Turning tables: top chefs anoint the hottest new culinary stars
Who will be the stars of the future? Our Culinary Masters series reveals the ones to watch, as chosen by the chefs in the know.
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They’re the rock stars of today’s food-mad world, with a string of greatest hits to their names. Mention ‘Neil’, ‘Pete’ or ‘Christine’ and most serious gourmands will know exactly which kitchen gods you’re talking about.
But who will be the first-name-only stars of the future? In an Australian-first iteration of Robb Report US’s annual Culinary Masters celebration, we reveal the ones to watch, as chosen by those who would know – Neil Perry, Peter Gilmore, Christine Manfield, Andrew McConnell, Philip Johnson and Duncan Welgemoed.
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- Want to join the stars of the present and the stars of the future for dinner as part of our exclusive Culinary Masters series during October? Seats are strictly limited for seatings in Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney. Click here to book and for more information.
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Neil Perry
Chef, restaurateur and now chief brand and culinary officer with Rockpool Dining Group
Neil Perry has been in the business since the ’80s. He can pick great talent when he sees it, with alumni including Kylie Kwong, Mike McEnearney (Kitchen by Mike, No. 1 Bent Street), Mat Lindsay at Sydney fave Ester, and more.
“We have a responsibility to turn people into great cooks,” says Perry. “We need to help grow them in their career and as people.”
So who does Perry pick as one to watch? He nominates 32-year-old Analiese Gregory, co-owner of a slip of a Darlinghurst wine bar in Sydney called Bar Brose (where her chicken in vin jaunewith foie gras butter is the stuff of dreams), but now also head chef at Hobart’s most acclaimed restaurant, Franklin.
“Her food is delicious, unique and quirky,” says Perry. “She has also worked with a lot of people with their heads screwed on. And she has great opportunities and a great career ahead of her. There’s no substitute for putting focus and energy into something if you want to succeed. And Analiese is doing just that.”
Analiese Gregory
Co-owner, Bar Brose, SydneyHead chef, Franklin, Hobart
“I went to an all-girls school [in New Zealand] and the only way I was allowed to leave, at 16, was to do a two-year diploma in professional cookery. I was in my delinquent teenage phase. Restaurant kitchens were like a family and you were allowed to smoke and drink and stay up late. I just loved it.”
And so began Analiese Gregory’s cooking career. (Her father, it must be said, is also a chef.) That was a whole 16 years ago. Since then she has worked with and for some of the world’s best – from the stellar Logan Brown in Wellington to the (now defunct) two-Michelin-starred The Capital in London, Quay in Sydney, then a stint in France with the much-revered Michel Bras (an icon for most contemporary chefs) and the equally acclaimed Mugaritz in Spain’s Basque Country.
Lessons along the way were many: “Logan Brown really cared about produce. But going to London really caned me every day and taught me how to cook. It was the first place I was told, ‘No, this isn’t okay. And you are doing it again, right now.’
“Quay with Pete [Gilmore] was definitely one of the first places that I worked where there was an emphasis on gardens, growing and vegetables. Always searching for new and different things. It was also where I learned to run a kitchen, basically.”
Gilmore has been a great mentor. But Gregory’s time in France added a whole new dimension and perspective. Chef Michel Bras is known for his almost Zen-like approach to ingredients. But the Zen extends to every aspect of working life. “He taught me about the way to live and work. To create a little mental space to go to. He would send us once a week into the woods to go foraging. Or to make wine. Or go hiking. I learned a lot about life there.”
Now on the brink of a new chapter, Gregory is still pondering her direction for Franklin, a wide-open, modern space with a huge wood-fired oven and wonderful use of sometimes unusual produce. “I will drive around, go to suppliers, and kind of base it off that. I’m also super-excited about the oven. And going out to collect wild produce. That makes me feel like a human.”
Andrew McConnell
Cumulus Inc., Cutler & Co., Supernormal, Ricky & Pinky (Builders Arms), Melbourne
With a portfolio that includes some of Melbourne’s best restaurants and with 330 employees across the group, Andrew McConnell has a strong sense of the importance of mentoring and training his staff and seeing those qualities come out in those who work for him. Like his senior sous and soon to be head chef, Tim Goegan.
