Hamish Watt kickstarted his career under the watchful eye of Neil Perry at Rockpool in Sydney before packing up and heading to ye old London town, where he was able to work and learn in several fine-dining restaurants. His love for the finer side of service continued to flourish during his time at the prestigious Kensington Place Restaurant and stints as executive sous chef and later executive chef at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley Resort. Hot in his pursuit of innovative Modern Australian cuisine, Hamish finally joined the InterContinental group in Wellington before settling here on the Gold Coast. Known for his robust ability to reinvigorate menus across five-star hotels and R&B outlets, Hamish’s unique basket of experience has made him the perfect choice for the role of executive chef at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.
Since becoming a GC local, Hamish has not wasted a moment creating innovative dining experiences in Sanctuary Cove. In particular, the new autumn/winter menu at The Fireplace perfectly encapsulates his extensive knowledge of nuanced native flavour pairings. The Goldilocks menu is not too long or short, providing the perfect array of options to tantalise every taste bud. Menu highlights include the charred field mushrooms with lentils, sauteed spinach and sherry vinegar dressing, or the woodfire-grilled quail with pearl barley, carrots, apple purree and port wine jus for entree. When it comes to mains, it’s hard to look past the pork belly with baked radish, carrot puree and caramelised apples or the succulent woodfired options straight off the grill. Perhaps the most notable being the one kilogram 150-day grain-fed tomahawk steak with a trio of sauces. You can top off your meal with a ravishing choice of desserts, like a 54-percent dark-chocolate parfait with whisky and vanilla sauce, chocolate biscuit and roasted nuts creme. Alternatively, indulge in your choice of cheese with lavosh, crackers, fruit and a glass of wine from their 200-strong wine library, paired to perfection by the on-site sommeliers.
As the seasons change, so too do our palette and cravings. Hamish Watt and his team at The Fireplace understand this and have curated a menu that will warm your insides and enchant your taste buds with fresh, native produce and wood-fired cuisine. Sample the menu yourself while sipping on a glass or two of fine wine at The Fireplace, open for dinner seven days from 5:30 – 9:00 pm.
