Tuesday, 27 December 2016 By Lena Zacharek

Australian Rural Luxury revisited

When I first meet Brae’s head chef Dan Hunter I was captivated by his holistic and passionate approach to food. This same philosophy has been extended to the newly erected accommodation evidenced by the appreciation of the handcrafted, collaborative design process, agricultural building typologies and local, sustainably sourced materials. The overall experience is one of rural luxury.

Situated on a 30 acre farm in regional Victoria, Brae is a contemporary regional dining experience. The approach was adopted following Dan’s experience in Spanish Basque country and is centred around seasonal local produce, close relationships with suppliers as well growing and harvesting his own ingredients. Likewise, the accommodation was a collaboration of local Australian architects, designers and artisans; including Six Degrees Architects, Studio Round, Cone 11, Emma Hayes and Dave Murray. The approach is holistic and conceptual, valuing the high quality and artisanal movement which is thankfully becoming more present in both food and design.

Sitting sympathetically in the landscape, the form pays homage to the agricultural history of the area with a minimal and honest palette used through out. A cliche is a cliche for a good reason – the devil is in the detail – success lies in the handcrafted detailing and textural composition created. One is invited to experience the surroundings through captured vistas of the Otway ranges, ample outdoor living areas and even complementary gumboots and umbrellas so that you can wander through the farm witnessing the chefs harvest the daily produce.

A casual comment about the challenges involved in sourcing organic, white, hospitality grade bed linen and the ability to wash without chemicals struck a chord with me. Choosing to live organically is often not the easiest path. I’m sure there were many more challenges which were overcome with inspiring integrity as the accommodation has achieved net zero emissions and is as organic and reliant on the landscape as Brae’s veggie patch.

Whilst the accommodation and the restaurant are separate entities, they form a symbiotic relationship reinforcing the notion of local – in this case rural – culture and the luxury of refined organic. Take the time to experience the symbiosis between food, building, and place. If you visit Brae without staying an evening it’s like leaving a 10 course degustation without dessert.