Dana Chantler, the chef from Whistler

BRITISH COLUMBIAN CHEF DANA CHANTLER HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING CHEFS IN AUSTRALASIA, NOT LEAST OF WHICH WAS HIS BEING NAMED CHEF OF THE YEAR AT THE HOTEL MANAGEMENT AWARDS IN 2018.

Dana moved to the Crowne Plaza on the Coast eight years ago after honing his skills at Rimrock Café, one of Whistler ski resort’s finest restaurants. It was while he was in the popular ski village that Dana met his Aussie wife and, after a short stint on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, the couple relocated to the Coast. Since then, Dana has spent most of his work life in the kitchens at Crowne, starting at the former Florida Beach Bar, before moving upstairs to Seasalt Restaurant, and now as head chef to the newly renovated and re-branded Terrigal Beach House at one of the Central Coast’s most iconic venues. This latest post sees him charged with revamping the kitchen and reinventing the menu. But he promises to keep things simple and delicious.

‘My philosophy these days is definitely focusing on the ingredient and not trying to dress it up as something else,’ Dana tells me from the new light-filled dining room.

Seafood will remain a primary focus, along with big, honest flavours, and fresh produce. He promises to leave the classics on the menu, but says, ‘We just want to make sure they’re the best classics you can get. We don’t approach it like a pub or a club would; that’s not my background.’

What Dana means by this is you can expect a lot more than your standard buffet fare. There’ll be burgers and steaks, yes, but you’ll be encouraged to try the share plates, such as prawns and oysters, too.

If it’s been a while since you’ve pulled out a chair at the beer garden, you’ll want to do yourself a favour and return. This is a venue long-term locals can be proud of, and visitors from Sydney and Newcastle will feel at home in.

‘It’s really for everyone,’ Dana says. ‘There’s a place to come and watch your sports on a nice big screen, but there’s also a nice dining room [and] we’re working on bringing the food game up and up and up. And, yeah, it’s a welcoming place for everyone.’

Although the young crowd is certainly still welcome in the ‘beery’, as locals have always called it, management is making the venue more age-inclusive so it also caters to families, couples, and tourists who want to stroll in off the beach for an impromptu seafood platter. And even though the relaxed sundress and straw-hat vibe will always remain thanks to Crowne’s stunning beachside location, you’ll now be able to enjoy a more intimate dining experience. The outdoor beach terrace has an array of resort-style seating options with coastal-themed furnishings, natural wood finishes, new lighting and heating. Overall, it’s more comfortable and weather-proof. No doubt guests will be clamouring to pre-book the new VIP cabanas, too. Reminiscent of European beach clubs, the cabanas are a bespoke experience with table service and the best views of the ocean.

It’s the kind of welcoming venue Dana takes his wife and three young boys, who, at ages six, three and one, keep him on his toes. As if life as a chef isn’t busy enough, in Dana’s downtime he teaches his sons to ride BMX bikes and surf, making for a happy (and very Coast) life for this Canadian and his family. When it comes to cooking for his brood, Dana likes to ‘nudge’ his boys to try new things, just as he’s doing in his very subtle way at Terrigal Beach House.

terrigalbh.com.au