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If the smiles on the faces of customers leaving The Aviary, Windmill & Co and The Lord Lamington are anything to go by, Allen Chen, Group Chef for the Airport Retail Group Australia, is delivering on his promise to elevate the reputation of airport food.
To meet the mastermind behind the menus, we interviewed Allen to find his inspiration for cooking, what a typical day looks like, and what excites him most about providing food to the over 20 million travellers who come through Brisbane Airport each year.
For Allen, a love of food has always been in his blood. Since he was little, Allen has been surrounded by family members who fostered his love for cooking. From tasting fresh ingredients from his grandfather's garden tucked in behind his restaurant in Miaoli County, Taiwan, to picking tea and fruits fresh from family orchards in the mountains of Taiwan, Allen has truly experienced farm-to-fork dining and gained exposure to incredible chefs from a young age.
To this day, Allen is still inspired by his mother, whom he visits regularly to share a meal.
“I remember when I was a kid, Mum would cook dinner for us every night. No matter whether my day was good or bad, I would always come home to incredible food cooked by Mum… I have about 50 chefs, but when I come home, she’s the boss.”
For Allen, the act of sharing food is just as important as the flavours that can be enjoyed in each meal.
“When we head back to Taiwan and visit my Grandpa, we have this Chinese New Year dinner which brings together the community, and this is a huge source of inspiration for me in seeing how food can bring people together.”
After working as a cook at several reputable establishments such as Novotel, Sofitel, Caxton St Catering, Spoon Deli, Hotel Grand Chancellor, Conrad Treasury and Hilton around Melbourne, Allen secured a temporary three-month position with Airport Retail Group Australia (ARGA) shortly after his move to Brisbane. Eleven years later, Allen continues to play an integral in ARGA’s management as their Group Chef.
For Allen, no two days on the job are the same. When he’s not savouring the atmosphere of ARGA’s Domestic and International Terminal venues, he’s liaising with local Queensland suppliers, updating menus, working alongside each venue’s Head Chef, and improving the front-of-house experience.
For Allen and the ARGA team, elevating the perception of the airport dining experience has always been a goal.
“When people come into the airport, they’re not looking for Michelin stars. They’re looking to be fed. We want to make people feel like their holiday started when they sat down and dined with us”.
Following countless hours of research, logistical planning and liaising with airport security officers, Allen was a champion of new facilities that allow ARGA venues to make all their food on-site from scratch. After purchasing new equipment and implementing new practices, Brisbane travellers can now enjoy higher quality dishes, with fresher ingredients, now with even cheaper prices.
“The amount of times that people come up to our viewable kitchens and say the food is really good… that always just makes my day. In a chef’s mind, your creations never feel good enough. It always feels like there’s more to do or something’s missing. So when we hear customers saying ‘hey, you’ve done a really good job’, it means the world to us.”
When asked ‘What’s your favourite dish you serve and why?’ Allen saw no hesitation in responding with the King George Whiting with Chorizo Crumb from The Aviary.
“One of the biggest reasons why I love it is because it was developed by one of our junior chefs. I love seeing innovation in our young chefs and bringing that love and passion into our menus.”
For each new menu change and monthly special, ARGA challenges their junior chefs to put forward dishes they enjoy cooking, which Allen and the venue’s Head Chef try.
The King George Whiting with Chorizo Crumb was one of these dishes after a small taste, Allen knew it was a culinary creation worth featuring as their monthly special. After becoming the most popular dish that month, the King George Whiting with Chorizo Crumb earned a permanent spot on The Aviary menu and has since become a best-seller.
To be the Group Chef in a company owning eight venues, manned by a team of over 180 staff, many roles and responsibilities rest on Allen’s shoulders. However, Allen’s biggest joy in his job stems from ARGA’s core offering – delivering fresh and flavoursome food.
“My favourite part of my job is the food. I love tasting food, preparing food, and experimenting with food. That will always be my number one.”
Second to the food, Allen finds energy in working with the community built at Brisbane Airport.
“It’s not just the community we have within our own company, but also with BAC, our suppliers, and our competitors that make each day special. While we do keep each other accountable and challenge each other to push ourselves further… we all strive towards the same goal of providing Brisbane travellers with the best airport dining experience possible.”
If the smiles on the faces of customers leaving The Aviary, Windmill & Co and The Lord Lamington are anything to go by, Allen Chen, Group Chef for the Airport Retail Group Australia, is delivering on his promise to elevate the reputation of airport food.
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