Rick Stein’s style shines; even if he’s not in the house

Celebrity chefs put a lot of faith in their staff when they open multiple outposts.

The big-name pan handlers are invariably on site for the first few weeks, but then they have to trust the chefs and front of house staff they have hired to make sure standards are maintained.

That's particularly important when, like restaurateur, cookery book author and television presenter Rick Stein, you have a global reputation to uphold.

Rick Stein at Coogee Beach opened just before Christmas last year and is still pulling in the crowds. The 224-seat restaurant in the same building as The InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach hosts the signature restaurant, bar dining and courtyard terrace.

We've sampled Stein venues in Padstow in Cornwall before and when I checked in last week everything in Sydney was operating exactly as the English seafood chef, and honorary Australian, would have wished.

There was a full house for Friday lunch but everything was working with clockwork precision.

The vibe is beachfront casual - with design from Stein's Australian wife Sarah, and artworks by Australian artist Brigit Thomas adorning the walls and featuring on the front page of the menu, including a striking giant squid and a shimmering school of fish.

The staff are seasoned hospitality professionals. Giovanni and Zara, who looked after us, were hugely impressive - and the kitchen brigade delivered a very tasty repaste of trademark Stein flavours.

We selected sashimi of salmon, kingfish, tuna and scallops (above), served with wakame, pickled ginger, wasabi, sashimi dressing (freshness personified), and an absolutely superb twice-baked spanner crab soufflé with thermidor sauce (below) as our starters.

We followed up with two Padstow favourites: Rick’s fish and chips deep fried in dripping, served with chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce. The batter was crispy, the fish moist and flaky but I didn't enjoy the texture of the mushy peas. Picky. 

The Newlyn fish pie (below) was chock-a-block with salmon, ling, monkfish, prawns, mussels and mushrooms in a creamy seafood velouté, topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan.

We shared a dessert: a classic crème brûlée with almond biscotti. along with glasses of a deliciously zingy artisan mandarin-infused limoncello.

Our wine choice was the 2024 Rick Stein White Burgundy, a house wine selected by Rick Stein and his son Charlie and a perfect match for seafood dishes. But only after my wife had sampled the deliciously dry 2024 Graci Etna Rosato from Sicily.

There is an impressive wine list by both the glass and bottle with a nice balance between Australian wines and quality imports.

Well worth a visit whether or not Stein is in the house.  

Note: Rick Stein at Coogee Beach is a cashless venue, although I'm sure the staff prefer their tips as cash.

See https://www.ricksteinatcoogeebeach.com.au/

# The writer was hosted by Rick Stein at Coogee Beach