After a long-awaited and much anticipated arrival of new Executive Chef, Masahiko Yomoda to Galileo Restaurant at The Observatory Hotel, a new menu has been launched reflecting Yomoda’s signature French style yet surprisingly seasoned with international influences.

Yomoda trained in prestigious restaurants across the globe from Japan - where he cooked at Chateau Restaurant Taillevent Robuchon in Tokyo under the culinary master Joel Robuchon - to France, working for Alain Chapel’s Restaurant Vivraishe and even a stint in Sydney where he cooked alongside former Galileo chef, Haru Inukai at Tony Bilson’s Ampersand. But it was back in Tokyo that Yomoda would find his true individuality and style and while heading up the kitchen at Restaurant Arbace, he was awarded a coveted Michelin star.

Now at the helm of Galileo, Yomoda has redesigned the signature Japanese-Franco menu all but phasing out the Japanese influences to offer diners a true French experience. Yomoda intriguingly uses international spices and ingredients as key props on his culinary stage.

The theatrics begin with an entrée of delicately cured ocean trout ($22), brought to life with a spicy, Chinese five-spice and honey marinade, and accompanied by a buckwheat pancake filled with punchy wasabi cream. After a short palate cleansing interval of pumpkin cappuccino, bursting with nutty roast pumpkin and a touch of sweet cinnamon, it is the main dishes that further transport diners around the globe.

Freshest John Dory fillets ($26), pan seared and accompanied with grilled and slightly caramelised fennel is true to its French origins, served with a delicate orange butter sauce while Yomoda finds Asian inspiration in the fresh flavour of ginger, which is used to enhance a braised suckling pig ($32).

No performance would be complete without a memorable encore and Yomoda’s desserts are without a doubt, his piece de resistance.

The sweetness of rockmelon in the Soupe de Melon ($19) is harmoniously balanced with Oolong tea jelly, though it is the intricately prepared mascarpone parfait, with pungent raspberry sorbet slicing through creamy chocolate ganache and mascarpone, and the unconventional yet typically gooey fondant au chocolat and vanilla bean ice cream served in a biscuit cup that highlights Yomoda’s love of desserts.

Yomoda says it was his family’s long line of pastry cooks that sparked his interest in desserts form a young age.

“Both my grandfather and aunty were well-known pastry chefs in Japan and as a young boy, I was the self-appointed taste-tester for every new recipe. Even now, I find it very difficult to drag myself away from the pastry kitchen but the challenge of redesigning the Galileo menu and experimenting with wonderful Australian produce has certainly been a good distraction.” he said.

The team at The Observatory Hotel is very glad he thinks so.

The Galileo Restaurant is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and a five course degustation menu costs $98 per person.  
For media information, contact Kim Salt on 02 8248 5282 or ksalt@observatoryhotel.com.au