“Tim is a ripper young guy,” says McConnell. “He’s a country boy with a great nature and a great work ethic. He’s also a natural leader, which is really important. And he’s a good cook, which goes without saying.
“I was always self-motivated,” McConnell continues. “Looking for that next thing. But I’ve stayed in this business for the pleasure of cooking and working with good people. And Tim shares that. He doesn’t want to be a head chef rock star, just a good cook. He knows what he knows and that he has a lot more to learn.”
Such is McConnell’s confidence in Goegan that he has just named him as head chef for a second opening of his super-popular Supernormal modern Asian diner.
Tim Goegan
Head chef, Supernormal, St Kilda, Melbourne
It was 150 reheated casseroles that sent Tim Goegan into the kitchen at an early age. His mother, a nurse on night shift, had little time for cooking and, after one casserole dinner too many, Goegan decided to take on family-feeding duties. “The family loved it, so it went from there,” he relates. “I finished high school and pondered university but then settled on a life in the kitchen. Best decision yet!”
Working with chef-owner and “larger-than-life character” Steve Snow at the seafood-focused Fins, north of Byron, set Goegan on his professional path. “Steve would use predominantly local fruit and vegetables and had a personal relationship with the local fishermen in the area – guaranteeing us first rights to fresh line-caught, sustainably sourced fish, some of which would arrive just an hour before service! It was a humbling experience.”
He also has huge respect for his current employer. “Andrew always has time to ask how someone is, from kitchen hands to managers. The way he can create an extraordinary dish in the most simplistic way, then pass on his knowledge and share information with staff is amazing. Andrew is definitely someone I want to mould myself on.”
Excited by the new venture ahead – running a second Supernormal on the old Luxembourg restaurant site in St Kilda – Goegan often ponders where he will end up. So we’ll put him on the spot: what is the dream?
“I probably answer this question differently every time, depending on my mood,” he muses, “but I would love to have a self-contained, fully sustainable farm one day, where I can have my own livestock, bees, make my own cured meats and cheese, as well as growing my own fruit and vegetables. Between now and then, however, I’m just excited to be on this food journey and to see where it takes me, hopefully continuing to learn, grow and be respected among my peers.”
Christine Manfield
Chef, traveller, author, consultant and industry godmother
Christine Manfield has a clear view on what it takes to achieve success in the restaurant business. “Staying true to your own vision and not being compromised. That’s the advice I used to share with my team. And they have all gone on to do great things.”
Among the team at Universal, Manfield’s former two-hat restaurant in Sydney’s Darlinghurst, was a young Vietnamese-Australian trainee called Thi Le who came to Manfield’s kitchen through an industry mentoring program for young female chefs.
Le is now a rising star with her tiny Anchovy restaurant in Melbourne’s Richmond. “She’s definitely a talent,” says Manfield. “A fantastic cook and very inventive. She’s doing interesting, experimental, modern Asian stuff and it works.”
For Manfield, ultimate success comes with resilience and a clever business head. “Of all the people that I have employed over the years, only a small percentage stands apart from the pack. Good cooks and born leaders. You need to be both.”
Thi Le
Chef and co-owner, Anchovy, Richmond, Melbourne
Despite being a keen cook, Thi Le’s mum never wanted her daughter to be a chef. And when the-then interior design student suddenly set her sights on a culinary career, her mother was worried. “Why would you want to be a chef? There’s no career, no life prospects for a girl.”
Luckily, Thi’s training put her in touch with Christine Manfield. “And suddenly Mum thought, ‘Wow, here’s a lady who’s done well on her own and made a success’. And she backed off a lot.”
After completing her apprenticeship, Le moved south to work under McConnell, before opening Anchovy, which she describes as “modern Asian, modern Australian and a little bit in-between”. She laughs. “I grew up in [Sydney’s] Blacktown, which was just a mishmash of different cultures. My partner was working in the corporate world and wanted a cafe. But I didn’t want to do bacon and eggs!”
