Naked chef cooks to connect

It has never been easier for residents on the Surf Coast to hire their very own private chef.

Previously a Melbourne-based multimedia producer representing food companies, Esta Costilla executive chef Stevie Mack has worked with some of Australia’s most lucrative and colourful chefs.

Fascinated and intrigued by their work through his multimedia productions, Stevie made a career change and is now offering his services as a private chef, enjoying the freedom to create both original and traditional dishes made from the freshest and finest ingredients.

“I was born in Melbourne and moved to Israel with my older brother, Australian mother and British father as a young boy,” Stevie said.

“As a multicultural country with immigrants from 80 different countries, Israel exposed me to diverse lifestyles and types of food from an early age.

“After finishing school, I felt the need to go back to Australia and rediscover my country of birth.”

Since then, Stevie has developed his own personal brand of cooking, with a passion for getting to know his clients well.

“As most learning occurs, my cooking was developed through experimenting over many years,” Stevie said.

“I have a very curious nature and I’m always open to new experiences. I gradually integrated the diversity of the cuisines I encountered on my learning journey into my cooking until I found my own style. I like to think each chef is unique in his or her own way.

“My love of cooking stems from a very young age. I was a keen explorer and would frequently find myself in different kitchens.

“In my travels and work, I continued exploring food from around the globe and today I feel just as inspired as when I was a child.”

Stevie often doesn’t take much time away from the kitchen but when the chance arises he takes time to appreciate the people around him.

“After closing my Cuban-inspired restaurant Esta Costilla, in order to peruse my next venture, I decided that it was time to reconnect with the community and nature again,” he said.

“When you’re a kid you hang out and get to randomly experience many aspects of life, but as an adult you can often get overly absorbed in your own life and start ignoring the things and people around you.

“If I have any spare time now, having a random conversation with a stranger on the beach is as good as anything I can think of doing. I’d like to think of myself as a practitioner of civility and the ‘simple life’. As I’ve matured I’ve learnt that people are just as precious as time and that you’ve got to make the most of both.”

Stevie is proud to offer free consultations to his clients, to discuss and listen to what they want for their event.

“I like to work naked in the kitchen – I don’t mean literally, but all of my processes are super transparent. From the fields my potatoes are grown in, to the fishmongers and butchers who provide me with some crazy amazing produce,” Stevie said.

“I enjoy talking to my customers and hearing their thoughts about how they would like their dinner party or event to go.

“I listen, I digest and I then tailor a menu to create something that is unique for their special day.

“Whether it’s in the format of canapés, seafood buffet, barbecue smoked meats or à la carte, it has to mean something and have a close connection to what my customer is trying to say to his or her guests.

“Esta Costilla is more of a boutique experience. I have complete freedom to construct something new each time and I don’t necessarily restrict myself to a menu or any streamlining process.

“Every booking is a brand new challenge and when people hire me they can expect a little of the unexpected, with the confidence that they’ve hired a chef who genuinely cares and will go the distance to achieve something unique at a fair price.”

For more information on Stevie’s services and menu options, phone 0431 474 889, email [email protected], head to estacostilla.com or follow the Esta Costilla Facebook page.