The high-end Brisbane restaurant you probably don't know you own
It is one of Brisbane's best restaurants, but you have probably never heard of it before.
Hosting everything from cafeteria meals for MPs, journalists and staff during sitting weeks, to high tea, wine events, three-course lunches and intimate degustations open to everyone in non-sitting weeks, the almost-151-year-old heritage Queensland Parliament is serving up tantalising options for those in the know.
Chef's Table is a 10-seat dining experience, with foodies invited into the Parliament's kitchen to enjoy a seasonal degustation menu featuring Queensland-sourced fare paired with wine.
The gastronomic experience can include everything from Hervey Bay scallops, Coolmunda black olives, Darling Downs wagyu and organic carrots from Mount Sylvia.
Between six and 20 people work in the kitchen, depending on whether Parliament is sitting, with plenty of high-end experience among them.
"Every one of our senior chefs has been an executive chef at a reputable five-star establishment or a high-end, award-winning restaurant," executive chef Andrew McCrea said.
"A big part of my job is to firstly keep those individuals motivated, and always be feeding them something new.
"The second part of my job is to source local talent, as far as producers, farmers ... and highlight the ingredients.
"The Chef's Table is an outlet for that. It's almost like we are giving the public a chance to try what's new, at Parliament."
The Chef's Table, at $196.26 per person, includes three of four demi courses and then four or five courses, showing off quintessential Queensland ingredients, followed by a "dessert theatre" featuring 13 or 14 components.
"We'll talk about some ingredients," Mr McCrea said.
"One of our chefs, mostly myself, will explain every dish, where we got the dish from, right through to where the crockery is from, so local ceramic artists will make crockery for us."
The kitchen goes through about half a tonne of dishes over about two-and-a-half sitting weeks, and while some regional parliamentarians are particularly fond of their T-bone steak, creativity and experimentation are in good measure.
"We still offer [the T-bone steak]," Mr McCrea is quick to point out.
Mr McKea said the Queensland Parliament was like members' "second home", with chefs keen to provide MPs a balance between restaurant flavour and home comfort for meals during sitting weeks.
"So we don't want to take away their T-bone," he said.
But the team is keen to innovate and work with local growers.
"We are growing a nice little following from that, which is fantastic for Queensland - such a progressive state that we should be on the same page as far as that goes," Mr McCrea said.
Mr McCrea tweaked Parliament's high teas and the number of dates was boosted, but some sessions, held in the grand Strangers' Dining Room, still sell out six months in advance.
"Brisbanites love their high tea," he said.
"We want to be playful with our food, so we created different cakes and bits and pieces to go onto our high tea without completely changing it and alienating our current demographic."
Mr McCrea joined the team almost two years ago, after working as the executive chef at the Pullman Brisbane, Epicure in Auckland, and opening a restaurant in Sydney.
Private dining can also be arranged in the Parliament cellar, River Deck with views of South Bank, and Green Deck with views of the Brisbane city.