With Anchovy co-owner Jia-yen Lee running the floor, accolades for their original yet easily appealing style are pouring in. “I think when I was doing my apprenticeship, I knew I wanted to open something eventually. I think it’s just the mindset of having Asian parents, to do something for yourself.”
Manfield’s words also rang in her head. “I asked [Christine] once what made her just jump into something of her own? And she said there was a point when she realised she could cook and make food that’s more delicious than the other restaurants out there and she took the dive.”
Le’s dream was her own place by the time she hit 35. She’s 32 this year. “I beat my goal by five years! And it’s going great. I feel really blessed.”
Philip Johnson
e’cco bistro and Madame Rouge, Brisbane
A true veteran and well-respected chef across Australia, Phil Johnson has been a leading light on the Brisbane fine-dining scene for the best part of 30 years. Firstly with his fine-diner, e’cco, and now also with the classic French bistro, Madame Rouge.
When asked to choose someone he believes has a bright future ahead, Johnson immediately thought of his current head chef, Simon Palmer. “He’s gifted way beyond his years. At 26, he’s doing way more than I was at that age. In just a couple of years with us, he’s grown and grown and he is clever at what he does. And always looking to improve.”
Johnson has seen a lot of good chefs come through his doors. And he is philosophical about their need to move on in their careers. “It’s nice that they have had a start with you but that they are able to go on.” But with this one, you get the feeling he’d rather like him to stay. “For most young chefs, the big drama is doing their own thing. So you have to give them enough rope. And that’s what I do with Simon. He pretty much leads the menu.” Time to pass on the baton, perhaps?
Simon Palmer
Head chef, e’cco bistro, Brisbane
Ask Simon Palmer to describe one of his dishes and you’ll get every detail. “We wanted a simple pork and apple dish,” he begins. “So we bone out a suckling pig from a great local producer, Schultz Family Farms in Ipswich. And cook it really slowly. Then we compress some apples in advieh – it’s a Persian spice mix with things like rose, black lime, cinnamon and nutmeg – and fry them. We make a potato foam with lots of butter. Nice and aerated. And a black lime ash with the apple skins – nice apple flavour, but with floral notes. More like a perfume. And then we do an apple gastrique …”
Work at some big name Brisbane restaurants – contemporary fine-dining restaurant Urbane and the hugely popular, modern Middle-Eastern influenced Gerards – has given Palmer a firm philosophy. “Keep the key flavours,” he says. “Don’t over-complicate everything. But look for layers, don’t be one-dimensional. And get the customer thinking a bit.”
A Newcastle, NSW boy originally, Palmer’s early years were at an inventive, modern restaurant called Bacchus, set in an old theatre, where the food was as dramatic as the setting. Alongside him in the kitchen were two other gifted young beginners, Aaron Ward and Rhys Connell. Both are now head chefs at two of Sydney’s top restaurants, Sixpenny and Sepia, respectively. An impressive trio.
Palmer says his focus now is “to do the right thing by Phil and [his partner] Mary and really build and make e’cco successful. They’ve given me the reins, which has been great. It’s about making something your own. And I’m hoping to do that here.”
Duncan Welgemoed
Africola, Adelaide
He’s the life and soul of Adelaide’s colourful, lively and downright delicious Africa-inspired Africola. That’s when he’s not running festivals and travelling for dinners and charity events. So Duncan Welgemoed needs a reliable hand in the kitchen. “It frees me up to gallivant,” he grins.
Enter Imogen Czulowski. The young South Australian with an impressive pedigree – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London, Seppeltsfield in the Barossa – joined Welgemoed’s team at a crucial time, right on the brink of Australia’s hosting of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in April. Within minutes she was on the road with Welgemoed for a series of star chef collaborations around the country.
“She’s had that baptism by fire,” he says admiringly. “Meeting all the global and national chefs. She had to learn not to be overwhelmed by all that and just get straight in and do the job.”
