Coming from Preston, northwest of the UK, Philip Pratt described himself as a “pretty middle-class white guy” who grew up playing the drums and thought he would have a career in music.
However, the college Pratt wanted to attend did not consider drums a musical instrument, leading him to move to the catering department on a whim. He was drawn to the teachers’ passion for cooking and started his culinary career at 16, which has continued to grow strong as he approaches 40.
Pratt said he has taken inspiration from everywhere, from the staff to memories of food growing up, holidays, and more, trying to create memorable food experiences that people can connect with.
As the executive chef at Liquid & Larder, Pratt highlighted that the lack of knowledge after the pandemic has been a significant challenge since the skilled staff returned to their homes. He and his team have been trying to skill up junior staff members as quickly as possible to fill collective knowledge gaps.
Recently, Pratt has observed a growth in the popularity of the beef fat candles at Biscetta, one of Liquid & Larder’s venues in the heart of Sydney.
“Rendered and flavoured beef fat set into a candle shape with a beeswax wick which burns down at the meal's start so you can dip your bread into it,” said Pratt.
“It's a surprise part of the dining experience.”
Getting hats in the restaurants and seeing some of the staff reach higher potentials than they thought they could achieve has been awe-inspiring for Pratt. He said asking many questions and making notes is vital, especially for those just starting.
