Igni

From the first six months, through a mid-year break of camping and cooking in the bush, to the harsh winter months and on to the end of its first year, this book tells the story of IGNI, a high-end degustation restaurant in a Geelong backstreet.

Documenting a warts-and-all account of what it takes to open and run a new restaurant, chef and owner Aaron Turner reveals the daily challenges he faced, from the financial strains, the stress, fear and tantrums, to personal crises and the pressure of success and failure. His story is told through dated 'diary' entries of the author's own reflections, the development of recipes, a gradually unfolding narrative through each chapter, and stunning photography from award-winning photographer Julian Kingma that captures the food, moments and brilliance of a determined young chef in a new restaurant.

About the Author

Aaron Turner has worked in some of the world's best restaurants, including Noma in Copenhagen and El cellar de can Roca in Girona, Spain, both of which have been ranked number one in the world's top 50 restaurants. Aaron has worked alongside some of Australia's best-known chefs, including Peter Gilmore with the flagship lunch for the Melbourne Food and Wine festival, where he has also been a headliner. After closing his restaurant Loam in 2013, Aaron went on to open restaurant IGNI in Geelong in 2016. It was voted the best new regional restaurant by Gourmet Traveller.