Welgemoed has firm views about what it takes to make it. “Generosity and hospitality is first and foremost. You need to be humble. I think it’s always having in your mind’s eye that this is about something bigger. In the end it’s all about building and maintaining community.”
Imogen Czulowski
Head chef, Africola, Adelaide
Described by Duncan Welgemoed as “very ambitious, very driven and very methodical but with an exceptional lightness of touch”, Czulowski knew she wanted to be a chef the moment she realised her education wouldn’t qualify her to be a brain surgeon. “So I did the next best thing,” she says, only half joking.
From an apprenticeship in her native McLaren Vale, she learned a humble approach to food. “From there,” she continues, “I did what every young, hungry chef does: I travelled, and in that travel I staged at [former world number one restaurant] Noma [in Copenhagen]. It was an ethos I was familiar with, but a style that gave me another perspective to the way we approach produce.”
London came next. “It was fast, it was fun and it was gritty. I learned how to move quickly and drink tequila to the wee hours. Then I worked at Dinner by Heston, where I gained a completely new set of skills.”
Her working life is guided by some firm mottos. “Always take orders with a smile. There is a reason for tradition. Leave your tears at the door, no one has time to mop that up. Never compromise – either your food, yourself or your values.”
And challenges? “The biggest is the constant struggle to stay on top of your game. There is always someone younger, faster, better, stronger, but this breeds innovation and drive into the industry and chefs feed off this. In fact, I think Daft Punk wrote a song about it!”
Peter Gilmore
Quay, Sydney
His spectacular restaurant overlooking Sydney Opera House is the epitome of destination dining. His delicate, textured, postcard-pretty dishes have won him the country’s top accolades. But as Gilmore himself will tell you, “Success as a chef is more than food. It’s how you deal with people.”
As his former sous chef Analiese Gregory will attest, Gilmore is a modest and generous leader. And supportive of talents like Sarah Knights – formerly of Quay, but now head chef at cult favourite, Automata, part of the Old Clare Hotel complex in Sydney’s Chippendale.
Quay is a busy and complex working environment where precision and calm are crucial. As head sous chef, Knights was responsible for up to 20 chefs at a time, says Gilmore.
“Sarah led by example,” he says. “She’s a hard worker. Very calm and confident. And she’s just a really good natural teacher, passing information to younger chefs in such a supportive way. It’s hard when you lose someone like this, but you can’t hold people back. She has a great future.”
Sarah Knights
Head chef, Automata, Chippendale, Sydney
“I started my apprenticeship at the age of 15 and the minute I turned 18, I packed my things and made the journey to Sydney,” says Jervis Bay (NSW) girl Sarah Knights. “So that makes it 17, nearly 18 years of hanging out in kitchens.”
It was working under Peter Doyle at Est. that Sarah realised this would be her career. “I decided to throw myself hard and fast into one of Sydney’s best restaurants, and it wasn’t easy. But it gave me a purpose and a place to express my passion for perfection.”
From private chef on superyachts to overseeing all those chefs at Quay, Sarah has had several career highlights under some inspiring mentors – Gilmore, Doyle and Bennelong head chef Rob Kabboord among them.
“But worth more than any award or accolade,” she says, “is the respect that you earn in a kitchen from working hard.”
The head chef at Automata will change things up yet again. “I really like the style of the food, the style of the kitchen and how it is run. I feel that I’ve been really honoured to have this incredible opportunity.”
There are hurdles ahead, of course. “One of the biggest I believe I will personally face is finding the perfect work-life balance when and if I decide to have a family,” she says candidly. “But I do believe I can find it.” Knights also worries about the industry’s future. “It is very hard to find dedicated, hard-working, professional chefs,” she says. “It’s up to people like me to be nurturing the chefs we have and helping them sustain careers.”
Meeting this next generation of kitchen leaders, however, it’s probably safe to say the future is in very good hands.
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Minerality in Wine, Explained: How It Affects Taste, Aroma and Texture
And an exploration of the regions that produce great mineral-driven varietals.
By Mike Desimone And Jeff Jenssen
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Minerality in Wine, Explained: How It Affects Taste, Aroma and Texture
And an exploration of the regions that produce great mineral-driven varietals.
