Overview
Poodle Bar & Bistro, founded by Zoë Rubino and Emilio Scalzo, has become a much-loved fixture on Fitzroy’s Gertrude Street over the years. The interiors, designed by local firm Bergman & Co, boast leather banquettes, art-adorned walls, dark timber accents and an art deco-inspired bar. The spacious, Euro-inspired patio courtyard is also a huge drawcard, primed for any weather but especially grand on balmy, spritz-filled afternoons.
Now, Poodle has welcomed a new, French-born chef with Michelin-starred pedigree to head up its Gertrude Street kitchen. While Jordan Clavaron may have been raised in Fontainebleau, France, he is no stranger to the neighbourhood, having previously led the kitchen at Cutler. Clavaron was introduced to the fine-dining world at a young age, with his father earning a Michelin star at his restaurant, which instilled within him a deep and unwavering passion for cooking.
Clavaron spent time at Joel Robuchon’s renowned L’Atelier in Paris and other prestigious kitchens in France before honing his skills at fine dining establishments across the world, from London to Brisbane. Since making Melbourne home, he has led the kitchens at Cutler, Lucia in South Melbourne and even earned a chef’s hat at Cape Schanck. And now, he brings his wealth of experience and knowledge to Poodle.
He has reinvigorated the menu with French bistro classics, reimagined through a modern Australian lens. There’s burrata with tapenade, broad beans, and a sugar tuile, dry-aged beef tartare served in a bone with vinegar crisps and egg, and seaweed madeleines with roe or caviar. For something more substantial, try the duck breast with beetroot and Davidson plum, or spring lamb loin with lettuce, goat cheese and baba ganoush.
Clavaron says, “My style of cooking is about creating food that feels familiar but is presented with a little surprise. It’s classic at its heart, with a twist. The energy of the place really drew me in. It’s a bistro at its core, but one that doesn’t take itself too seriously. That balance of tradition and creativity feels very true to how I like to cook.”
You may have already witnessed the magic of Clavaron’s meringue dessert, which has found viral fame on social media. The chocolate, bourbon and coffee dessert, which took five years to create, includes a lightly torched, spiralled meringue with perfectly piped grooves for the coffee sauce to be poured into.
Clavaron cares about his team and is committed to creating a positive culture at the restaurants, something he cherished while working in a bustling kitchen in London. “I want my team to be proud of what they do, to always be learning and teaching. When someone leaves my kitchen, they should leave with something they didn’t have before.”
Images: Supplied.
Dining and Cooking