Head Of Culinary at The Star Gold Coast.
Head Of Culinary at The Star Gold Coast.
Meet Chef Daniel Fox, the culinary maestro recently crowned as The Star Gold Coast’s Culinary Ambassador. Chef Fox shared some insider tips, giving us a tasty preview of the mouthwatering delights set to grace The Star Gold Coast venues during Magic Millions, the highly anticipated global race meeting. As the Head Of Culinary, Chef Fox brings a decade of expertise to his role, showcasing an unwavering commitment to guest excellence and a knack for serving up unforgettable dining experiences across The Star Gold Coast’s diverse restaurants. Our chat with Chef Fox uncovers the flavours, fun, and a bit of the man beyond the chef’s hat.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I’ve lived on the Gold Coast since 2000, my family moved from NZ once I finished school to be closer to our extended family and get away from the rain. Since then the GC has been the home base as I’ve moved overseas a few times but now I’m settled here with my own family.
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
I love that it is a city in development, there is always something new on the coast. Not growing up here and spending a lot of time overseas I’m not a beach, sun, surf guy. So I love that we are starting to see other options for entertainment, more unique hospitality options, and subcultures creeping in. The weather is awesome and I like that 20 minutes from the coast you can be in complete wilderness.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
40 years young. loving father and husband, a huge music fan, and a passionate skateboarder (not so much these days, unfortunately), I have been with The Star for 10 years. Over my tenure, I’ve managed multiple restaurants across multiple cuisines and have recently been promoted to the Director of Culinary. I started my career as a chef in New Zealand before completing my apprenticeship here on the Gold Coast. I have worked at some of the Gold Coast dining institutions such as Domani’s, Songbirds, and Moo Moo. I have also worked in Canada for some world-renowned winery restaurants as well as in London working with Michelin Star chefs and London’s most prestigious catering companies.
How does it feel to be crowned the Culinary Ambassador for The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival in 2024?
I’m super proud to be included in such an iconic event. The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions is the crescendo of summer events and always a great week across the coast with the Polo, Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and the Star Gold Coast Barrier Draw. The city comes to life with a real buzz across the venues at The Star Gold Coast.
Can you give us a sneak peek into the seasonal menu you’ve curated for The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival?
We took inspiration from Garden Kitchen and Bar – the venue itself evokes seasonal and local produce. So we have used some of the menu items and made them into canapes to suit the Magic Millions crowd. All the dishes are about summer with maximum flavour in one bite to create a memorable experience for the guests.
How do you plan to showcase the local seasonal produce on the Gold Coast through your dishes at The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival?
We will be using Whitsunday prawns, in-season peaches from Kumbia, pork belly from Bangalow, and Hervey Bay scallops. We are so lucky to be surrounded by such talented producers. So through our amazing suppliers, we can create simple dishes that highlight these passionate artisans and showcase some of the best produce found worldwide.
What makes the 2024 Magic Millions Carnival a unique opportunity for epicurean adventures?
The restaurants across the GC will be alive with summer in full swing, so much quintessential GC atmosphere if the weather plays its part. A lot of great venues across the coast for lunch with beachside views to give visitors that ultimate GC experience but here at The Star is the best place for an entertaining nighttime buzz. The team will be ready and looking forward to creating some mouth-watering dishes from a masterclass in Cantonese cuisine at Uncle Su, world-class steak and seafood at Nineteen at the Star, kickass Japanese dining at Kiyomi, classic Italian flavours at Cucina Vivo and the best possible seasonal produce at Garden Kitchen and Bar.
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café/coffee spot: Espresso Bonsai – chill spot, easy to get a seat most days, good spot to people watch, and great quality coffee.
Restaurant: Nineteen at the Star– always on point. The wine, produce, team, and venue all top-notch.
Bar or place for a drink: Vinnies Dive or Last Night on Earth – my kind of place – no frills, great music, real people.
Beach: The Spit – secluded, parking is normally possible, and a crab sandwich at the Kiosk is a classic.
How do you choose to spend your days off?
Spending time with my family – Ruby my daughter is almost 3, she’s super cute right now so just hanging out and seeing her eyes light up with all her new adventures. Summer has included lots of pool swims, BBQs and cocktails.
STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST.
The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol.
Splash some water on that face and look alive, GC – one of our summer standouts, The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday is just around the corner. As always, The Star Gold Coast is ready to take the reins on all the most fabulous events to grace our events calendar and this fashion-filled favourite is no exception.
When it comes to being hot to trot for a fancy-free day of race day revelling – it’s not all sunshine, sipping champagne and roses – there are many important details that need to be ironed out first. So let us not ‘horse around’ a moment longer and settle the conundrum of the ultimate post-race afterparty at The Star Gold Coast come January 13.