If you have taken part in a wine tasting, read an article about wine, or even glanced at the back label of a bottle of wine, you have likely encountered the word minerality. But defining what that means exactly is where the problems can start—even wine experts disagree on what it is and how it expresses itself in the glass.
Minerality refers to a flavour profile and often a palpable sensation in the mouth. The flavours generally involve rocks or fossils, such as stone, river rock, flint, gravel, slate, asphalt and oyster shell. There is also a sense of salinity, often derived from volcanic soils, that is a component of mineral-driven wines. This is different from other earthy flavours such as forest floor or peat. When we host tastings, very few people will own up to having licked rocks as a child, but almost everyone has gotten a stray bit of oyster or clam shell in their mouth and can recall the taste and texture. Most of us can remember the scent of a chalkboard or pencil lead from our childhood, and even those who have never fired a gun are familiar with flint or gunpowder from firecrackers.
When minerality is discussed, it is often a quality ascribed to white wine such as Riesling, Assyrtiko, Sauvignon Blanc or Burgundian Chardonnay. We may not hear about minerality in red wine so much because the oak used for maturation may mask the flavours and aromas associated with minerality. However, two reds sometimes described as having mineral qualities are those from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna in Sicily and the shale and quartz vineyards of Priorat in Spain. A prime example of the mineral-driven style is Chablis in the northernmost reaches of Burgundy, whose wines are made with 100 percent Chardonnay. The wines have a distinctly different character than the oaky, buttery style prevalent in Napa Valley and further south in Burgundy.
Walking through the vineyards of Chablis you can see abundant fossilised oyster shells that date back 150 million years to the Upper Jurassic period, when this area was at the bottom of the sea. Dig a bit; you will find calcified ammonites and spiral-shaped cephalopods from the same era. While vineyard soil is a discussion for another day, the grey limestone here is called Kimmeridgian, named for the village of Kimmeridge in Dorset, England, where it was first identified. As Thierry Bellicaud, president of Domaine Laroche in Chablis told Robb Report, “The Kimmeridgian limestone soil, which is unique to this area, delivers all needed nutrients for the balance of the vines. The terroir nurtures the vines which then express its personality in the grapes.”
DOMAINE LAROCHE, CHABLIS, FRANCE
Asked how soil composition influences one of Domaine Laroche’s wines, Bellicaud referenced its Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots, “Les Blanchots is a unique terroir made of a layer of white clay on Kimmeridgian limestone with ammonites. This is the ideal combination to keep the right amount of water for the roots. The southeast exposure allows slow ripening and favours aroma development. It is one of the areas in the appellation where you can easily find oyster fossils (called Exogyra virgula). The Grand Cru Les Blanchots is delicate, refined and silky in texture.”
Assyrtiko from Santorini is almost always described as possessing a mineral quality as well as a touch of salinity, which can be attributed to the black volcanic soil in which it grows as well as to the Aegean Seaspray that wafts over the island’s vineyards. Mosel Valley Riesling’s leanness and flinty character come from the red and blue limestone in which it is cultivated.
Italy’s Soave region is also known for the minerality of its wine. Alessio Inama, third-generation family leader and director of sales, marketing and communication at Inama Azienda Agricola, told Robb Report, “Soave Classico is a volcanic region with soil made up of basaltic rocks, volcanic tuffs and ashes that date back 30 million years. The soils offer minerals in their natural form, which impact the composition of the plants themselves. In the case of grape vines, the soils have a major influence on the resulting flavours of the wines, which are mineral and floral.”
Known for their scrupulous mapping of micro-plots within their vineyards, the Inamas produce several different Soave wines made with the Garganega grape. Inama I Palchi Foscarino Grande Cuvée Soave DOC is crafted from the family’s best plots on Monte Foscarino. Inama explained, “The soil of Foscarino is a mix of pure magma, ashes and basaltic rocks that deteriorated over millions of years into a dark clay that is extremely rich in minerals. The grapes from those 40-year-old vines have strong personality, great intensity and texture, delivering a complex bouquet of white flowers, citrus notes and flinty sensations.”
