THE RESTAURATEURS Christian Bauer, executive chef and mad dreamer; and Eddie Chew, wannabe tennis star and aspiring pianist
The perfect party: EC: From Etxebarri in San Sebastian to Le Pré Catelan in Paris, from Rafa’s in Roses to La Brace on the Amalfi coast, the most memorable have been lunches at friend’s homes, our own, or our restaurants. Dinner à la secret island getaway: CB: Sardines, anchovies, and all sorts of fish, lobster, and pork sausages on the grill, lots of great salads, ceviches, herring, smoked fish, bacalao, buckets of hollandaise sauce, spicy chimichurri, avocado salsa, just a mad mix of all sorts of things and definitely churros for dessert. EC: Seafood off the boat simply cooked à la plancha – clams, clams, and more clams, chipirones, gambas, turbot, monkfish, and rock fish all washed down with some wonderful Montrachet. The playlist: CB: Live music, please! Give me a proper marimba band (not mariachi!) playing an eclectic mix. Or better still Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, and Cesaria Evora taking turns. EC: Baroque music – music of the gods. None compares to Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Corelli, Rameau, Couperin … CB: Coffee, truffles, and macaroons from Lindt on Collins Street in Melbourne. Ladurée, eat your heart out; these are the best I have ever tasted. And apologies to Pierre Hermé, too. Perfect pre-dinner cocktail: CB: Lime Daiquiris. But they need to be perfectly balanced. Worst faux pas: EC: I never make mistakes! CB: Shagging someone’s partner in the bushes. It is simply not done. The wellmannered guest makes an assignation and completes the deed after leaving the party! Rémy Martin XO Excellence