By Rebecca Skilton
Newly appointed executive chef Adrian Van Keulen is bringing a fresh new look to the face of Pakenham Racing’s dining experience.
Beginning on Tuesday 18 April, Cardinia Club and Club Officer diners will be treated to Adrian’s fresh new menu – a combination of home-made and freshly cooked meals prepared with local ingredients.
“The last menu was a lot of deep fried stuff and a lot of fast food type meals, so we’ve stepped up to more home cooking style meals.
“There’s a lot more pastas and, basically, food that doesn’t come out of the deep fryer,” Adrian said.
“It’s a lot fresher with local products as well which we’re starting to use from places like Warragul and Pakenham.
“I’ve worked in and have taken care of a lot of other places that used fresh local ingredients and I come from the Yarra Valley, so we’re used to using a lot of local stuff – it just helps the locals around the area as well.”
Hot off the press, Adrian’s new look menu boasts something for everyone.
Expelling the predominantly deep fried menu, Adrian has introduced a number of mouth-watering meals, with tempura prawns, slow braised lamb shank and blue swimmer crab lasagne only a few of the new meals that are now on offer.
However, for those who are worried that their favourite classic pub-style meal didn’t make the new menu cut, never fear because Adrian’s Aussie beef burger, fish and chips and chicken breast parmigiana are sure to tickle the fancy of classic pub meal lovers everywhere.
Of course, there’s also seniors, kids, vegetarian and gluten free options available as well as a range of heavenly deserts set to satisfy even the sweetest of sweet tooths.
However, while Adrian’s new menu didn’t hit the tables of the Cardinia and Officer Clubs until Tuesday 18 April, Pakenham Racing Club members were treated to a week-early VIP sneak peak of the new menu and proved to be a hit.
“We did a VIP tasting on Monday with our members and it went really well.
“They really enjoyed it and liked the look of the food,” Adrian said.
“I was very nervous, though. I hate being judged.”
Four months in the making, Adrian’s new menu comes as a welcomed relief for Cardinia club venue manager Lou Fleming who admits that a new menu had been on her list of things to do since starting at the club 10 months ago.
“It’s an awesome and exciting feeling to have it done,” Lou said.
“To get a menu as good as what Adrian has done takes a long time. We had to get feedback from everyone – the good and bad – and we tried to come up with something to please everyone.”
For those looking for the chef’s special, there is one of Adrian’s personal favourites, a hit so big that it’s been on almost all his menus over his 30-year career.
“There’s one meal that follows me everywhere I go and that’s my duck and forest mushroom risotto – it ends up on every menu,” Adrian said.
“I’ve got one of the junior chefs here and she’s worked with me for five years, and she always asks if the duck risotto is going to be on the menu and I say ‘maybe not’, but it always does.”
