MAGIC MIKE

Pop-up veteran Mike Eggert has a permanent gig at Totti’s, Merivale’s new Bondi eatery at The Royal. Here, he shares his beach essentials.

What’s your favourite bottle of wine to bring to the beach? 2015 Gatti Bolle Bandite from Veneto. It’s cheap, easy and fun. For a late-night tipple down on the water: NV Vouette and Sorbée Fidèle from Champagne. I also can’t go past a nice sour beer from Two Metre Tall. The best ice-cream to eat by the water? It’s hard to beat Frosty Fruits or an almond Magnum. Which seaside ingredient are you looking forward to using at Totti’s? I love coastal celery. Anise and sea purslane are great as well. We’re lucky enough to have Bruce Collis supplying our seafood – I’m really excited to just let him send us everything he has. What’s the best meal you’ve had by the

beach? I was fortunate to spend some time at an isolated wildlife sanctuary on the western tip of Cape York. We cooked some amazing meals over fire on the beach from ingredients that were hunted and gathered daily. It was really special, but honestly even the baked beans and Coco Pops tasted five-star. What’s the best thing about cooking in

Bondi? It’s synonymous with sun, outdoors and friends. These are the best things about most meals, and something you cherish when working long hours in kitchens. What will you be reading over summer? I have a backlog of great cookbooks that I haven’t gotten around to reading (Aska, A Very Serious Cookbook, Superiority Burger Cookbook). I’m also reading a fantastic book about sustainable timber called Heartwood by Rowan Reid.

Totti’s at The Royal, 283 Bondi Rd, Bondi, NSW, (02) 9114 7371, merivale.com