pocket. Yet these people take their jobs very seriously indeed. The idea is to give real people a guide to the quality and value of a meal.
As with everything in this post modern world, each person has their own opinion and truth which is why Stephen Downes may be (allegedly) banned from, say, the pricey Becco or di Stasio and others will rank these two restaurants among the best in Melbourne.
With the publication of the Good Food Guide later this month we look forward to more of the usual spirited debate.
Become a Facebook fan. Follow me on Twitter. 
