How would you describe modern Australian cuisine? If you ask Jaison Thomas, executive head chef at Warrior Restaurant & Bar in Queensland, Australia, his answer is straightforward. “Modern Australian cuisine encourages the use of native local ingredients, showcasing them through innovative dishes and cooking techniques that elevate their flavours.” Simply put, Thomas wants guests to enjoy “a brilliant culinary experience by celebrating Australia on a plate, all while being surrounded by the stunning natural world.”
What is Warrior Restaurant & Bar?
Warrior is part of the Crocodile Hunter Lodge, a quiet eight-cabin retreat named for the late wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin. The Crocodile Hunter was Irwin’s nickname from his eponymous crocodile documentary show that ran from 1996 to 2004.
It lies only an hour north of Brisbane, and only a few minutes from the gates of Australia Zoo. The laid-back environment at the lodge makes it a favourite vacation spot for families. Along with unlimited access to the zoo, guests can book behind-the-scenes animal encounters. They can also experience Irwin’s legacy at conservation shows, including Crocodiles Live.
The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is just one of many examples of the Irwin family’s—matriarch Terri and her two children, Robert and Bindi— commitment to conservation and education. Guests can enjoy meals at Warrior while overlooking bushland and wildlife, including kangaroos, koalas and emus.
What is Warrior’s approach to sustainable cooking?
Native ingredients anchor the menu. That includes warrigal greens, a wild plant with delicate spinach-like leaves that grow on the grounds of the lodge. The restaurant also utilizes saltbush, a fast growing wild shrub with leaves with salty and herbal flavours. The dishes? Homegrown warrigal greens show up in a side dish with broccolini, confit garlic oil and fried shallots. Dried saltbush is ground up and used as a salt on shoestring fries.
“We prioritize sustainability by sourcing ingredients that are grown naturally and responsibly,” says Thomas. When developing recipes, conservation is also at play to limit food waste. “Our commitment to sustainability proudly guides the development of our delicious menus and practices in the kitchen,” Thomas adds.
For example, fruit pulp left over from making fresh juices is frozen into ice blocks for the elephants. Coffee grounds are used by the Australia Zoo tiger team as enrichment for tigers to sniff out.
The culinary team also honours the late Irwin. Says Thomas: “Steve Irwin had a passion for cooking curry, and our team has drawn inspiration from his cooking by featuring Asian ingredients and flavours that pay homage to his legacy.” Of course, there’s also that tiny chocolate crocodile that arrives with your cup of coffee— made locally, of course.
If you’d like to bring a taste of Warrior Restaurant into your home, try making their Nourish Bowl at home. This nutritious and healthy bowl makes for a wholesome lunch or dinner. Featuring fresh vegetables, beetroot baked in rock salt (an Australian specialty) and a spicy peanut sauce. It gets finished off with drizzles of homemade chili oil and ginger-shallot oil. For some added protein, top it off with chicken or tofu.
