Railway Hotel's general manager Peter McCormack (left), head chef Simon Tarlington and venue manager Rommer Bernat

 

THE team at Highline Restaurant is bringing the country to the inner Melbourne suburb of Windsor with a very literal take on "paddock to plate".

About 90 per cent of the produce used in the contemporary, fine-dining restaurant in the historic Railway Hotel is produced at Oak Valley farm at Longwood.

Both enterprises are owned by Wayne and Katrina Sullivan.

Everything from beef, lamb and pork through to vegetables, fruit, herbs, eggs and honey is sourced directly from the 810-hectare farm.

The Sullivans' son-in-law Peter McCormack brings his extensive meat industry experience to the position of general manager to ensure high-quality, sustainably sourced meat is at the centre of the five-star menu.

Mr McCormack said the family's long-held dream of opening a restaurant that showcased the farm's produce was realised when Highline Restaurant opened four months ago.

The restaurant has already been awarded an Australian Food Guide chef's hat.

The Sullivans have owned and operated the pub for more than 30 years, and key to the decision to make the change to renovate the building and include a high-end restaurant was finding the right head chef.

Mr McCormack said they hit the jackpot when they got exciting, young, passionate chef Simon Tarlington on board.

Mr Tarlington was a Young Chef of the Year finalist last year and has worked at one of Australia's most awarded restaurants, Quay in Sydney, and Michelin-starred restaurants overseas, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.

"We met with Simon and took him up to the farm," Mr McCormack said.

"He loved the concept and was at the stage of his career where he wanted to put his own name to a restaurant.

"He's amazing.

"His dishes constantly amaze me and they really make the most of our produce."

The team carefully manages the production every step of the way.

About 600 head of Angus and some Charolais-Angus cattle are run on the farm, along with 300 Dorper sheep and a small number of purebred Berkshire pigs.

Mr McCormack has worked in abattoirs, livestock buying and smallgoods production.

He was the national pork production manager at Coles for three years, during which he was responsible for procuring livestock and managing the boning and processing facilities.

He was instrumental in introducing Coles' finest Free Range Pork and Sow Stall Free Pork initiatives and has brought this passion for top-quality, free-range pork to Highline Restaurant.

"We buy the Berkshire pigs from a nearby farm as weaners and grow them to our requirements," he said.

"I feed the pigs a traditional European diet of fallen fruits and acorns, which means the texture and flavour of the meat is very different from conventional pork."

The yearling Angus steers, milk-fed lambs and pigs used in the restaurant are sent to an abattoir, and then Mr McCormack breaks down the carcases and ages the meat and with Mr Tarlington makes the smallgoods.

Having their own farm not only gives the team control of the supply but also means they can compost the kitchen waste on-farm and use the animals' manure to fertilise the vegetable and herb seedlings they grow in the Railway Hotel's courtyard.

Mr McCormack is also hopeful the trout and salmon the team has put into the farm's bigger dams will one day feature on the seasonal menu.

Mr Tarlington has designed different menus for the Railway Hotel's public bar (which still has beer on tap and TVs showing sport) and deck, as well as its Highline Restaurant.