As a second generation chef, Alex Siu has grown up in and around the food industry. His father, Lok, was a chef in a number of Chinese restaurants over the years and Alex, currently head chef at Du Jour, says he remembers working in kitchens since the age of 12. Initially, he didn’t choose food as a career, preferring to attend UC to study for a bachelor of Science. By that stage, already experienced in the art of Chinese cookery, he looked for a job to earn some income while studying and found himself working as a kitchen hand at Caffe Della Piazza. As time went by, Alex realised that cooking was what he really enjoyed, so after completing his degree, he took up an apprenticeship at Della Piazza, which he completed in 2000. Whilst he admires Sydney’s Tetsuya Wakuda for his meticulous presentation and El Bulli’s Ferran Adrià for his molecular gastronomy (the science student comes out here), his own philosophy focuses more on simplicity. Du Jour’s policy of sourcing local suppliers where possible and building good relationships to ensure quality and freshness is a priority for Alex, as is the delivery of dishes that may be described as comfort food.

photo Ben Thomas
see recipes by Alex Siu