Andrew Blake

There’s much more to golf than improving your swing and perfecting putting. Yes, there’s always that primal instinct of sport – the challenge and exhilaration of competition, whether you’re watching or playing. Then there are those who simply enjoy a hit, inhaling the fresh air, soaking up the scenery, exercising the body and brain – socialising, eating… drinking. In absoluteness, the ultimate day of golf goes beyond the greens to which this column observes the neurological receptors, the gustatory and olfactory senses of both amateur and professional golfers all over this planet. We take a cross section of the golfer’s stomach and we probe the visual, the tactile, the fine motor controls of pleasure, going where no golfing publication has been before, right to the dopamine receptors and intestines of – the Golfer’s Palate.

Andrew Blake – Amateur/Professional Handicap –  21

Club Member of: The Nationa, Australia

Which Golf Club 19th Hole (bar, beer, wine list, food) has impressed you the most

Craig Gordon has been the chef at The National for about 5 years and has constantly produced outstanding food.  His buffets are absolutely first class. http://www.nationalgolf.com.au

Where is the most memorable meal (restaurant) you have had on a golf trip?

I went to Las Vegas on a golf trip with 7 mates in 2010.  We had many great meals but the best was at Atelier Joel Robuchon http://www.mgmgrand.com/restaurants/atelier-joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.aspx

Where have you dined recently (restaurant) that impressed you?

I don’t eat out that much any more but I did have a great meal at San Telmo, an Argentian grill in Melbourne’s CBD.  Great seafood and meats cooked simply but perfectly over a traditional parrilla wood-fired grill. Great service and winelist. http://santelmo.com.au/

Do you have a favourite regular restaurant?

I love sitting at the bar at Longrain.  When so many Thai restaurants in Australia offer a homogenous anglicized version of my favourite cuisine, Longrain is a stand out.  Chin Chin is another favourite. http://www.longrain.com.au/melbourne_intro.htm http://www.thewanderingpalate.com/restaurants/feed-them-lots-of-fun-chin-chin-melbourne-australia/

Do you cook at home and is there a dish you have perfected?

I now cook at home most nights as a single father to a 13 year old son.  I would like to think that after having cooked professionally for 35 years I may have perfected most of my dishes!

Do you enjoy wine? What wine are you drinking at the moment?

My rose drinking season has just come to an end and I really enjoyed Attwood Wines ‘3 Little Birds’ from Geelong.  Now that the weather is much cooler I will revert to some Central Otago Pinot Noir’s with the occasional burgundy if my son stops growing out of his clothes!

Have you had a new wine discovery lately – new region, variety or style?

I’m not what you would call a wine frontiersman so there are no new regions or varieties that I have discovered of late.  But I have found a great chardonnay made in a Chablis-style.  Ocean Eight Verve Chardonnay from the Mornington Peninsula http://oceaneight.com.au/

What is the most enthralling golf course you have played on, in terms of dramatic scenery?

Going to my home course is the most wonderful therapy and its beauty never ceases to amaze me, but I would have to say Barnbougle Dunes is the most dramatic. http://www.barnbougledunes.com/

What is the most memorable golf holiday or destination you have been on?

Toss up between Las Vegas and Dublin.  The golf in Dublin was sensational and the locals very welcoming, but excellent courses and great dining with good mates gave Las Vegas the edge.

Andrew Blake is one Australia’s most talented chefs whose life work is illustrated in his latest book “Blake’s Feast – A Life in Food” http://www.thewanderingpalate.com/restaurants/blakes-feast-a-life-in-food/