Jean-Paul Bruneteau

Who is Jean-Paul Bruneteau?

Jean-Paul Bruneteau is a French-Australian chef and author who is credited with playing a pioneering role in the development of an authentic Australian cuisine based on indigenous ingredients.

Born in 1956 in Vendee, France, Bruneteau migrated to Australia with his parents in 1967. Bruneteau became Chief Cook on the MV Australian Venture. He then worked in the kitchens of the Sydney Opera House.

In 1984 he opened Rowntrees, The Australian Restaurant, in Hornsby, Sydney, with business partner Jennifer Dowling. It was the first 'Australian' restaurant listed in the Yellow Pages.

Bruneteau experimented with various native ingredients supplied by small-scale regional suppliers and wholesalers of bushfoods. This included products like riberry, Dorrigo Pepper, tetragon, lemon myrtle, Wattleseed and Illawarra plum.

In 1988, Bruneteau won a gold medal for 'The Most Original Cuisine' at the Second International Cooking Festival held in Tokyo, Japan where he created his signature dish, now world famous 'The Rolled Wattleseed Pavlova', developed with the assistance of the Australian Egg Corporation.