On the top floor of the award-winning Brooke Street Pier on Hobart’s majestic waterfront sits Aloft. With its spectacular views over the harbour, it is a popular hub for Hobart locals who love the relaxed vibe, the convivial atmosphere and of course, the amazing food.
Designed with a spacious, airy feel, the heart of the restaurant is the open kitchen where the talented Chefs rustle up freshly prepared dishes from a Pan Pacific Asian inspired menu with a unique Tasmanian twist that simply bursts with flavour.
Heading up the amazing team is head chef Christian Ryan, who has been cooking for 14 years and did part of his training in the Savoy Grill in London with the infamous UK chef, Gordon Ramsay.
Christian and his team are passionate about the local produce and are committed to working with some of Tasmania’s best producers. The menu is designed to reflect the changing seasons and showcases the best and freshest local produce.
One thing that makes Aloft unusual is that the restaurant doesn’t have a gas supply. The innovative Brooke Street Pier is not just a building but a four-storey floating pontoon. It rises and falls with the tide without a stable connection to the land, therefore unable to connect to the gas mains. This meant that Aloft had to build a kitchen based around electricity, which posed a problem as an Asian kitchen generally relies heavily on cooking with high heat generated by gas.
The adaptable team at Electrolux Professional was able to help Aloft create an open plan kitchen that was streamlined, aesthetically pleasing and functional. An Electrolux Professional Combi oven became a giant bamboo steamer for the perfect steaming of dumplings, greens and proteins whilst the modular flat top proved invaluable and substituted for the pan-frying of dumplings.
Christian is thrilled at how the open kitchen turned out as well as the level of service and training on received the equipment. In the three years since the restaurant was fitted with an Electrolux Professional kitchen, the team have not experienced any problems with the equipment at all.
Christian adds, “Electrolux has a strong brand name. Everywhere I’ve worked, we’ve had Electrolux of some degree in the kitchen. It is a name that everybody knows and it’s reliable …. I’d recommend Electrolux to anyone opening a kitchen.”
In July 2020, the restaurant is set to open its doors again following the enforced shutdown due to COVID-19. So, if you’ve never been to Aloft before, it’s time to find out what makes Aloft so special. Expect fine food, fun music and a relaxed ambience – and of course, don’t forget those spectacular views. Aloft isn’t just a restaurant – it’s an experience.