SCALA DEI, PRIORAT, SPAIN
While the sensation of minerality can be less obvious in red wines, Spanish Garnacha and Sicilian Nerello Mascalese are two grapes that often exhibit it, thanks to both the locales from which they hail as well as the often-judicious use of oak. The slopes of eastern Sicily’s Mount Etna are covered with volcanic soils composed of pumice, black ash and basalt. Priorat, a region close to Barcelona in northeast Spain, is blessed with black quartz, slate and mica soils called llicorella. Here you will find vineyards covered with small fragments of black and grey striated rock sitting atop blue and red soils embedded with the same.
Ricard Rofes, winemaker at Scala Dei in Priorat, refers to its Mas Deu vineyard as one of the winery’s “jewels.” The origin of Scala Dei Tribut and Masdeu, it sits 800 meters (2,625 feet) above sea level. Rofes told Robb Report, “In this elevated area the clay and limestone soils are ideal for growing Grenache, giving the wine that touch of acidity and freshness that makes it unique. The red-clay soils and the altitude of the vineyards located in the lap of the Sierra de Montsant give it freshness and the llicorella soils impart a genuine imprint. Our wine is the pure expression of the fruit and the terroir with a distinct personality.”
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Best fo Europe: Six Senses, Switzerland
Mend in the mountains at Crans-Montana.
Wellness pioneer Six Senses made a name for itself with tranquil, mostly tropical destinations. Now, its first alpine hotel recreates that signature mix of sustainable luxury and innovative spa therapeutics in a world-class ski setting.
The ski-in, ski-out location above the gondola of one of Switzerland’s largest winter sports resorts allows guests to schuss from the top of the Plaine Morte glacier to the hotel’s piste-side lounge, where they can swap ski gear for slippers, then head straight to the spa’s bio-hack recovery area to recharge with compression boots, binaural beats and an herb-spiked mocktail. In summer, the region is a golf and hiking hub.
The vibe offers a contemporary take on chalet style. The 78 rooms and suites are decorated in local larch and oak, and all have terraces or balconies with alpine views over the likes of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. With four different saunas, a sensory flotation pod, two pools
and a whimsical relaxation area complete with 15,000 hanging “icicles” and views of a birch forest, the spa at Six Senses Crans-Montana makes après ski an afterthought.
You can even sidestep the cheese-heavy cuisine of this region in favour of hot pots and sushi at the property’s Japanese restaurant, Byakko. Doubles from around $1,205; Sixsenses.com
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Watch of the Week: TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith
The legendary sports watch returns, but with an unexpected twist.
Over the last few years, watch pundits have predicted the return of the eccentric TAG Heuer Formula 1, in some shape or form. It was all but confirmed when TAG Heuer’s heritage director, Nicholas Biebuyck, teased a slew of vintage models on his Instagram account in the aftermath of last year’s Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva. And when speaking with Frédéric Arnault at last year’s trade fair, the former CEO asked me directly if the brand were to relaunch its legacy Formula 1 collection, loved by collectors globally, how should they go about it?
My answer to the baited entreaty definitely didn’t mention a collaboration with Ronnie Fieg of Kith, one of the world’s biggest streetwear fashion labels. Still, here we are: the TAG Heuer Formula 1 is officially back and as colourful as ever.
As the watch industry enters its hype era—in recent years, we’ve seen MoonSwatches, Scuba Fifty Fathoms, and John Mayer G-Shocks—the new Formula 1 x Kith collaboration might be the coolest yet.
Here’s the lowdown: overnight, TAG Heuer, together with Kith, took to socials to unveil a special, limited-edition collection of Formula 1 timepieces, inspired by the original collection from the 1980s. There are 10 new watches, all limited, with some designed on a stainless steel bracelet and some on an upgraded rubber strap; both options nod to the originals.
