After four decades at the top of Aotearoa’s food scene, Al Brown says the bravest thing a cook can do is stop adding stuff. Though, that might not be as easy as it sounds.
Talking to Paula Bennett on her Ask Me Anything podcast, Brown
Al Brown on keeping it simple – Ask Me Anything with Paula Bennett
NZ Herald
2 mins to read
Subscribe to listen
Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
While training to be a chef, Brown had his sights set on a career in fine dining. When he reached that goal, he found it wasn’t the right fit.
“I found fine dining kind of just too cloying … I realised that informality is my thing.”
He believes many New Zealanders struggle with formality, often being intimidated by fancy restaurants. The good news is, according to Brown, it’s less about where you’re eating and more about how it makes you feel.
“Dining to me should be … a hell of a lot of fun.”
Brown’s belief in keeping it simple extends beyond the plate. In business he only partners with people he’d happily share a table with.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
“I refuse to work with people that I don’t particularly enjoy being around. I’ve done that in the past and I’ve felt like I’m cheating myself if I don’t like their values or the way that they conduct themselves.”
For anyone wanting to apply a bit of Al Brown simplicity to their next meal, he suggests grabbing a nice piece of fish and sticking to the basics.
“Lemon juice and butter, you know, salt and pepper. This is the thing, you don’t need to do too much with it.”
Listen to the full episode for more from Al Brown on:
- Dyslexia and drive
- The tough realities for hospitality
- Going fishing for your mental health
- His kids’ book Hooked! Learning to Fish
Ask Me Anything is an NZ Herald podcast hosted by former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett. New episodes are available every Sunday.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.