At The Bar with Freyja Executive Chef Jae Bang X Strateas Carlucci

What happens when you combine Nordic culinary philosophy with Melbourne’s avant-garde fashion maestros? It’s a marriage made in sartorial heaven, served by way of haute cuisine like no other dining moment you’ll ever experience again.

Freyja Executive Chef Jae Bang has created a special menu [Taste of Estrangement] in time for Strateas Carlucci’s Melbourne Fashion Week show – happening in the laneway alongside this CBD restaurant on Thursday 24th October.

Taking inspiration from the cool collection created by fashion designers Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci, Bae turns what he sees into a culinary seasonal drop you’ll want to be part of it.

It’s a great coming together of fashion and food; blink and you’ll miss it.

Jae Bang talks to The Write Drop for our At The Bar series.

MY CITY
Melbourne is special for its incredible coffee culture and diversity. It’s a true melting pot of different cuisines, and the laid-back vibe makes it such an easy place to love. Plus, nature is always within reach.

FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
Tortilla Española, a Spanish potato omelette. When I first moved to Spain as a young chef, I visited a restaurant I wanted to work for and waited outside for 12 hours to speak with the owner and chef. When service was over, the first thing he asked was if I had eaten. We shared the omelette, and during that meal, I was offered the job. It’s a dish with a lot of meaning for me.

FAVOURITE BAR –
The Elysian Whisky Bar in Fitzroy. They have an exceptional collection and offer a personalised experience, helping you discover whiskies you’ll love. It’s too hard to pick one whisky, I usually talk to the bartender to pick the best whiskey selection for me.

DRINK THAT DESCRIBES YOU
Old Fashioned—simple in concept, but the craft lies in the details. The balance of dilution, sugar, and other elements makes it one of the hardest drinks to perfect.

BEST HANGOVER CURE
Gatorade – Fierce Blue Cherry or Lime.

OVERSEAS BAR
Pjolter & Punsj in Stavanger, Norway. They create the most innovative cocktails I’ve ever tasted. It also inspired me to think about food, flavour combinations and sustainability differently. Their take on the Negroni with beetroot and duck fat wash is unforgettable.

FAVOURITE WINE
My favourite wine is Familie Saahs Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling.

FAVOURITE WINERY
Screaming Eagle, Napa Valley, California.

NEXT DESTINATION
Northern Patagonia. I’m drawn to the wilderness, and I want to explore the Andes and the Lake District of Argentina and Chile.

WHEN DID YOU JOIN FREYJA?
I joined Freyja in 2022, bringing nearly 15 years of global experience in haute cuisine. We focus on fermentation, preservation, and foraging to create unique, locally inspired dishes.

TELL US ABOUT THE STRATEAS CARLUCCI COLLABORATION FOR MELBOURNE FASHION WEEK AND HOW YOU BRING THEIR AVANT-GARDE STYLE TO THE PLATE?
Their avant-garde style absolutely influences what we do at Freyja. Our collaboration with Strateas Carlucci for Melbourne Fashion Week blends haute couture and haute cuisine. Inspired by their Estrange collection, we created a visually and sensorially layered menu that mirrors the collection’s themes. The Estrange dessert, with smoked milk ice cream and a bold black crisp, reflects their intricate designs, while the Estrange cocktail, with rum and charcoal, captures the contrast and elegance of their work.

https://mfw.melbourne.vic.gov.au/event/strateas-carlucci-x-freyja-taste-of-estrangement

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