This month in The Press, we head to Bar Carolina to speak with the vivacious Karen Martini. Restaurateur, writer and television presenter, Karen Martini is one of Australia’s most beloved chefs. Renowned for her bold, modest and joyful cooking, inspired by generations of home cooks and a fascination with vibrant flavours of the world.
With a career spanning over 30 years that includes time spent in some of Australia’s best restaurants, as well as her own ambitious ventures. Karen’s food message gleans from lived experiences and her Tunisian-Italian heritage. Karen won’t just show you what to cook, she will teach you how to cook.
Note from Rich: I first met Karen when she and Michael owned and ran the institution that was The Melbourne Wine Room in St Kilda. Karen’s food was incredible and Michael Sapountsis provided the best service in Melbourne. Today (20 + years on) Karen and Michael are just down the Rd in South Yarra at Bar Carolina. We caught up with Karen to talk ingredients,i nspiration and Bar Carolina.
Q: Could you describe your cooking style in three words?
Robust, flavourful, nuanced
Q: Where was the last place you dined out, and what did you order?
France Soir, raw tuna and steak tartare with champagne and frittes
Q: If you owned a restaurant that cooked only one dish, what would it be?
Pasta as there’s so many variations, is that a cheeky answer?
And that’s why I’m having a lot of fun at bar Carolina and we’re only getting started.
Q: What ingredient could you not live without?
Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or salt, almost everything begins here for me.
Q: What do you think is the most underrated ingredient in a kitchen?
I hate to harp on, but for me it always comes back to quality fundamentals: fats like EVOO or butter, then simple seasonings of flaked salt and fresh peppercorns. There’s no point bringing home premium produce without investing in your staples.
Q: What's your favourite dish on the menu currently?
We’re in peak summer at the moment, so I’m going to say Spaghetti al Granchio A’Aglio. This dish really speaks to the season, yes, it’s served in South Yarra, but I hope it transports people straight to a little divine Italian seaside restaurant.
Q: Tell us about the recipe you've chosen to share for us.
Sticking with the theme of my favourite dish on the menu at Bar Carolina, I’m sharing the perfect at home version of Spaghettini with crab, lemon herbs & chilli. It’s bright, vibrant, punchy and ready in under 30 minutes.
Q: What is your favourite Mount Zero product/s?
I love that they have a first press premium line, not available all year round; early harvest picual. Though the Frantoio is my everyday unsung hero, I practically bathe in it.
Q: What do you cook when you’re exhausted after a big shift?
My quick dinner go-to is often tinned sardines on toast with tobasco, but I can’t use square bread, it has to be Baker Bleu country loaf. Or it will be something really fresh like a pseudo Greek salad, made up of what I have on hand.
Q: Who's your biggest culinary influence? (can be more than one).
That’s hard to pinpoint these days because there are so many talented chefs around the world, not just in Australia and influence is everywhere. I find myself constantly pinning Instagram posts and thinking about the dishes I see, the ingredients used, and the techniques applied, which often take me down a creative path of inspiration. It’s fair to say I’m inspired by the industry at large. I have to admit, I think about food 24/7 — inspiration really is everywhere.
Q: How do you and the team prepare before service, eg, do you play music, talk much, keep things quiet?
What started off madly has now turned into services that are locked and loaded the day before. We know what’s coming in, can anticipate with relative accuracy how busy we’re going to be, the team is finding its feet, the menu has rhythm, and we’re going from strength to strength as a team.