From the floor to the flame: Jake Kellie eyes WA's finest flavours

Former head chef of the acclaimed Burnt Ends in Singapore, and co-owner of Adelaide’s first open-flame restaurant Arkhé, Jake Kellie is preparing to head to Western Australia’s Southern Forests region for the annual Truffle Kerfuffle festival.

Kellie will host the ”From the Forest Floor’ multi-course brunch on Sunday 25 June, in a long-table dining experience set to pair the region’s best produce with one of the country’s most exciting chefs.

We sat down with Jake Kellie ahead of his very first visit to Manjimup to find out more about his passion for the region’s finest delicacy – the black truffle.

Do you remember your first time trying truffles?

My first experience of truffles was when I was an apprentice at Aria.

Ben Turner, the head chef, served them at the kitchen table – it was a simple scrambled eggs on brioche and I thought – wow – that’s luxe.

The first time I caught a whiff of truffle aroma, every time I smell it, I get a good kick, they smell beautiful.

I’ve been using David Coomer’s truffles for about six or seven years.

My friend Max Veenhuzen used to hand deliver truffles to me when I was in Singapore.

I always know when David’s truffles are in the kitchen, the aroma wafts through the kitchen and they are always exceptionally high quality.

I am the sort of person who would walk over hot coals to get to truffles.

What’s your favourite way to use black truffles?

We had a truffle dish on the menu last year, a truffle risotto with emulsified smoked bone marrow that we used instead of butter and finished with freshly grated truffle.

We keep our truffles with rice which not only helps keeping the moisture away from truffles, but the aroma and flavour permeates the rice and it gives a great flavour.

The season has just started, and we sold 80-100g of truffle on the weekend which is great, remembering that people in Adelaide are getting used to fresh truffles and the aroma.

We served it with Port Lincoln rock lobster with garlic brown butter sauce, capers, and finished with grated truffle on top.

Is this your first visit to the Manjimup/Southern Forests region?

This will be my first time, I’m really looking forward to it. I can’t wait to experience my first truffle hunt, I’ve never done anything like that before.

I’m also keen to visit Blue Ridge Marron, we used their marron at Burnt Ends and at Gourmet Escape.

I’m also really looking forward to meeting David Coomer (Coomer Truffles).

It’s been great dealing with Sophie Zalokar in the lead up and learning from her about the local producers and who is doing what.

Melissa Palinkas is doing some curing meats for me.

Honestly, I’m honoured to be asked and excited to be coming.

What are your thoughts on the Australian truffle industry?

Although truffles are a traditionally associated with France, Italy and Spain, the WA industry is producing exceptionally high quality black truffles.

I think the truffle industry in Australia is really strong.

In Singapore and even in Europe, they use Australian truffles and that says a lot of about the producers and the quality of the truffles.

What can people expect at the ‘From the Forest Floor’ brunch?

The first course is a sharing board and I’m bringing over a few things from the restaurant.

Things like blistered tomatoes with house made lardo on toast, cured meats, truffle brie, grilled fig jam and burnt-flour grissini, truffle stracciatella, quail eggs and more.

Then we’ll have a chargrilled chicken with fermented grains, sweet corn, crème fraiche and loads of freshly grated truffle. Then to finish, poached pear buerre bosc tartefine with truffle chantilly cream.

My cooking style is simple – we grill stuff and make it tasty! I use the best possible produce I can find in Australia and then use the fire to cook – I let the produce speak it for itself.

Jake Kellie will appear at the 2023 Truffle Kerfuffle in Manjimup, WA from June 23 to June 25. ‘From the Forest Floor’ is on Sunday June 25 from 10am to 1pm.

For event program, tickets and details visit trufflekerfuffle.com.au