Awarding-winning chef Orange's Richard Learmonth shares on his culinary journey

Mr Learmonth, 43, has now settled in the Central West, which came after his arrival to Orange in 2017.

But his culinary journey kicked off many years prior, where he started out cooking French food at Wellington's now-iconic Café Bastille.

It's where he recalls some of his best sensory-laden memories.

"I was not long into my studies after enrolling in a two-year apprenticeship, so it was my first ever job as a kitchen hand and trainee chef," Mr Learmonth said.

"It was pretty surreal to stumble upon this great, new fine dining restaurant that had just begun at the time.

"So I just felt really lucky for the opportunity."

Born about 90 minutes from of Wellington on Palmerston North island, Mr Learmonth said he wasn't "a very good student" back in his schooling days.

After feelings of "the need to grow up", something eventually clicked and he began studying law and politics.

"But I realised I needed to do something physical with my hands," he said.

"I'd been raised in a home where both of my parents did the cooking and they'd always encouraged me to really enjoy and appreciate food, to be enthusiastic and passionate about it," he said.

"And I think the kitchen has always been this sort of a refuge for 'outcasts' in a sense, or people who might be or think a little bit differently.

"I found my home there."

Referring to his career choice as a decision that boiled down to being "a great team sport", Mr Learmonth said it ticked all the boxes for him - physically, mentally and socially.

"You really have to think about what you're doing and it does feel like this type of 'life and death' moment when you're under pressure, even when it's really just somebody's omelette," he said with laughter.

"Whether it's about heat or temperature, salt and acid, physical elements to execute under those time pressures, you're interacting together and I do equate that work grind a little bit to playing sports.

"You've got this collective standard, weaving in and out of people, comradery and leadership.

"And when you put in the same level when it comes to the amount of care you're committing to something together, there's a real sense of pride there when it's resulted in churning out really beautiful food.

"Omelette or otherwise, the point is that you've busted your arses as a team to get there."

He said that part of that exciting blend is the mix of different cultures and nationalities working in kitchens together at any one time.

Whether they're international students on working visas, early school leavers from another state, or simply someone local from the same city or town.

"The range of people you're crossing paths with regularly is one of the fun parts, and you're getting to see those people in their darkest hours when it's crunch time and vice versa," he said.

"And you're either bailing those people out when they're under pressure or they're the one who saves your day."

Notches on his culinary belt today now include head chef roles at world-renowned and hatted restaurants such as Sydney's Porteno, and Pendolino to name but two.

Winding up at Borrodell Vineyard's Sisters Rock Restaurant for some time, Mr Learmonth roped in three consecutive years of 'Best Food' with the Gourmet Traveller's Cellar Door.

Though with the pandemic hitting its peak during that time, he's been freelancing in the region ever since.

From private dining, partnerships with other outfits and larger-scale gigs - from weddings, wine parties and music events.

"And there's definitely benefits that you miss out on when you're attached to a restaurant, so it's been great to be able to take time away when it's needed," Mr Learmonth said.

"I like having that freedom, the ability to be able to pick and choose fun things, and FOOD Week is in the mix there."

Part of Mr Learmonth's role on the Orange FOOD Week committee that he's most been valuing is talking "chef-to-chef".

He's been enjoying being the connector or "voice" between the upcoming festivities and the involved hospitality businesses.

"I want to navigate the real stressors and difficulties around that as best as I can and FOOD Week is a big operation.

"For Forage alone we've had a record-number of applicants this year with 17 different people vying for only eight spots."

Settling on the final menu and organising three "terrific chefs" to cater the Sampson Street Long Lunch, Mr Learmonth feels right in his element.

An "absolute highlight" he said is Dom [from the Union Bank] doing a potato scallop dish this year, along with the excitement of having The Agrestic Grocer "back in the fold" as well.

"We're really bringing that elevated food experience for [event-goers] and we've got some really specialist people in this region, the community has really come together," he said.

"And we want that collective spirit of hospitality so we can build a stronger food culture here in Orange and feed off of each other with healthy competition to impress.

We're certainly moving in the right direction and I love that there's so much passion here; where it's a lot more about being a labour of love instead of money-spinning.

"It's peoples' purity of intention that's kept me here."

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