Young chefs get fresh with discerning diners

O.My men Tyson, Chayse and Blayne Bertoncello.

By ANEEKA SIMONIS

THEY’RE young, they’re ambitious and they’re revolutionising how we eat in the outer south-east.
With cooking shows blasting television screens across the nation, gone are the days people will settle for a cheap pub meal on a night out.
It now seems many consider themselves a ‘foodie’, placing higher expectations on their food – particularly where it’s from and how it looks.
The changing wave has swept the restaurant industry, and the region’s young up-and-comers are leading the charge in Cardinia Shire’s food scene.
Lakeside is quickly becoming Pakenham’s social beacon thanks to a dream pulled off by new kid on the block, 29-year-old Gembrook man Casey Brent Summerville.
The young restaurateur has wowed many with his bold newly-opened enterprise, The Lakeside Mill.
With a strong focus on sharing, the unique cafe, restaurant and bar intends to be more than just a place to eat.
With flavours like fennel pollen, miso infused eggplant and smoked marrow, The Mill brings a little slice of trendy inner city dining to the region.
The difference: many of the flavours and ingredients are sourced locally.
“People in Gippsland and places like Pakenham, Narre Warren and Dandenong were looking for a place they can have a beautiful night out without having to travel to the city,” Casey said.
“Our hope is to take a risk, and change the way people eat and view dining out here.
“If successful, I think we’ll see venues pop up all around and create food cultures. It’s happening already with places like O.My in Beaconsfield and The Independent in Gembrook.
“We are starting to create a food hub.”
His vision is shared by head-chef Jake Kellie – a 26-year-old nationally acclaimed go-getter with experience in kitchens across the world including The Fat Duck.
Down the road in Beaconsfield, young Bertoncello brothers Chayse, 21, Blayne, 25, and Tyson, 28, are constantly evolving a degustation menu that is drawing foodies from all over the city.
O.My grows, bakes, preserves and pickles almost everything served on their largely plant-based menu changing week on week based on what’s growing well in their boutique farm in Cardinia.
“At the moment, we have a dish that is made up of eight varieties of tomatoes and nine varieties of basil. People wouldn’t expect to taste a difference, but they can. It’s a taste you can’t buy,” Chayse said.
“Seventy per cent of our menu has changed this week compared to last week. Keeps it different for people who come here to eat and keeps it different for us.”
O.My had been operating since 2013 but the successful band of brothers only decided on their make or break move into a four, six or eight course degustation-only menu about 18 months ago.
It was a dream they had all shared when starting up, but were unsure how it would be received in the outer region.
Looking back, it was the best thing they had ever done.
“Fifty per cent of people who eat here are coming from the city or further out. We stuck out necks out and dared to try something different,” Chayse said.
“People were screaming for something new and revitalising and fresh for the area.”
The boys pride themselves on fine dining without the feeling of pretentiousness often permeating the four-walls of the city’s upmarket restaurants.
“We love to get around and have a laugh and joke with everyone. We don’t want it to be pretentious. We want people to eat and chat and have a good time,” Chayse said.