Speaking with part head chef/owner, Robert Oliver of The Haig Italian Restaurant, is like speaking with the all-knowing Yoda from Star Wars.
After numerous awards and 29 years in the industry, this veteran restaurateur – though only in experience – has been a chef for as long as he can remember, and has never come across a customer he couldn’t please.
“I was trained in London back in the 80s, at a time when everyone in England wanted to travel abroad to France, Germany or Italy to learn to cook. This made all the French, German and Italian chefs come over to England – which is how I learned to cook traditional European cuisine so well,” Robert said.
Over the years, Robert has seen many things change in the hospitality industry, including the skill level of chefs, which he believes has declined due to the increase in use of convenience products.
“More and more big organisations are using pre-made products to save on labour costs, which is a shame.”
“We take on apprentices here and we teach them to make stuff. This comes in handy when you work somewhere that doesn’t have access to pre made products! It’s also a reflection on us, if our apprentices leave here and don’t know how to make certain dishes from scratch, then it’s on us.”
The Haig Italian Restaurant has been a Canberra favourite for years and Robert along with his part head chef/own, David Brinkley, hasnt seen a change to their busy evenings, despite economic downturn.
“If anything, we have seen an increase in customers with larger groups wanting a meal at the same time.”
“The Haig Italian Restaurant has been a success in Canberra for years, and we have no plans to change that.”
