Shayne Mansfield has hit the ground running since joining Jana Restaurant & Bar at QT Newcastle as its new executive chef.
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It's been just two weeks since QT made the announcement and Mansfield, who was head chef at Wickham restaurant Flotilla when it gained its first chef's hat in the 2022 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, has already launched Jana's new winter menu.
It's recognisably Mansfield. Seasonal and sustainable to its very core, the menu is a triumph of thoughtful flavour combinations and textural diversity, and each dish is presented with creativity and skill.
"My approach to minimal food waste is a true passion and a key focus of mine, and I'll continue to bring this to life with my time at Jana," Mansfield tells Weekender.
"It allows me to unlock new flavours through parts of produce that often would end up in landfill."
The carrot tartare starter is a case in point.
"This dish utilises all parts of the produce by incorporating pickled carrots and stems repurposed as green-tinged crackers, which results in a zero-waste dish," he explains.
"I'm very passionate about sustainable practices in the kitchen. I've been able to bring some of these practices to Jana since I've been here and this will certainly grow with time."
Other dishes include the game farm duck breast with beetroot fondant, smoked goat's curd and sauce madeira; Margra lamb with braised eggplant, autumn vegetables, carrot butter and lamb sauce; and snapper crudo with pink peppercorn dressing, pickled rhubarb and buttermilk. Mansfield has also transformed the Rooftop's bar menu.
QT Newcastle's general manager, Michael Stamboulidis, says Mansfield's approach to cooking "showcases the most premium ingredients with a touch of trickery". He describes it as "humble food, done very well".
"I have been fortunate enough that QT Newcastle have embraced me and my vision for Jana," Mansfield says.
"The team have put their trust in me, allowing me to work with a clean state in regards to the creation of the winter menu.
"The contemporary Australian direction of the restaurant has remained, with premium produce sourced from the earth and ocean of the region at its core, however I've been able to add my sustainable flair and alternative cooking techniques such as charcoal, smoking and pickling."
A bite of any dish on the menu exposes diners to all three techniques, and more.
While it sits comfortably in the fine dining category, the menu remains familiar and approachable. As a front-of-house staff member said when I visited last week, "we prefer to call it fun rather than fine dining". I was impressed by each staff member's understanding of the menu and how it works in tandem with the wine list. Their suggestions were spot on.
Mansfield is essentially plating up modern renditions of much-loved recipes passed down through his family. One example is his grandmother's pickling mix which is used in the snapper crudo and the carrot tartare. Another is his grandmother's ketchup.
"Nana Helen's home-made ketchup is a family heirloom, crafted with love and whispered secrets," he says.
"My grandmother was the driving force behind my love for cooking and instilled lessons in me from an early age. I love being able to pay tribute to her."
Mansfield has worked alongside chefs the calibre of Paul Walsh and Jason Atherton at Michelin-starred Pollen Street and City Social, as well as Cameron Matthews at two-hatted restaurant The Long Apron, and has experience cooking in kitchens across Europe, Australia and North America.
"I'm very much hands on, and if you join us at Jana there's no doubt you will see me in the open kitchen," he says.
"We will continue to build our team however my focus will remain on evolving the menu to the season and ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly for all aspects of our five-star boutique hotel.
"Not only will you find me in the kitchen, but I've also got the amazing support from our senior chef de partie, Sam McKinnon. Sam recently joined us from Muse restaurant, and I couldn't do it without him."
When he's not cooking, Mansfield can be found at the pottery wheel. His range is called Black Beard Ceramics.
"Some of my smaller pieces are being used in Jana and I've recently been asked by Michael Stamboulidis if I would consider making all the plates for the restaurant," Mansfield says.
"That is definitely on the cards. My love for pottery is a release for me. It allows me to unwind on days off while still allowing me to tap into my creativity. I'm hoping to launch my online store soon, and I'm excited for the juggle it will bring. As they say, there's no rest for the wicked!"
Jana is open for breakfast 7 days, 7am-11am, walk-ins only; dinner Tuesday-Saturday, 5.30pm-9.30pm; and the bar Monday-Saturday, noon-late, and Sunday, noon-3pm.
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