Baking with his Nan was the first time Luke Eckersall fell in love with cooking. Growing up in Melbourne, he would bake biscuits in the shape of rabbits with his grandmother and said that he thought the raisins for the eyes were the best thing ever.
Having worked across different styles of dining in the hospitality industry, from fine dining to pizza and cafes, Eckersall is now the head chef at Fancy Hank's, where he focuses on smoking.
"Not just the meats either. Many things on the menu and specials get a turn through our huge two-ton smoker. From vegetables like tomatoes and confit garlic to dessert items like smoker-braised quinces. We focus on sourcing great products and letting the smoker work its magic."
Fancy Hank's is located in Melbourne, where after a difficult couple of years, the hospitality scene is starting to come back to life. The Fancy Hank's menu includes both old recipes and American classics that have been revamped. Eckersall said he isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, instead just putting new tires on it.
One of his favourite parts of the job is when it’s his turn to cook the staff meals. He enjoys preparing meals like a slow-cooked bolognese with focaccia or sloppy joes.
"If the kitchen team is reading this, this doesn't mean you can roster me on for staff meals every day."
A challenging hurdle facing the hospitality industry currently is customer perception of value. A great product and well-trained staff can cost a lot of money, and he said that it is now reflected in the cost of a dish; otherwise, it is not sustainable.
Being reliable and consistent are two values that Eckersall looks for in his staff. This cover's almost all areas of hospitality, be it prep, service, set up, pack down, punctuality and mood.
"Ask lots of questions but write down the answers so you don't have to ask again. Be proactive; if you see a problem, think about some possible solutions."
Being mentored is a moment in his career that Eckersall holds dear. Mistakes he made at the time and the lessons he learnt from them have guided him throughout the rest of his culinary journey.
"While they were horrible at the time, I found that those mistakes (and there were a lot) taught me so much more than if everything had just gone smoothly."
Eckersall cannot wait for his two-year-old daughter, Edie, to join him in the kitchen; he has already gotten her a little play kitchen. A goal for him in the future is to achieve more of a work and life balance, providing more work opportunities to other kitchen team members.
