JESSE MCTAVISH JOINS BONDI FAVOURITE, NORTH BONDI FISH

Bondi favourite, North Bondi Fish, has announced the appointment of Jesse McTavish as head chef. Son of well-known surfboard designer, Bob McTavish, Jesse grew up with a love of surfing and fishing and deep respect for the ocean. Over the last 23 years, he has worked in some of the most renowned restaurants and cafes in Australia, starting with the Beach Hotel in Byron Bay and most recently, co-owner of Top Paddock and The Kettle Black in Melbourne.

The new menu features plenty of snack-size and sharing dishes, perfect for diners who want to enjoy a great bottle of wine and some small plates with friends. Dishes include Hiramasa kingfish ceviche, served in a coconut shell with coconut water and avocado, and pickled mussels in a tin with baby octopus, chorizo and red pepper mayo. Long-time favourite dishes at North Bondi Fish, such as the fish tacos, will remain.

McTavish is passionate about sourcing quality ingredients and building relationships with suppliers. He’s also a keen forager, and has been experimenting with ingredients he’s found locally, including sea rocket, which grows prolifically along the coastline and in the dunes and has a similar flavour to wasabi. It features in the prawn sanga, which is served with a sea rocket mayo, and is destined to become a North Bondi Fish classic. “I’m really excited about moving to Sydney and joining the Solotel family at North Bondi Fish;Winter down here can be as beautiful as summer, and I can’t wait to showcase what the oceans bring with it in the cooler months.”

Alongside a new senior team and the latest artwork by Sydney artist Daimon Downey, McTavish hopes his menu will be a drawcard for both Bondi locals and visitors throughout winter and beyond. Just quietly, we think it most definitely will.