Pippin Took 2: Gold Coast hinterland restaurant home to chef who placed third in world cooking championship

One of the world’s best chefs has opened up a restaurant in the Gold Coast hinterland offering “outstanding” French cuisine.

TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN is now home to a restaurant serving food prepared by a man who could very well be Australia’s best chef.

Ross Howell and his wife Helen Johnson run Pippin Took 2, a French-inspired eatery opened in late May.

Ross is an award-winning chef, recently representing Australia at the Global Chef Challenge and placing third in the world.

“He’s always done French food. He does tweak it, but always French orientated,” Helen says.

“It’s more of a technical way of cooking. His duck confit is absolutely outstanding, people are raving about it. His red wine jus takes him four days to make from scratch.

“35 years I’ve been married to Ross — I haven’t cooked a piece of toast in 35 years. He’s really into his cooking.”

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New restaurant at Tamborine Mountain called Pippin Took 2. Chef Ross Howell and wife Helen Johnson in front of their restaurant with some of their food. Picture Glenn Hampson

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The couple have a long history running successful restaurants in Brisbane and a hospitality consulting business.

They had their home at Tamborine Mountain for many years and would commute to Brisbane to run a restaurant, or lock up and leave when work was required further afield.

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“We had a restaurant called Dish in Milton (Brisbane). When we sold Dish, we’d just lock up the house and head up to Sydney,” Helen says.

“We were up at 1770 for a couple of years, too.

“When this (Pippin Took 2) came up, it’s 12 minutes away from our home, we can now actually live and join the community.

“It’s the most beautiful place. One of the advantages with Mount Tamborine is that people might want to come up for a weekend — the markets up here are fabulous, great walks if you’re so inclined, and wineries.”

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Pippin Took in Tamborine Mountain serves French-inspired cuisine.

The two in Pippin Took 2 is a nod to the original Pippin Took in Brisbane which the couple owned and ran for 12 years.

“This really is the second version,” Helen says. We reinvented it incorporating a modern design, like a homage to the original.

“This couple recently saw the name and said ‘we remember Pippin Took’. When they came in, they felt they were in a modern version of Pippin Took.

“We accommodate 30 inside. We’re keeping it small, we don’t want a big restaurant. We’re very hands on.”

Apart from a confit duck and eye fillet with thoughtfully prepared jus, diners can also indulge in sweet roasted pumpkin galette, marinated goat feta and roquette; pan roasted chicken, baked polenta and chasseur sauce; and apple tart, house made vanilla ice cream and calvados anglaise for dessert, to name a few.

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Pippin Took 2’s duck confit with Paris mash. Picture Glenn Hampson

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Ross and Helen plan to open up the outdoor courtyard for dining when the evenings are warmer, and will grow a range of herbs and vegetables from the restaurant’s garden.

“Come spring we’re creating a kitchen garden. We’re both gardeners — there will be leafy greens, some beautiful rainbow chard, red and green and yellow vegetables, all of our herbs, that’s what we intend,” Helen says.

“Anything that’s going to be grown in the courtyard is going to be edible. We’re after the smell as well. It’s a lovely aroma, you can smell all the herbs.”

Pippin Took 2 is open Wednesday to Sunday at 21-23 Southport Ave, Tamborine Mountain.