Good Food Guide’s 2015 New Restaurant of the Year Supernormal is the latest addition to the growing restaurant ‘empire’ of owner and Chef of the Year, Andrew McConnell.
While in his words “it’s not an empire, just a restaurant”, in reality Supernormal reflects the culmination of Andrew’s experience distilled into a unique and refined vision executed impeccably.
Other such executions of Andrew’s vision in Melbourne include Cutler & Co, Cumulus, Cumulus Up, Builders Arms, Moon Under Water and the new Luxembourg (on the former Golden Fields site).
Supernormal meets Andrew’s brief to the architects of a ‘smart canteen’ and offers a broad range of Asian focused dishes in a considered space with a long open kitchen bar that creates a welcoming atmosphere encouraging Melbournians and visitors to drop by any time of day.
“RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH”
Andrew McConnell’s success stems from more than vision. “Research, research, research” is the key says Andrew.
At least 18 months of planning had been undertaken before the doors opened at Supernormal which included learnings from Golden Fields and Supernormal Canteen.
Supernormal Canteen opened next door to Cutler & Co for a brief period over the previous summer. This venture allowed Andrew to finely tune and develop the offering and marketing for the Supernormal of today.
Importantly, many staff at Supernormal worked for Andrew in the past meaning they were able to hit the ground running when the doors opened in 2014.
After working and travelling widely across Asia including Shanghai, Hong Kong and Japan, Andrew’s knowledge of the food and flavours of the region are evident in the menu.
“The menu at Supernormal is my interpretation of Asian flavours I’m comfortable with – but used with local produce that has greater variety and seasonality. At the moment we are doing a beautiful Short Rib from a local producer slowly braised with an XO sauce.”
Andrew knows how to keep customer’s happy with favourites from Golden Fields days migrating to the Supernormal menu including the New England Lobster Roll and the peanut butter parfait with salted caramel and soft chocolate.
ROLLS-ROYCE OF KITCHENS
Andrew’s further research and development of the menu included multiple visits to Japan so when he came to write the menu he knew exactly the type of kitchen needed.
From this and what he’d learnt from the setup at Cutler and Co, he wanted the “Rolls Royce” of kitchens. The kitchen at Supernormal has a dumpling section, wok section, raw section, pastry section and larder all based around the menu and creates a great work flow.
Accordingly, Andrew chose equipment that would suit this and the ‘smart canteen’ design of Supernormal.
“It’s not about one piece of equipment, it’s the family of equipment and how it works together. The Mareno range complements each other aesthetically and functionally to create the seamless work flow we have to easily handle 500 covers.”
The Mareno range is perfect for an open kitchen design so too is the opportunity afforded to the Chefs who are able to see customer’s enjoying their dishes, giving them greater pride in their work.
VARIOCOOKINGCENTER IS THE STAR!
As you pass the open kitchen a spectacular circular staircase leads to an intimate private dining room which includes Karaoke that is already proving popular.
Downstairs also includes a second smaller kitchen that features smart equipment enabling it to be used for the private functions but also as a second production kitchen.
The real star here is the RATIONAL VarioCookingCenter® asserts Andrew.
“With the VCC, we use it for à la carte for the functions including deep frying. As a production option, it has halved the cooking time to slowly braise tripe and produces fantastic XO sauce in bulk. The heat transfer delivers gorgeous even caramelisation in the sauce.”
Even with the growing stable of his restaurant businesses (Ok, we won’t say empire), Andrew is and remains a chef at heart.
The day-to-day management grind of each business is left to the highly experience and talented Managers who are accountable for each business enabling Andrew to spend more time where he is most comfortable – in one of his kitchens.
“I’m just as happy cooking Steak and béarnaise at the Builders Arms or the Degustation at Cutler & Co. Being able to cook in the different kitchens…it’s good for the head.”
You can view our commercial cooktops here.
For more information on the Supernormal kitchen, get in touch with us today.