Seven are exclusive to Kith and its global stores (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Hawaii, Tokyo, Toronto, and Paris, to be specific), and are made in an abundance of colours. Two are exclusive to TAG Heuer; and one is “shared” between TAG Heuer and Kith—this is a highlight of the collection, in our opinion. A faithful play on the original composite quartz watch from 1986, this model, limited to just 1,350 pieces globally, features the classic black bezel with red accents, a stainless steel bracelet, and that creamy eggshell dial, in all of its vintage-inspired glory. There’s no doubt that this particular model will present as pure nostalgia for those old enough to remember when the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 made its debut.
Of course, throughout the collection, Fieg’s design cues are punctuated: the “TAG” is replaced with “Kith,” forming a contentious new brand name for this specific release, as well as Kith’s slogan, “Just Us.”
Collectors and purists alike will appreciate the dedication to the original Formula 1 collection: features like the 35mm Arnite cases—sourced from the original 80s-era supplier—the form hour hand, a triangle with a dot inside at 12 o’clock, indices that alternate every quarter between shields and dots, and a contrasting minuterie, are all welcomed design specs that make this collaboration so great.
Every TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith timepiece will be presented in an eye-catching box that complements the fun and colour theme of Formula 1 but drives home the premium status of this collaboration. On that note, at $2,200 a piece, this isn’t exactly an approachable quartz watch but reflects the exclusive nature of Fieg’s Kith brand and the pieces he designs (largely limited-edition).
So, what do we think? It’s important not to understate the significance of the arrival of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 in 1986, in what would prove integral in setting up the brand for success throughout the 90’s—it was the very first watch collection to have “TAG Heuer” branding, after all—but also in helping to establish a new generation of watch consumer. Like Fieg, many millennial enthusiasts will recall their sentimental ties with the Formula 1, often their first timepiece in their horological journey.
This is as faithful of a reissue as we’ll get from TAG Heuer right now, and budding watch fans should be pleased with the result. To TAG Heuer’s credit, a great deal of research has gone into perfecting and replicating this iconic collection’s proportions, materials, and aesthetic for the modern-day consumer. Sure, it would have been nice to see a full lume dial, a distinguishing feature on some of the original pieces—why this wasn’t done is lost on me—and perhaps a more approachable price point, but there’s no doubt these will become an instant hit in the days to come.
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The TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith collection will be available on Friday, May 3rd, exclusively in-store at select TAG Heuer and Kith locations in Miami, and available starting Monday, May 6th, at select TAG Heuer boutiques, all Kith shops, and online at Kith.com. To see the full collection, visit tagheuer.com
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Best of Europe: Grand Hotel Des Étrangers
Fall for a Baroque beauty in Syracuse, Italy.
Sicily has seen a White Lotus–fuelled surge in bookings for this summer—a pop-culture fillip to fill up its grandes dames hotels. Skip the gawping crowds at the headline-grabbers, though, and opt instead for an insider-ish alternative: the Grand Hotel des Étrangers, which reopened last summer after a gut renovation.
It sits on the seafront on the tiny island of Ortigia in Syracuse, all cobbled streets and grand buildings, like a Baroque time capsule on Sicily’s southeastern coast.
Survey the entire streetscape here from the all-day rooftop bar-restaurant, Clou, where the fusion menu is a shorthand of Sicily’s pan-Mediterranean history; try the spaghetti with bottarga and wild fennel or the sea bass crusted in anchovies. Idle on the terrace alfresco with a snifter of avola, the rum made nearby.
As for the rooms, they’ve been renovated with Art Deco–inflected interiors—think plenty of parquet and marble—but the main asset is their aspect: the best of them have private balconies and a palm tree-fringed view out over the Ionian Sea. Doubles from around $665; desetranger.com
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8 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Aston Martin
The British sports car company is most famous as the vehicle of choice for James Bond, but Aston Martin has an interesting history beyond 007.
Aston Martin will forever be associated with James Bond, ever since everyone’s favourite spy took delivery of his signature silver DB5 in the 1964 film Goldfinger. But there’s a lot more to the history of this famed British sports car brand beyond its association with the fictional British Secret Service agent.
Let’s dive into the long and colourful history of Aston Martin.
