Talking Palazzo Versace with Chef Steven Forrester

Serving up a delicious treat for our beloved readers, Get it’s Kathleen Loxton tells all about our wonderful experience at Palazzo Versace and meeting the remarkable Chef Steven…

One major lesson spending time with a chef of Steven’s calibre teaches you, is that cooking truly is both an artform and a science, but you must also be business savvy and in touch with what your public wants. You must also always be willing to try new things and put forward your ideas; something those at Palazzo Versace pride themselves in, which encourages true creative freedom amongst its chefs.

The renowned and spectacular Palazzo Versace is where our exciting story continues to unfold, but first we must take a look back at Chef Steven’s journey…

Inspiration was all around Steven at a young age, growing up in a small country town surrounded by orchards and fruit. This is where his love of local produce, fresh ingredients and respect for the craft, from start to finish, comes from. Looking back at that initial ‘training’ though, Steven said, “It wasn’t obvious that this was the direction I was going to go, originally I was going to be a mechanic, or in the trades – even a policeman at one stage…’’

In later years, however, when Steven heard exciting tales of cooking in New York from one of his culinary mentors, he thought, “Wow, I just wanted to hear more about his experiences.’’ From there, he was inspired to follow that life himself. Now, Steven enjoys experimenting with an array of cuisines, and has a passion for ingredients that can transform a dish into something extraordinary (truffles happen to be Steven’s current favourite).

Memories, for Steven, are also intrinsically connected to food, and no memory rings clearer for him than when he was a private chef for a famous Russian boxer, working on a piste in France amongst the mountains. Steven said, “I’ve served presidents and celebrities, but that is one memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life.’’

Today, Steven brings this incredible experience with him, and with his rich history of working at top establishments, he will take our Sunshine State’s cuisine to the next level. Steven remarked, “The Gold Coast culinary scene is going crazy! There’s a lot of very exciting things happening.’’ And with Steven leading at the helm of Palazzo Versace’s kitchens, it’s guaranteed to be going the distance.

For more, visit palazzoversace.com.au