About
Thomas Townsend
Thomas Townsend was born in New Zealand and has spent 18 years in professional kitchens. He is now a head chef in Melbourne, cooking seasonal, Italian-leaning food: slow ragùs, fresh pasta, simple seafood and proper desserts. He also cooks for private dinners and events across the city.
- Born
- New Zealand
- Based
- Melbourne, Victoria
- In kitchens
- 18 years
- Role
- Head Chef, Melbourne
Thomas Townsend was born in New Zealand and has spent 18 years in professional kitchens, working through every section from prep and larder to pastry and the pass. He now runs a kitchen in Melbourne as head chef.
His food is seasonal, produce-led and leans Italian. He braises for hours, makes pasta by hand and cooks seafood simply, then finishes plates with sharp, bright garnishes such as gremolata, saor and salsa verde. Many of the dishes on this site have been on his menus.
This site has two jobs. The recipes take dishes from his professional kitchen and rewrite them for a home kitchen, with realistic quantities, ordinary equipment and the small details that make them work. The private chef service brings the same cooking to your own table, for dinners of two up to events of thirty and more.
How I cook
- Season first. Menus start with what’s good at the market that week, not with a fixed dish list.
- Slow where it matters. Braises, ragùs and stocks get the hours they need. Most of the flavour comes from that time.
- Simple on the plate. Three or four things on a plate, each cooked properly.
- Write it down. Every recipe on this site is one I’ve cooked in service and then rewritten for a home kitchen.