At No.4 Bar & Restaurant, chef Ian Mulling stays true to the food by respecting traditional pairings and serving up dishes that are delicious, simple and modern.
How would you describe the cuisine you create? My food is inspired by my travels, the chefs I have worked with, and the locals at No.4. We try to develop a menu that will taste and look amazing.
Tell us about your career journey? For 28 years I have been in the industry – meeting people, travelling and exploring new places. I have endured cramped conditions, foul language and terrible hours. But I kept on learning and worked my way up to where I am today.
What’s the No. 1 dish people should try at No.4? At the moment it’s our chicken sandwich, a modern take on our memories of supermarket hot chicken sandwiches made with fresh, soft sliced bread. We took this idea, pulled it apart and modernised it for our customers.
What are some interesting trends you’re seeing in food? The influx of Asian-style foods across most restaurant menus – from ingredients to meals.
How do you ensure your cuisine stays relevant to these trends? We just stay true to the food – respect traditional pairings and origins. Once we understand the flavours and preparation we can come up with a concept that makes it unique to our style and suits our customer base.
What has been the oddest food fad? Reflecting now, I would say chopped parsley or paprika sprinkled around the rim of the plate was an odd fad. More recently, mixed micro herbs piled up in balls on dishes or scattered around plates.
What has been the most surreal moment in your career to date? For me it is seeing the young chefs that I have trained or worked with as they progress. I see them becoming fantastic sous or head chefs, taking up positions around the country or around the world. Seeing them doing well on social media is a cool feeling.
And the most challenging? Finding a balance between work and family is a challenge. The hours are not easy. Also, it’s difficult when I see chefs come through who don’t want to better themselves, do the hours required or have pride in what they do.
Who are your culinary heroes? My heroes would be a mix of old-school chefs; Marco Pierre White, Heston Blumenthal, Thomas Keller, Martin Yan, Ferran Adrià, David Chang, the Roux brothers, the early days of Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Gary Rhodes.
Where do you draw inspiration for dishes? My sous chef ‘Badger’, my brother Stevie Tiwa, the brigade of chefs at No.4, past chefs in my career, ‘Milo’ in Queenstown… basically anyone who looks at food the same way I do. I also find inspiration from the internet with Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
What’s your go-to meal to whip up when you’re not working? Usually very basic. I have lots of condiments, spices and sauces in our fridge, so when I come home late I like to pimp up a hotdog, some noodles or a toasted sandwich.
What’s your favourite dish to indulge in? My brigade laughed at this question. There is a rule in the kitchen: if you are late for any reason without telling someone in advance – KFC! You must buy the kitchen a bucket of chicken and sides. It’s not cheap, so people tend to turn up on time.
Is there a particular book or author that has inspired you in your life or career? Anthony Bourdain. Most chefs can relate to his book Kitchen Confidential and his travel shows. He opened up our world and showed others why we do this job that we love to hate.
Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Salt. Pepper. Tasting.
What’s one thing people may not know about you? I worked at Café Valentino early in my career in the pasta section and would regularly cook for over 200 covers a night. After that I couldn’t eat pasta for a couple of years.