Helping his mother prepare dinner for the family and getting insight into family recipes shared across generations ignited Mitchell Muchow's passion for cooking. As Head Chef at Greca restaurant, Muchow's modest beginnings, growing up in rural Bundaberg, Queensland, where he has a profoundly entrenched family history, has shaped the chef he has become.
As he became more independent and accumulated more and more knowledge about cooking, Muchow began to appreciate the complexity of the craft and decided to jump over to Sydney at 19 years old with his partner and became the first in his immediate family to move away from his hometown.
Mitchell Muchow
Sydney was a whole new world for Muchow to adjust to. The city lifestyle and his lack of clarity on what his career would look like or be was pretty daunting for Muchow. However, his curiosity for cooking pushed Muchow to pursue an apprenticeship, and he landed his first job at Botanic Gardens Restaurant under the helm of knowledgeable and experienced chefs, whom he continues to consider friends and mentors.
In a short period, he gained a world of knowledge, and after working for a few venues and starting to feel lost and daunted once again, Muchow was given a chance to trial at The Apollo in Potts Point.
"Before my trial, I was invited to dinner with my partner to see what the restaurant was about. The venue, food and service blew me away, and I realised that this was what real hospitality was all about and that this was what I wanted to do with my career," said Muchow.
The Apollo took him under its wing, and after four years, which Muchow dubbed as incredibly rewarding under the leadership of Stefano Marano and Jonathan Barthelmess, he decided to move closer to his hometown to The Apollo's newly opened sister restaurant in Brisbane, Greca.
Muchow's cooking ethos revolves around creating big, hearty dishes with plenty of sides designed for sharing. He enjoys a table of food made with simple and beautifully fresh produce and ingredients presented and executed in a homestyle with a chef's magic touch. His cooking exists on the premise of incorporating his childhood and what he is familiar with and combining it with the techniques and skills he has learned in his career as a chef.
Recently, Muchow attended the food and wine expo in Athens, Greece, with the owner, his mentor Jonathan Barthelmess, and a few other colleagues.
This trip introduced Muchow to Greek cuisine, inspiring him with the effortless nature of Greek cooking with simple ingredients of unmatched quality and freshness, which were utilised in a way that made each ingredient shine.
"I loved how every meal felt like a celebration, and being able to share that with friends and colleagues was an amazing experience I will never forget."
For up-and-coming and aspiring chefs, Muchow advised them to ask as many questions as they could, write everything down and learn from their mistakes.
"Don't beat yourself up for making them; it's all a part of the journey. The hours are tough, and the conditions aren't always perfect, but hard work is always rewarding, and after a few years of cooking, you will find the direction you want to take your career."
Muchow has struggled with staffing issues like many in the hospitality industry, which has begun to impact the industry this year. He continues that it wasn't a simple matter of finding bodies to fill the kitchen but finding chefs motivated and inspired by hospitality and cooking.
However, in the future, Muchow hopes to open a restaurant that showcases what he's learned throughout his career and shows the generous hospitality he's been exposed to.
"A large part of what has made this journey so enjoyable for me is being a part of a hospitality group that prides itself on work culture and staff happiness. I can't thank my mentors enough for all the opportunities and experiences they have provided me."
As a young chef, Muchow had the chance to make a pop-up dinner while living in Sydney and working at the Apollo. He also had a series hosted at Dear Saint Eloise, where he had the chance to write his menu and invite family and friends to come and dine and experience the dishes he had created.
