production

VOYAGER Estate, one of the leading destination dining eateries in Margaret River, has a new head chef in Santiago Fernandez, who took over in May. Spanish-born Fernandez joins family-owned Voyager from Sault in Daylesford, Victoria, where he spent five years as head chef and built a formidable reputation. Prior to moving to Australia, Fernandez worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, including Tristan in Mallorca, Restaurant Toni Vincent in Santiago de Compostella and Tapies Restaurant in Lleida as well as roles in Germany, Mexico and Russia. Fernandez said he was excited by Voyager’s “wine first” concept on the Discovery Degustation menu. “I would like to create food based in the region,” he said. “With wine we talk about terroir, or the place it comes from. I want to create food du terroir; using produce that is seasonal and ethically sourced such as sustainable seafood, and organic where possible. I want to work with the winemakers and Voyager’s in-house sommeliers to match our wines in the best way possible with contemporary cooking styles and techniques.” Owner Alexandra Burt said she was delighted to have snared a head chef of Fernandez’s calibre and expertise. “Margaret River more than holds its own when compared to international wines and Santiago’s enthusiasm for the region is further evidence our local restaurants and produce are also world class.”