KEN and Di Mellers have been in the catering and events business more than 30 years and have been the caterers of choice at Bellerive Oval just on two decades.
While they are certainly an institution at the venue, the new face of Bellerive is son, Oliver Mellers.
Cooking up a storm: Ken and Di Mellers with son Oliver looking forward to new things at Bellerive Oval.
Ken Mellers said Bellerive Oval caters for more than just cricket and Oliver was bringing fresh new ideas that will augur well for the venue’s future.
“I love the challenges of the big events at Bellerive but also enjoy the variety my job as a chef offers. Having Oliver on board now is adding to what we can do and the ideas we have for the future,” Ken Mellers said.
Oliver and brother Luke have both worked as chefs and both at Bellerive Oval on many occasions.
Front-of-house manager Di Mellers said both boys loved to help Ken in the kitchen from an early age so it really wasn’t a surprise when they went down the same path.
Oliver has just recently returned from the UK where he worked as a Sous Chef at the Lord’s Cricket Ground for two years. He also had a fantastic two weeks taking part in an accelerated course with Heston Blumenthal at his renowned Fat Duck restaurant in Bray in Berkshire UK.
“I was extremely fortunate that Heston saw my work at Lord’s and invited me to work at Fat Duck. While I couldn’t take on the job offer, I was honoured to be able to have the accelerated course that has given me invaluable experience,” Oliver said.
Oliver is also about to work alongside superchef Tetsuya Wakuda with six other Tasmanian chefs at a fundraising event for victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. The event will be at the Henry Jones Art Hotel on May 2.
Ken said Oliver had been keenly sharing his new ideas and skills by combining the best of Tasmanian produce with traditional and modern cuisine.
“Bellerive Oval is on show each season to international guests, tourists and media and we certainly delight by showcasing the very best of fresh Tasmanian produce.
“The wonderful produce we have to choose from here in Tasmania makes a chefs job a dream and I really enjoy cooking with Tasmanian seafood,” he said.
