Peter Gilmore has been the Executive Chef of Quay Restaurant since August 2001.
Peter is a 40-year-old Australian, born and bred in Sydney. Since starting at Quay, Peter’s creative and original style has seen Quay receive seven consecutive 3 Chefs Hat awards from The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide. In addition Quay has been named Restaurant of the Year in 2003 and 2005.
Quay has made culinary history in 2009 by taking out the industry’s four top gongs in the same year: Restaurant of the Year 2009 The Sydney Morning Herald 2009 Good Food Guide; Restaurant of the Year 2009 Australian Gourmet Traveller 2009 Restaurant Guide; Restaurant of the Year 2008 Restaurant & Catering 2008 NSW Awards for Excellence and Restaurant of the Year 2008 Restaurant & Catering 2008 National Awards for Excellence.
This Year Quay debuted in the coveted S.Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, joining such hallowed establishments as El Bulli, Fat Duck and The French Laundry for top international honours. And it was indeed a spectacular debut. Quay was rated by the judges as the 46th best restaurant in the world in 2009.
Quay was recently just awarded for a second year running Restaurant of the Year in The Sydney Morning Herald 2010 Good Food Guide; Restaurant of the Year Australian Gourmet Traveller 2010 Restaurant Guide.
Peter was inspired to cook at a young age and started his apprenticeship at 16. At 19 Peter left Sydney to gain overseas experience working in Country House Hotels in the UK and premium Hotels in London. Three years overseas experience enriched Peter’s early career. Returning to Sydney Peter spent the subsequent years working in smaller establishments around Sydney and in the Blue Mountains developing his own style. Critical recognition came when Peter was the Head Chef at De Beers Restaurant Whale Beach in 2000 when Terry Durack, food reviewer for The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote “De Beers houses a young chef with a real talent for sending out beautifully structured food with innate simplicity”.
Peter’s food philosophy is based in the exploration of the texture of food and harmony of flavour. Peter works closely with farmers and food producers to source exceptional ingredients. The food that is created is a celebration of nature’s beauty and diversity. Hence Peter refers to his food as nature-based cuisine.
Gourmet Traveller editor Anthea Loucas, wrote Quay’s Peter Gilmore is a chef whose food has its own unique signature. As restaurant reviewer and features editor Pat Nourse writes “it’s this union of contemporary technology and thinking with cool and unusual fruits of the natural world that puts Quay up there with the world’s best.”
Simon Thomsen, editor of the Good Food Guide, wrote in 2009 after Quay received the Restaurant of the Year Award for the third time, “Peter Gilmore delivers exciting, enticing, sensual and cutting edge Australian cooking in a landmark setting that makes Quay worthy of the title of Australia’s Best restaurant.”
Peter continues to refine his food, bringing new and exciting dining experiences to the table. The introduction of a four course A la Carte Menu consisting of three entrée sized savoury dishes and one sweet course to finish, showcases Peter’s classic dishes as well as his newest creations. A choice of five dishes in each course allows the diner the opportunity to sample a greater variety of dishes in smaller portions.
