When Lucas Fernandes arrived in Perth from Brazil, his first job was working as a kitchen hand at the riverside icon, The Old Brewery.
Despite his training and experience in Sao Paulo, his limited English made for similarly limited employment opportunities.
It was only once Fernandes answered a kitchen SOS (can someone debone this whole lamb?) that his workmates got a glimpse of Fernandes’ full capabilities.
Robbie McGowan Lucas Fernandes Emma Farrelly.Credit: DGPR
A fast ascent to head chef quickly followed. As well as being a good dinner party story, this anecdote speaks to Fernandes’s understated nature – speak softly but carry a big skill set.
It’s an approach that bodes well for his new role as executive chef at Perth’s polished State Buildings.
It doesn’t hurt, of course, that Fernandes is also intimately familiar with the food, drink and hospitality precinct.
When the doors to State Buildings flung open in 2015, Fernandes was appointed as head chef at Long Chim, a chilli-powered love letter to Bangkok street food.
Fernandes also drove the transformation of Post from COMO The Treasury’s health-minded restaurant into a pert, bustling Italian osteria.
Wildflower.
“Over my career, I’ve been proud to build and empower different teams,” he said.
“I want the head chefs of each venue to shine and to make sure that they’re able to do their best work. My role is to listen to them and be open to their thoughts.
“They’re in their venues every day and know their team better than anyone else.”
As Fernandes has throughout his career, he’ll be doubling down on the buildings’ commitment to local ingredients – crucial for a venue deeply committed to representing WA.
Fernandes isn’t the only recent culinary appointment of note at State Buildings. He’s also joined by new Wildflower head chef Paul Wilson, who worked as senior sous chef at Copenhagen’s Geranium, a distinguished fine diner at Copenhagen’s national stadium (no, really) and the 2022 50 Best world’s best restaurant.
Speaking of Wildflower, the restaurant’s former venue manager Robbie McGowan has been appointed as the new director of food and beverage and will also be working closely with Fernandes.
Finally there’s Jessica Roe, the promising emerging chef who will oversee the three venues that comprise the Petition trinity.
She comes to State Buildings having spent eight years at Crown Perth where she was named apprentice of the year.
These four new hires join a senior restaurant management team including long-standing director of wine and beverages, Emma Farrelly, plus Post head chef Stephanie Auriant Douce and the head of Long Chim’s kitchen, Welly Yuan.
This line-up is one that promises good things as the buildings edges closer to its 10-year anniversary next year.
“I want this to be that place where people know that they’ll enjoy exceptional experiences and good food. We’ve got very good head chefs and they’re only going to get better,” Fernandes said.
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