Reality TV might have us believing chefs are types who swear and cuss, throw their weight around and make children cry. But hidden in the kitchen at The Provincial is a different kind of chef. You might find Paul Cooper showing his team how to dissect a whole animal limb from limb, but in the most agreeable fashion. A far call from his hollering colleagues, Cooper is the type of guy you could imagine having a casual beer with down the pub.
It’s in one of Melbourne’s iconic pubs that he toils. The Provincial Hotel stands on the corner of Johnston Street and Brunswick Street in Fitzroy. On a Friday or Saturday night all manner of people gather in the bar to celebrate the end of the working week. On the other side of the building a more genteel set eats and drinks in the restaurant, and upstairs you might find a wedding or function in the Parisian-style salon.
Whether it’s pumping out bar food, carefully laying out a looks-like-it-just-landed-that-way charcuterie or perfecting a menu for a function, Cooper is cool-headed and casual but a stickler for quality and using local produce where possible.
Thursday (26 May) sees The Provincial host a Slow Cooked Dinner in the salon. $79 will get you four courses with matched wines – a steal! “Slow food is something that I am very passionate about, it is one of my favourite cooking methods,” says Cooper. “I intend to showcase some different varieties of slow cooking methods throughout the dinner, and show that it is not all about stews and ragouts.”
Cooper has selected produce from Victorian farmers. “I have chosen to use all Victorian producers for the dinner, as I believe in supporting small Victorian producers. The quality of these small producers speaks for itself, it is quite simply amazing, and is only used in select restaurants. It’s not the stuff you are likely to find in your local supermarket.”
The menu showcases meats from Killara Rise Lamb, Greenvale Farm Wessex Saddleback Pork and Warialda Belted Galloway Beef teamed with wines by Tom Carson (Yabby Lake and Red Claw).
For the finishing fungal touches, Cooper’s going to head out into the woods himself. “I also have the intention of heading to the Macedon ranges, and doing a little foraging for some wild mushrooms. I am hoping for some grey ghosts, but the chances are that it will be slippery jacks and pine mushrooms,” he says.
Whatever Cooper gathers you can bet by the time it reaches your plate it will be delicious. There are still a few places left for dinner so give the Provincial a call on 03 9810 0042 to make your reservation.