Ways of Seeing is a project that aims to give insight into these often subtle and untold stories.
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
Nelson
India
Spices 29
Year: 2022 Photographer: Luke Shadbolt Words: Tim Boreham
The smell of delicious frying food and the clanging of pots escape from the kitchen at Spices 29, the kind of activity that signals a busy night ahead. The kitchen is loud and smelling of sweet and spiced aromas, as the chefs create with purpose, passion and the excitement of cooking for a booked out restaurant. Within only a couple of years, Spices 29 has become one of Woy Woy’s busiest restaurants, a testament to owner Nelson Fernandes and his family’s mission to serve authentic dishes that reflect the real India they know.
The restaurant was named to represent the 29 states of India, and while Nelson and his family originally hail from the state of Goa, they felt it was important to share the cuisines of each region in a genuine way, as opposed to serving a watered-down version of Indian food. There is the Goan fish curry made with fresh barramundi; the always tender Mumbai beef; and of course, the Australian favourite, butter chicken. Nelson says that he’s watched the local community explore the menu as they became more familiar with the spices and flavours. He loves when a customer’s palate evolves and embraces the more ‘adventurous’ dishes, as it’s through this exploration of Indian cuisine that the diversity of their culture can be discovered.
Nelson has a passion for sharing his family’s Indian culture, from encouraging his Indian-born children to speak their local dialect at home, to the amazing storytelling cartoons of famous Indian artist Mario Miranda that adorn his restaurant walls. The images depict scenes from village life in Goa in a fun and humorous manner—a modern way of sharing his Indian heritage with the wider community that perfectly sums up his vision for Spices 29.
In There Own Words
Nelson, tell me about arriving in Australia and how you ended up here?
I first came in 2006 as a chef but came for good in 2013. From 2013-18 I was managing another restaurant but in 2018 decided to start my own restaurant here in Woy Woy. I started working in hospitality at a very young age, I started working in the hotels back home when I was 19 and then ended up in the Indian merchant navy as a chef and sailed around the world for ten years working as a chef and then finally decided to come and live and work in this beautiful country.
Can you describe for me where you grew up in India?
I grew up in one of the beautiful states of India which is called Goa, it’s on the west coast and very similar to the central coast, it’s full of beaches, sun, sand and just full of happening life. It is one of the most important places of tourism in India as well, so most of the locals get into hospitality very early on as the backbone of the state is based on the hospitality industry. I studied at one of the best hospitality schools of India in hotel management and catering technology, then I worked with the Taj hotels in India until I ended up in the merchant navy.
“I started working in the hotels back home when I was 19 and then ended up in the Indian merchant navy as a chef and sailed around the world for ten years working as a chef…”
- .
India is so famous for its food - besides being delicious - why do you think people all over the world embrace Indian cuisine?
I think the spices, which India is famous for, people often think spices are hot, but I don’t believe in that. With my food I wanted to prove it’s about the flavour of spices not about the heat. Every spice has its own flavour…People have learned to love these spices, the flavours and the different aromas, the different styles of cooking. Every (Indian) state has a different style of cooking, there’s beef, vegetarian, seafood - it’s all there and I think that is why Indian food is so popular.
How would you like to see the Woy Woy area develop moving forward?
At the moment Woy Woy is growing and there are a lot of young businesses coming up, I know government is helping and encouraging young entrepreneurs to come up with business ideas and I think it’s one of the best things about this country - the opportunities…I think the peninsula itself is a great place for tourism, all suburbs here getting together and making the most of being so close together I think we could really push tourism here, for the food, for the natural beauty of the place - there a lot of things to offer visitors here.
What reasoning is behind the name Spices 29?
The name is about the 29 states of India, most of the (Indian) restaurants you visit will serve north Indian or south Indian cuisine, but what I’ve done with the menu here is I have tried to take a specialty of every state and present those flavours all together on one menu.
MORE STORIES
Tuk
Satang Thai Cafe and Restaurant
Kristina
Soul Food Cafe and Grocer
Mata
19 The Boulevarde
Kenny
Saigon Chopsticks
Theo
Euro Bean Cafe
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work and play. We pay our respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging and recognise their continued connection to these lands and waterways. We acknowledge our shared responsibility to care for and protect our place and people.
PRESENTED BY
SUPPORTED BY
