Chef Clayton Wells Opens Blackwattle
by Kerlyn Tan
@ 22 Oct 2017
Blackwattle, a 60-seat restaurant-bar concept is located in an old shophouse on Amoy Street, is among the slew of restaurants that have opened in Singapore recently. It takes pride in serving a menu worth of contemporary Australian cuisine available in sets or a la carte options. The man behind Blackwattle is none other than Chef Clayton Wells of Automata located in Sydney which has been awarded 2 hats in the prestigious The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, earned 2* in the Australian Gourmet Travellers Restaurant Guide 2017 and 2018 and has been named one of Australia’s Hottest Restaurants in The Weekend Australian twice. Chef Clayton’s dishes are influenced by his global travel experiences; he aims to showcase quality ingredients and bold flavours in a modern and fuss-free way.
We speak with the Chef Clayton and ask him a few questions:
CWA : Blackwattle is your first restaurant in Asia. What made you pick Singapore over other countries?
Chef Clayton : Singapore has such a thriving food scene, we have been here a lot over the past years and with our connection to Singapore with Unlisted Collection it was an easy decision.
CWA : Are there any similarities between Automata and Blackwattle?
Chef Clayton : The style of food we are serving at Blackwattle is definitely similar to Automata; the differences will lie in the local produce that we use and how we use them. For instance, we are currently experimenting with ginger flowers, Indian gooseberries, hibiscus flowers and working them into our style of cooking.
CWA : Automata features a bold style of cooking so what does it mean by “bold style of cooking”? What can diners expect from such a bold style of cooking?
Chef Clayton : We focus on getting the best out of only a few ingredients per dish and try to present flavour combinations that are interesting and unique. So what you can expect are bold flavours prepared in an unfussy yet considered way.
CWA : Given that you have global travel experiences and made them a part of your dishes, what are your top 3 favourite ingredients to incorporate in your dishes? What makes these ingredients special?
Chef Clayton : Seaweed would be one of my favourites as its many different characteristics making it an ingredient of choice that can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes. Another favourite ingredient of mine would be fermented fruits and vegetables; we use a lot of these products, incorporating fermented products adds a new dimention to the flavour profile of each dish. The last… it would be flavoured oils. We make a lot of different types of oils as it adds a subtle flavour of ingredient to a dish without the product overpowering the other elements.
CWA : What techniques do you use most often? Are there other new techniques you’d like to challenge yourself with?
Chef Clayton : We grill a lot of small things over charcoal… it adds a special smokiness that I love! Perhaps I would like to cook larger cuts of meat over fire for a long period of time.
CWA : What is your culinary philosophy?
Chef Clayton : Above all else…. make it delicious!
CWA : What do you hope the diners in Singapore would feel and/or experience when they visit Blackwattle?
Chef Clayton : I want this (Blackwattle) to be a fun place to eat and drink. Our diners should be able to relax and enjoy the journey…. whether it is the set menu or just enjoying our à la carte options while sipping a cocktail…. We want to keep things exciting by having our diner experience new things everytime they come in!
Blackwattle is located at 97 Amoy Street, Singapore 069917. It is opened for lunch on weekdays and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Reservations can be made via info@blackwattle.com.sg or +65 6224 2232.
