“The most exciting challenge of working with native ingredients is respecting their delicate seasonality,” says Matthew Sartori, “but the rewards are endless, allowing you to forge your own techniques without boundaries.”

As the head chef of a Perth-based restaurant Wildflower, his love for local ingredients to their acclaimed farmer-and-forager menu, which is determined by indigenous Australian calendar cycles. Sartori has been with the restaurant since 2015, and he has brought panache and an authentic understanding for the region’s exceptional gastronomic landscape.

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Manila diners will get a chance to try the chef’s dishes when he comes over tomorrow for a one-night only event at Gallery by Chele. It will be a four hands dinner, done in tandem with the Gallery’s chef, Chele Gonzalez.

Born in inland Western Australia, the chef grew up experimenting with the flavors of the bush. In 2007, he moved to Perth where he worked in several of Western Australia’s most iconic restaurants. He developed his knowledge of seasonal ingredients and indigenous traditions while working under acclaimed chefs Matt Stone at Greenhouse and Paul Iskov at Fervor.

“Being a good chef is doing lots of little things very well is what I’ve learned from working with other chefs,” he says in an interview for MasterChef Australia, of which he was a guest for this year. “You need to motivate yourself, set goals and complete them sooner than you allow yourself so you can move on to the next task.”

Love for local

Wildflower is located at the fourth floor of COMO The Treasury, a five-star hotel in Western Australia. It is an elegant, modern destination restaurant situated against the breathtaking views of the Swan River.

While celebrating seasonality is nothing unique in the world of fine dining, what makes Wildflower’s approach exceptional is a menu that revolves around the six seasons of the Noongar calendar. This is an indigenous calendar used by local aboriginal tribes that marks the changes of seasons by the blooming of different native wildflowers and the subtle shifts in weather. These then influence the transitions in ingredient seasonality and the menu at Wildflower.

The West Australian’s Good Food Guide attributed Wildflower’s early success to its creative menu concept and awe-inspiring location in the plush COMO The Treasury. Wildflower received its Best Restaurant Award in 2017. More recently, in the 2019 Australian Good Food and Travel Guide, Wildflower was bestowed three chefs hats along with the Reader’s Choice Award for Fine Dining, establishing it as one of the most unique dining experiences in Australia.

“We are honored to welcome Matthew Sartori to our kitchens as he shares his culinary knowledge, skills and the ingredients of Western Australia,” says Gallery by Chele in a statement.

Wildflower canapes.

Sandalwood cream with muntrie berries, roasted apple, native thyme.

Manjimup Marron with bush tomato, brown butter and beach spinach.

Roasted Baldivis Macadamias with macadamia curd, mango sorbet, Geraldton wax, lemon aspen.

Geraldton Kingfish with daikon radish, Geraldton wax, finger lime, and river herbs.

Wildflower x Gallery by Chele will be on Thursday, October 3, 2019 at Gallery by Chele. This special dining experience is priced at PHP3,900 + 10% service charge per guest. For reservations or inquiries, please call Gallery by Chele at 63.917.546.1673.