The origin of the Aston Martin name
The company that would become Aston Martin started out as a car dealership. In 1912, Englishmen Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin partnered to sell cars, but soon after they decided to build their own models. Their first prototype debuted in 1915, named in honour of Martin, a racing driver, and his favourite racing venue, Aston Hills. Thus, the name Aston Martin was born.
A speed-demon co-founder banned from driving
Aston Martin co-founder Lionel Martin wasn’t just a keen racing driver—he was an all-out speed demon. As a student, Martin won numerous gruelling bicycle racing records, including riding nearly the full width of England in one 22-hour stretch. He competed in motorcycle and sidecar races and automotive hillclimb competitions. It seems he also brought that need for speed to the public roadways: In 1909, having neglected to pay a previous speeding fine, Martin was caught driving 41.5 km/ph in London and was banned from driving for two years—during which he set yet another cross-country bicycle record.
A tractor company takes over
The years after World War I were tumultuous for Aston Martin, with financial difficulties and numerous takeovers. In 1947, Aston Martin went up for sale and was purchased by David Brown Limited, a company that specialised in farm tractors and industrial gears. Sir David Brown, grandson of the company’s founder, was a lifelong car enthusiast and racer, having built his own competition cars while working as an engineer at the family company. The first car built by Aston Martin after this takeover was called the DB1, named after the tractor company (and the man) that had saved the carmaker.
An indirect connection to Bentley
Around the same time that Sir David Brown took over Aston Martin, he purchased another struggling British carmaker, Lagonda. The company was developing a revolutionary twin-cam six-cylinder engine called the LB6, and Sir David wanted the engine for his new line of Aston Martin sports cars. The Lagonda engine had been designed by none other than W.O. Bentley—the man who co-founded Bentley Motors, who had long since been pushed out of the company bearing his name.
The history of the DB Series
Aston Martin built seven vehicles named in honour of owner Sir David Brown: The DB1, DB2, DB3, DB4, DB5, DB6, and the combo-breaker DBS all bore Sir David’s initials. In 1972, Sir David sold the car company, and the new owners ended the DB series of vehicles, but the name was revived in 1993 with the DB7 in honour of Sir David—who himself was given an honorary position at the company that same year.
Bond, James Bond
Of course, the most famous Aston Martin of them all is the DB5. Just over 1,000 examples were built between 1963 and 1965, but millions worldwide know this as the James Bond car. In the books, author Ian Fleming had specified an earlier Aston Martin DB Mark III as Bond’s car. Still, the DB5 was introduced in the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger, equipped with gadgets including machine guns, smoke screens, oil slicks, an ejector seat, and rotating license plates. Bond has driven several Aston Martin models over the years, including a V8 Vantage, a V12 Vanquish, and two DBS models, but the original DB5 will always be considered the quintessential Bond car.
The angular years
Today, the Aston Martin badge is most closely associated with swooping, evocatively curvy car designs, but in the 1970s the company was obsessed with angular, wedge-shaped designs. The trend began in 1976 with the Aston Martin Lagonda, a shockingly unconventional four-door luxury sedan with “folded-paper” body styling and the world’s first all-digital instrument panel. The Lagonda’s styling was further evolved in 1979 with the Bulldog, a radical concept car with gullwing doors and a sharply pointed nose. The Bulldog was meant to become the fastest road car on earth, but the project was abandoned before production could begin.
For Bond’s eyes only
While most of James Bond’s Aston Martins have been commercially available to anyone who could afford one, the DB10 seen in the 2015 film Spectre was exclusive to 007. As Aston Martin executive Marek Reichman explained to Variety, director Sam Mendes, producer Barbara Broccoli, and Bond star Daniel Craig were touring Aston Martin’s design studios when they saw a concept sketch on the wall. The Bond team insisted that this should be 007’s next car, and Aston Martin spent the next six months furiously working to turn the drawing into a real-world car. The DB10 was unveiled during the launch of the film Spectre, and eight of the 10 examples built were featured in the movie, with the remaining two used for promotional appearances.