To keep the good times going long after the last race is run, the Garden Kitchen & Bar is firing up its own lush little turfside party, with an extra special Live on The Lawn Magic Millions edition for the frock-ccasion. The open-air stage is set for a sunset session filled with frosty beverages, alfresco bites and back-to-back bangers courtesy of some heavy-hitter headliner DJ sets… and just trust us when we say… ‘Don’t Hold Back’ when it comes to planning your frock around your comfiest, faithful-est, (gel-cushioned, preferably) dancing stilettos…
The live and free sessions regularly going down at The Lawn at Garden Kitchen & Bar are already known as one of the most spectacular settings to soak up our balmy summer evenings, but ‘extra special’ we teased, and true to our word… ‘extra special’ ye shall receive. Get ready to carve up the d-floor as The Potbelleez take the stage to supply some epic tunes for the evening, with an electric twilight set kicking off from 6:30pm.
As one of our most successful dance groups, not only has their knack for penning/producing hit dance anthems landed them performances on festival stages across the globe, but their ear-worm-style ballads have surpassed an eye-watering 750,000 singles and albums sold.
Need a refresher on your early-2000’s club bops? Infectious tracks like ‘Hello’, ‘From The Music’, ‘Are You With Me’, are all sure to slap, and if we’re not yet ringing any bells, the triple platinum, top 5 single, ‘Don’t Hold Back’ sure will among anyone who has ever owned a TV set (aka the Jeep Commercial living rent free in our heads). So, word to the wise – ensure those sundowners are firmly in hand well before that straight fire starts dropping from the decks, folks.
The Container Kitchen is also on-hand to keep the sustenance levels up, churning out some fire of its own with the likes of the flame-licked Chargrilled Angus Beef Burger and Yuzu Aioli Fried Calamari providing exactly the type of delicious, one-handed fare we need to refuel on the go. In between all those killer moves, obvi – and long live the ‘sprinkler’, we say.
So GC, it looks like Lady Luck is on our side this year – it is already shaping up to be one very memorable and magic race day in-steed.
Where: The Lawn at Kitchen Garden & Bar, The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach
When: Saturday 13 January, 6:30pm – 7:45pm
Words by Kellie Leader.
STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST
The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol.
The silly season is upon us, and if you haven’t booked an extra-large chunk of time off and are ready to party through the summer, then you need to do something about that stat. Because nobody wants to return to work in January with a serious helping of FOMO to kick off the year!
After another painstaking year, we think you deserve to get a little frivolous with some incredible live music and an atmosphere like no other. So where else should you go other than The Star Gold Coast’s Garden Kitchen & Bar this January! Well versed in providing an unrivalled afternoon/evening place to assemble and take in stellar music, things are looking no different for everyone’s favourite time of year. Bc rain, hail, heatwave, or shine, they’ve got our social calendar covered more liberally than a bottle of SPF 40 on a summer’s day.
We can probably all admit that no-one *quite* does summer fun like the Italians do – so it only seems fitting to kick off the festivities with a big ‘ole Cin Cin to summertime at Cucina Vivo.
Saunter by from 5pm Wednesday–Sunday and bookend your day with some spritz-filled basking and bites, backdropped by the glistening pool views.
Now we’re sufficiently in the swing of things, the only way is up, since summer also presents unto us the tantalising op to get up close and personal with the otherwise off-limits Isoletto Pool Club.
The luxury rooftop bar has swung open its doors to the public until 26th January, 4pm-8pm daily, inviting us to perch up poolside and imbibe in sips and savour snacks as the sun sinks low – an invitation we absolutely will be accepting several times over.
As the radiant sun-drenched moments persist, Garden Kitchen & Bar continues to be our go-to for daily doses of fun, because why not embrace the joy every day. Cherished outdoor haven, The Lawn, is delivering an electrifying summer, with live acoustic performances and DJs every day until January 14th. During this celebration, this alfresco gem invites us to revel in frosty beverages and captivating tunes, ensuring an abundance of good times from 5pm daily.
Hop aboard the Lisa Hunt express, because this soul train superstar is coming in hot on Friday 25th January.
But, January isn’t complete without the biggest weekend of the calendar which is celebrated with gusto, the The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Racing Carnival of course.
On Saturday 13th January, be sure to wrap up your day from the field by heading to The Lawn to enjoy The Potbelleez who will by supplying some epic tunes for the evening, with an electric twilight set kicking off from 6:30pm.
Options, options, options, folks. But it doesn’t stop there! For other things happening at The Star Gold Coast, see here.
When: Throughout January 2023
Where: The Star Gold Coast, Broadbeach
Words by Belinda Symons
STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST
The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol.
