First Creek Wines Dinner at Restaurant Botanica

MENU WITH PAIRED First creek WINES

Siberian Oscietra caviar, creme fraiche, blini
Lobster roll – Lobster, citrus mayonnaise, housemade milk bun
First Creek Cuvee

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Housemade French poppy seed baguette, caramelized onion and thyme butter

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Wild mushroom and ricotta ravioli, beurre noisette, sage, walnut
First Creek Reserve Semillon 2014

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Mi-cuit ocean trout, zucchini, pickled fennel, verjuice
First Creek Balmoral Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

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Venison loin, celeriac remoulade, hazelnut
First Creek Winemakers Reserve Shiraz 2018

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Truffled double cream brie, brioche French toast, Botanica honey, sultanas
First Creek Limited Edition Rose 2021

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Paris Brest, 70% chocolate, peanut, caramelized banana
First Creek Six Barrels Liquor Verdelho

About chris rhoney

Head chef Chris Rhoney hails from Lancashire in the UK, and one of his first chef roles was with Andrew Simmonds as pastry junior sous from 2009 to 2012, at the Michelin-starred Danesfield House Hotel & Spa in the UK.

Rhoney’s move to Australia in 2014 began with three amazing years at Alla Wolf-Tasker’s iconic Lakehouse Restaurant in Daylesford, where he started as chef de partie, but was given the opportunity to develop his skills and creativity in the pastry department and gained the position of sous chef and head pastry chef.

Compared to the culture of UK fine-dining restaurants, Rhoney finds Australian restaurant kitchens far more collegial with less attitude, but with no less hard work or dedication to the cause.

Describing the Restaurant Botanica attitude, Rhoney says, “When developing new dishes and menus, we work as a team – both kitchen and front of house. Our peoples’ ideas and feedback are invaluable, and with collaboration comes ownership and a powerful sense of pride.”

About Greg Silkman

Greg Silkman has been involved with the hospitality industry from an early age due to his family’s involvement in Hotels in Newcastle and the South Coast of NSW.

Having commenced a Science Degree at Newcastle University Greg became interested in the wine industry when the Tamburlaine winery, owned by Dr Lance Allen, became available in 1986. He, with a partner, purchased the winery and crushed 32 ton of fruit that year. Ten years later he had taken the winery to a 500-ton crush producing 35,000 dozen of premium wine.

Greg decided to buy his own winery, Allanmere Wines, in 1996 from another medical doctor, Dr Newton Potter, and grew the Allanmere label into a brand offering great value for money, including its flagship Chardonnay. A year later, now studying wine science, he purchased land with several partners from the wine industry, and formed Monarch Winemaking Services, later renamed First Creek Wines.

Not only has First Creek become a significant wine brand, but First Creek Winemaking Services has evolved aas one of the most successful contract winemaking businesses in Australia.

Acknowledging the progress, Greg says he is proud of what has been achieved in less than a decade and humbled by the confidence and support he has from a wide selection of winemakers and winegrowers.