“I feel like I’m from WA,” he says of the State he has returned to several times. “Almost from the day I moved here from New Zealand, I felt there was something special.”
A big part of that continued passion for his adopted home comes from the quality of local produce Sharath is able to source every week, first as a chef and now as the Director of Food and Beverage at Novotel Perth Murray Street.
He may not spend as much time in the kitchen anymore, but Sharath still thinks like a chef when he is looking for suppliers for the hotel, headlined by its award-winning signature restaurant Miss Mi.
Out of the kitchen
His path to passion for Australian produce took many twists and turns, including years running restaurants in New Zealand, and cooking in Sydney hotels and restaurants. During his first stint in Perth, Sharath worked in hotels and started his own restaurant before returning to New Zealand. His next move took him even further afield – to the Pilbara, spending three years cheffing in Karratha where he discovered his love for native ingredients.
In 2019, he transitioned to part of the pre-opening team for Novotel Perth Murray Street. At the time, Sharath had no inkling of the disruption that was to come with the Covid pandemic delaying the hotel’s opening. The role of Food and Beverage Director did not formally exist, but the enterprising chef soon found himself covering that side of the business. When the hotel was finally able to reopen properly, he formally took on the role.
These days that role covers a lot of ground: an event space, the lobby bar, 24-hour room service, a breakfast buffet that feeds about 300 guests on an average day, and, of course, Miss Mi.
“Miss Mi has become like an identity for us, it’s our baby,” he says. “And Western Australian produce is at the heart of it.”
What’s on the menu
Ask Sharath how WA is showcased on Miss Mi’s modern Asian menu, and the answer is in almost everything. Dishes featuring Linley Valley Pork are always popular, and Manjimup truffles make an appearance every year at their seasonal best.
On the seafood side, two local favourites are permanent fixtures – premium Fremantle Octopus and stunning Exmouth Prawns from suppliers like Sea Harvest.
“We can’t take them off the menu because guests love them,” Sharath says. “We just try different ways of presenting them for guests to enjoy.”
Beef comes from a farm near Pemberton in the Southern Forests, including the tomahawk cut that is another favourite with regulars, while the lamb is sourced from Boyup Brook via McLoughlin Butchers.
And the local flavours don’t stop at food. About 60 percent of the wine list is Western Australian, and the hotel has also run themed dinners around local drops, including Whipper Snapper Distillery whiskey and Wandering Distillery gin.
Its own-label beer at the hotel lounge bar, Third Space, is brewed in partnership with Gage Roads, a connection Sharath made at Meet the Buyer™, Buy West Eat Best’s annual trade show that gives suppliers the chance to connect with potential buyers.
Why local matters
For Sharath, the appeal of local produce is reflected in two very important ingredients – freshness and feedback from guests.
“This is very important to us and guests like it – that’s what they are looking for,” he says.
This includes the many tourists drawn to Novotel Perth Murray Street and Miss Mi, with visitors wanting to know the story behind what’s on their plate.
“It engages them in conversation, and they are interested in the geography of the State, where things come from,” Sharath says.
That connection runs deep for the former chef, too. In the early days, a fish truck used to pull out front of the hotel two to three times a week and the kitchen could pick local crayfish or marron fresh from the truck. While the pandemic may have brought an end to that service, Sharath is passionate about maintaining similar relationships with suppliers.
Finding hidden treasure
It’s why he is a regular at Meet the Buyer™, the trade show that connects WA producers with chefs, retailers and foodservice buyers.
With seasonality and shared plates the cornerstones of Miss Mi’s menu, Sharath is always on the lookout for something fresh and fabulous. “I’d like to see more of the seafood there, because Western Australian seafood is so good, and I think that is where the good relationships get built,” he says.
Sharath is not just looking for familiar faces among the exhibitors, however. “I definitely want to see the new ones,” he says. “I know the big producers but at the same time I like to go and check the little stalls, with the jams, the oils, dips and chilli sauces. They inspire me.”
He has also found a workaround to help smaller producers who might otherwise struggle to get into hotels. “The corporate purchasing system doesn’t work with the small suppliers, so we go direct and buy what we need,” he says.
One of the delights of these finds is introducing them to customers. “Guests might have their preferences but if you don’t introduce new things to them, they never get to experience some of this great produce,” Sharath says.
And what a shame that would be.
Meet the Buyer™ is at Crown Perth on Tuesday 20 October. The exhibition floor has sold out, but buyers can still book tickets to the trade show.
Note: Meet the Buyer™ is a trade and industry event only but you can support local by supporting the businesses mentioned and looking out for local produce wherever you shop.