Last week, Los Angeles was treated to a sneak peek of a coming attraction from Down Under. Chef Shaun Quade of Melbourne, Victoria’s Lûmé, hosted an intimate group of food writers in the Arts District with a four-course sampling of his multisensory culinary approach that has earned him accolades in his native Australia.
Victoria is renowned for its food scene, which is centered in downtown Melbourne, the progressive capital of the nation-continent. Quade refined his craft working his way up from pastry chef, cooking in the kitchens of Royal Mail, Biota, and Quay. He now operates his own restaurant with the help of his partner in life and business, Veronica Fill, which was regarded by one critic as the “David Lynch of fine dining,” an enigmatic epigraph the couple embraces.
Quade brought with him a variety of unique ingredients from his native land and combined them with some gems he found shopping at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, but the evening began with some generous pours of vintage 2011 Ben Haines Blanc de Blanc. His cuisine synergizes the aromas, colors, flavors, and textures of complementary components. His dishes are designed to the enhance sensory pleasures of eating. He has called one of his country’s most innovative chefs, creating “breathtakingly inventive dining experiences that merge food with art, psychology, and technology.”
Lûmé offers 15 vegetarian and vegan tasting menus, non-alcoholic cocktail pairings, and they can cater to particular dietary needs. And that’s all fine and dandy, and you’ll remember that the next time you’re in Melbourne, for sure. But here’s what I meant when I said this was a sneak peek — chef Quade is opening a second Lûmé location here in the states, Los Angeles to be more precise, West Hollywood to be exact. Stay tuned.
