ALVAREZ IN THE HOUSE
Australia’s most iconic building has welcomed acclaimed chef Danielle Alvarez beneath its sails as she takes on the new role of culinary director for Sydney Opera House’s event venues.
“I really just want to bring my food philosophy to the Opera House. I’m working to bring along a lot of the small suppliers that I’ve used in the past, and really focus on Australian ingredients and seafood,” says Alvarez.
Alvarez joins Trippas White Group – operator of the Opera House’s internal food and beverage event spaces – which also oversees dining at Taronga Zoo, Centennial Homestead and Bar 83. Alavarez joins an already stellar line-up of culinary talent that calls the Opera House home, including Peter Gilmore at Bennelong and Indigenous chef Mark Olive at Midden.
As part of her new role, Alvarez has crafted a series of bespoke menus for guests dining in the Yallamundi Rooms, the Utzon Room and Northern Foyers, offering 56 dishes in total, across canapés and plated mains.
“I don’t think enough people know that they can hire those spaces for a birthday, a wedding, corporate functions, whatever you want,” says Alvarez, who hopes to bring more eyes (and mouths) to the private dining spaces with her fresh menus, which take inspiration from the
Opera House’s prime harbour location.
“Really, you’re looking over the ocean, so there’s a lot of seafood on the menu. One of the canapés is Sydney rock oyster with a finger lime and passionfruit mignonette, which is just fresh and summery.” There’s also a wild caught snapper tartare, with Yarra Valley salmon roe, chives, crème fraîche and crisp crackers on the side; and a savoury millefeuille. “It’s with whipped goat’s curd and slow-roasted confit tomatoes and basil oil,” says Alvarez.
The building’s grand structure also inspired the chef, who says she has stepped up her presentation as a result. “The plating is a lot more architectural than I would’ve ever done in the past. I think that kind of just naturally came through from the space,” says Alvarez.
The former Fred’s chef will also celebrate both her new role and the release of her next cookbook Recipes for a Lifetime of Beautiful Cooking with an in conversation event in November, the first of several public-facing events planned for the future. “The Opera House is so open to everyone. I can’t think of another cultural institution that is that inviting. It’s the people’s house.”
The Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, sydneyoperahouse.com