Perfectly positioned at the Paris end of Collins Street Melbourne, Philippe Mauchel’s latest venture combines classic French cuisine with trending cooking techniques.
PHILLIPPE is the new venture by Philippe Mouchel, the French-born chef and protégé of the legendary Paul Bocuse. It’s the latest venture in his long line of brasseries, including Paul Bocuse (Daimaru, Melbourne) and the acclaimed Brasserie Phillip Mouchel (Crown, Melbourne).
A chef of many talents, Philippe has won accolades, awards, and the respect and affection of everyone who has worked with him, or eaten at any of his restaurants. He spoke to Front Burner Magazine about growing up in a family that loved to cook and eat, and where the food was always good.
“From an early age, I learnt that cooking was a pleasure,” he says. “Where cooking is a pleasure, eating will be, too. As a French-trained chef, my cuisine is served with sauces and jus. I want the dishes to be gourmand, generous and affordable.”
A rotisserie and Mibrasa charcoal oven are the stars of the PHILIPPE kitchen, with fish on the bone, roast chicken, meats and vegetables featuring as signature dishes.
Philippe has a long-standing relationship with Comcater and was invited to the South Melbourne demonstration kitchen to experience the Mibrasa charcoal oven.first-hand.
“I was introduced to Mibrasa charcoal ovens by the Comcater Managing Director Michael Wood and Regional Sales Manager Tony Bizzarri,” Philippe recounts. “At the time I was looking at a more healthy way to cook, so the timing was perfect. We use it to grill beef, lamb, pork and fish. Any ingredient grilled in the Mibrasa charcoal oven has an incomparable taste.”
“The way we eat has changed, but our need for good food is the same. However we eat, we all deserve to eat well – to eat good ingredients, cooked properly, in nice surroundings. My mission is to serve food that people understand, and that is always interesting to eat.”
Diners also have the option to be seated at the raw bar, an ideal position to watch the chef prepare oysters, shucked fresh to order.
PHILIPPE not only features a dream kitchen: a dream team of chefs also resides inside the kitchen along with the commercial kitchen equipment, with Aurelien Gransagne from two-Michelin-starred L’Espérance and Pierre Coffin from New York City’s LeBilboquet both leading the team.
The restaurant venue has had a storied past, with Greg Malouf, Jamie Oliver and Toby Puttock each calling it home at some point. Needless to say that the good bones of the kitchen didn’t call for a dramatic makeover with a Garland range already in existence.
Filled with the aroma of the Mibrasa charcoal oven along with a cheese trolley doing the rounds of the dining room, Philippe Mouchel has definitely accomplished his mission in delivering a restaurant where patrons are able to enjoy traditional French comfort food, based upon time-honoured recipes in the heart of Melbourne.
View our charcoal ovens or all ranges of commercial ovens.
