Etienne Karner brings sustainable, approachable dining to life with a new menu that heroes local produce
Byron at Byron, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort has unveiled its new restaurant and chef on Tuesday, 1 September.
Executive Chef Etienne Karner has made a seachange to Byron Bay from Sydney, bringing with him his world-class experience to hero the region’s abundance of stunning sustainable ingredients.
Boasting a career spanning France, Germany, Dubai, India, Ireland, the USA and Caribbean, Etienne joins the Restaurant from Park Hyatt Sydney, where he held the position of Executive Chef.
Forest’s opening menu will serve contemporary, approachable and distinctly Australian cuisine. Highlights include poached Ballina king prawns with avocado, green apple and coriander, Paroo kangaroo tartar with lemon myrtle mayo, line caught local Jewfish with Windaboo mushrooms or for the sweet tooth, a nest of Kataifi pastry with white chocolate and salted caramel parfait.
Explaining further, Karner says Forest is “a hyper-local ode to the area’s exceptional produce, artisans, and farmers. Byron Bay is one of the most beautiful places on Earth and every effort has been made towards sustainability in line with Crystalbrook Collection’s commitment to Responsible Luxury.”
Set next to a lush rainforest oasis, Forest is passionately local with over 80% of ingredients coming from within a three-hour drive of the Restaurant. The utmost care for the surrounding landscape has been woven throughout the menu, with only sustainably sourced seafood and free-range proteins used in Karner’s dishes. Guaranteeing transparency in regards to food sourcing, Forest’s wet and dry-aged beef is farmed at Crystalbrook Station*.
Throw in an organic herb garden, on-property beehives, and a worm farm fit for a tv garden guru and you’ll start to get the idea.
Thirsty for something a little different? Try the Butterfly Gardens signature cocktail with Ink Gin infused with rosemary, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, lavender and fresh lemon. Alternatively, peruse the national and international wine list, with options for every budget, as well as a selection of more than 30 sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines.
Restaurant opening hours
Breakfast: 07:30-10:30
Brunch/lunch: 11:00-15:00
Dinner: 18:00-21:00
Rainforest Verandah: 11:00-22:00
Garden Bar: 18:00-22:00
Mindfully Safe
Mindfully Safe was launched by Crystalbrook Collection in response to Covid-19. The programme focuses on reducing travel anxiety by providing mindfulness and meditation tools developed in partnership with mental-wellbeing group The Indigo Project. Crystalbrook will also donate $5 to mental support service Beyond Blue for every stay booked directly until the end of 2020. As part of Mindfully Safe, Crystlabrook Collection is Australia’s first cash-free hospitality company.
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