Australia to India 

A 7000 Kilometre Journey

Talented, intelligent, beautiful and hardworking, Chef Sarah Todd has made a name for herself in the culinary world with her creations. From being a homecook to having her own restaurant, she reveals how her passion for food keeps her going through it all  

Text: Rddhima Pillai    Photographs: Vijay Barathe

Chef Sarah Todd has become a household name thanks to Masterchef Australia. The former contestant is a model turned chef who in the recent years has learnt to call India her home. By curating menus for her restaurants, The Wine Rack in Bombay and The Wine Company in Delhi, Chef Sarah has successfully created a niche for herself in the industry. However, one cannot help but be curious about her career graph. Seldom do we hear of models entering the business of food, let alone become popular chefs and restaurateurs. We sat down with her at The Wine Rack in Lower Parel to talk about her culinary beginnings.
"I was born and brought up in a very small town in Queensland, Australia. And by small I mean there are only 1000 residents in the town. I would have never been introduced to the extensive variety of food had it not been for my modelling job. My first international trip was to Germany and it was probably the worst experience of my life," she shared. Far from home, almost everything went wrong for young Sarah and she swore to never travel again. With no family or friends, she found solace in a creamy cucumber dish. "Nobody spoke English at the motel where we were staying," she recalled, "Feeling hungry and lonely, I broke down one evening. The owner of the motel took pity and cooked the dish for me. I had never eaten anything so delicious and I wish I remembered its name. But that kind gesture made me realise that food needs no language. It can bring together two strangers in a moment of delicious comfort. And I fell in love with food at that exact moment."
Her modelling career took her to countless international locations, and Sarah embraced the unique and varied food with open arms. Life changed when she had her son Phoenix, "I started cooking more frequently and after a while, decided to quit modelling to pursue cooking as a career," she said. And she found her way to Masterchef Australia.
She attended Le Cordon Bleu to train in classical French cuisine, after which she worked at Australia's Tonka and St. Crispin and also at the Merchant's Tavern in London for a while before planning a restaurant of her own.
"I wanted to launch an Indian restaurant in Australia, but I think destiny got confused and I ended up opening an Australian restaurant in India!" she laughs, "I had visited India a couple of times before to conduct a few masterclasses and connect with my Indian fans. It was then that I met with Ashish Kapur of Moods Hospitality," shared the Chef. Ashish, who is a well-known entrepreneur in hospitality industry, called Sarah a few months after their meeting, urging her to launch a restaurant in India. "At first, I thought the idea of starting a restaurant here seemed crazy to me, especially when I had my whole life settled in Australia. But Ashish encouraged me to come down to Goa and at least see the place once. And when I did, I realised the location was perfect. It had all the qualities of an Australian beach with the essence of India sprinkled in. I grabbed the opportunity and here I am!" she exclaims.
Soon after its launch in 2015, Antares gained popularity and a huge fan base. Unfortunately, the eatery was destroyed in a fire accident in January this year. However, Chef Sarah is determined not to lose hope and to get the restaurant up and running in no time. "I think the most difficult part of my culinary journey has been the transition from an employee to an employer. It is easy to follow orders but it is a whole different game to give orders, lead every aspect of the business and to stay strong in the face of trouble."
Apart from Antares, Chef Sarah has curated the menus for The Wine Rack and The Wine Company, which were launched last year. The common thread between the menus of these three restaurants is the fusion of Indian food with Australian, with a special focus on locally sourced ingredients. "I have always been amazed by Indian food and the culture of India as a whole. The spices are a flavourful puzzle for me which I love to solve. I feel there are a lot of culinary secrets of India which are still left unexplored. In the future I would like to travel more and unlock those secrets," shared the Chef.
So if you are a fan of Chef Sarah and are excited to try something new, here are some of her recipes from The Wine Rack for you to relish in the comfort of your home.