Words: Lara Pacillo // Photos: Dylan Starczak
Three men walked into North Adelaide’s Pastel Wine Bar last month. They had a drink, they had a chat, then went right through to the kitchen.
These three men are Africola Canteen’s Joel Tisato, Regent Thai’s Kevin Te, and Hazel’s Hugh Mitchell (Melbourne).
The trio form the chef collective called Familiar. Making themselves comfortable in kitchens that aren’t theirs is something they do quite often.
“It’s kind of Joel’s brainchild — to come together as a group, and throw these amazing parties and events from all levels of food,” Hugh says, in a five-minute break from the kitchen with Joel during their most recent Sunday afternoon collaboration.
“We want to show off great produce and what you can do with it, and also highlight other small businesses along the way.”
The Familiar team came together in 2021 in a pledge to pop-up dinner projects. Through a concept born over beers between three mates, the trio have since collaborated with chefs and businesses across SA, with no rules as the main criteria.
They’ve cooked seafood at Ferg’s in Stepney, pasta at Hellbound Wine Bar on Rundle Street, and Thai BBQ at LOC on Hindmarsh Square, amongst other sessions.
Familiar went regional to Kangaroo Island in their first year, collaborating with Stoke and Moorak Wines where they did a campout cook up.
“There’s a real contrast of events,” Joel says.
“We’ve done a really high end five-course menu at Clever Little Tailor, and now we’re here slinging tacos and drinking tequila in the kitchen.”
Homebound meets Familiar at their collaboration with Pastel Wine Bar where it’s Mexican on the agenda. There’s a DJ in the dining space with his decks on the bar, and snacks served on paper plates with each dish’s name handwritten on the rim.
Always collaborating with the venue itself to decide on the menu, Familiar settled on tacos at the special request of Pastel Wine Bar co-owner Dan Vaughan, who also co-owns 1000 Island.
“Dan is a machine at Mexican cooking — he’s not a chef but he could be,” Joel says.
“Everyone’s been wanting him to cook tacos. He wanted us to join him in the kitchen, so we made it happen.”
The menu includes snacks with bluefin tuna tostadas, and charred corn on the cob with Manchego cheese.
The braised zucchini poblano taco with smoked pecorino is creamy and fresh with a hot jalapeño kick; meanwhile, the lamb taco with confit tomato, and garlic sauce melts in mouths, where preserved lemon offers a zesty cut through.
The high energy in the kitchen shows in the food, and it’s a special feeling for attendees knowing it’s a once off offering.
“Pastel is now a part of the Familiar family,” Joel says.
“I think that’s been the most fun — going around Adelaide and collaborating with all our friends.”
Joel says inspiring younger chefs to get creative is also a big part of why they do what they do.
“You don’t have to just sit in the kitchen and do what chef says,” he explains.
“You want to do tacos? You want to do pasta? Team up with your mates, and try and do something unique.
“It doesn’t have to be such a grind. Familiar is pushing ‘fun-ness’ in food, and we just want more and more people to try and do it too.”
Follow Familiar on Instagram to hear about their next pop-up event.
