Franklin Lapthorne is the head chef at McNevins Sails Restaurant in Maryborough and has 15 years of experience under his belt. His reason for becoming a chef is pretty simple, ‘I just have a love of good food’ he says matter-of-factly. This shows in abundance with the amazing dishes that come out of the kitchen.
Never resting on his laurels, Franklin is always looking to be inspired and is constantly creating and perfecting new dishes. Neither sweet nor savoury sways him either way though, in fact the dish that changed his life and steered him towards his culinary ambitions was a crème brulee, but if you were to ask Franklin what dish he could live on for the rest of his life, it’s a seafood marinara – hands down!
Despite being an accomplished chef, Franklin finds little time to cook at home or watch any of the cooking shows that have invaded our airways. Still, inspired by Jamie Oliver, Franklin employs Jamie’s philosophy on ‘cooking with good fresh ingredients’ and takes the time to source his ingredients for the kitchen carefully.
Franklin also prides himself on making sure his kitchen team is running smoothly, “I love to lead my team and make sure they are happy. A happy team means our guests are having an outstanding dining experience,” he says.
An empty plate and feedback from his team definitely puts a smile on Franklin’s face but nothing pleases him more than to hear it first hand. “I like to engage with our guests as often as possible to ensure that they are happy and also so I am getting feedback on the food, flavours and textures so I can apply that to my next creations.”
With dedication like that it is no wonder that Sails is so popular!
Come and dine with Franklin and the team at McNevins Sails Restaurant in Maryborough and experience his current signature dish on the menu the Chicken Roulade. Open Mon – Sat from 6pm call (07) 4122 2888 for a booking.
