Technical Discipline in a Regional Kitchen: Doug Innes-Will at Bundanon

Doug Innes-Will is currently leading the pass at Bundanon on the NSW South Coast, running a kitchen that operates with the same technical expectations as a high-performing city dining room.

Set within a 1,000-hectare wildlife sanctuary, the operation sits at the intersection of discipline, logistics and restraint. Systems matter more than scale, and every decision has consequences further down the line.

This is not a regional kitchen built on flexibility or improvisation. Precision is non-negotiable.

Supply is finite. Service windows are fixed. The margin for error is slim.

The environment demands a deep understanding of produce at its source, alongside the ability to execute consistently without the safety net of metropolitan infrastructure.

Doug’s background in high-performance kitchens including Qualia, QAGOMA and the award-winning Spicers Peak Lodge is evident in how the operation is structured.

Prep lists are deliberate rather than expansive. Sections are clearly defined. Service is paced, controlled and repeatable.

These systems will be familiar to chefs who have worked at the top end of the industry. At Bundanon, they are applied in a setting far removed from city supply chains and last-minute solutions.

For the professional audience, Doug represents the upper tier of regional cooking, where technical discipline is not softened by location.

His earlier work at Ramox Café sharpened a focus on paddock-to-plate logistics. At Bundanon, the brief is broader.

The challenge is maintaining consistency across services while responding honestly to what the region and the land can realistically provide, not just seasonally, but week to week.

Collaboration in Practice: Manfield x Innes-Will

One of the clearest stress tests of that system is an upcoming shared feast with Christine Manfield.

Rather than leaning into a conceptual or narrative-driven collaboration, the focus is on execution at scale.

Grazing-style service introduces a different kind of pressure, particularly when food must hold temperature, texture and balance beyond the immediacy of the pass.

Christine’s reputation for bold spice and layered flavour contrasts with Doug’s restrained, produce-first approach.

For the kitchen, the challenge is not creative alignment. It is operational cohesion.

Dishes must land consistently across communal tables, with timing and portioning managed precisely to avoid dilution of intent.

In this context, collaboration becomes less about expression and more about control.

BOH Benchmarks: The Prep List

The prep philosophy at Bundanon offers a clear window into the kitchen’s priorities.

Dishes are built to showcase the Shoalhaven larder without unnecessary intervention, favouring clarity over complexity.

Recent prep has included pasta shaped around controlled heat and acidity to counterbalance richer proteins.

Alongside this, delicately cooked market fish relies on exact timing rather than garnish or heavy sauce.

These are not forgiving dishes. Each one demands accuracy in prep and restraint in service.

The margin for error is intentionally narrow. That pressure forces discipline into every stage of mise en place.

Sourcing Logic

Doug’s sourcing strategy is built around shortening supply chains wherever possible.

The kitchen works directly with regional producers and estates such as Cupitt’s Estate.

This reduces reliance on Sydney-based logistics and increases responsiveness to what is genuinely available.

Menu decisions are shaped by reality rather than aspiration.

Changes are made early rather than patched late.

Sustainability as Daily Practice

At Bundanon, sustainability is treated as an operational discipline rather than a headline.

The kitchen maintains a live larder of ferments and preserves designed to extend flavour and yield through quieter periods.

This smooths supply gaps while reducing waste.

Fermentation is not positioned as an accent or garnish. It is a structural tool.

It allows the kitchen to build depth over time and carry flavour across seasons without relying on constant inbound supply.

Some of the most demanding technical work in 2026 is not happening in CBD basements.

It is happening in regional kitchens where chefs must operate as cooks, fermenters and logistics managers at the same time.

Technical Insight: The Adjika Ferment

Within the kitchen, ferments are treated with the same discipline as any other component.

Adjika is built with balance in mind, using dried red peppers, aromatic spices and fresh herbs to deliver heat without weight.

Acidity is introduced through citrus rather than vinegar.

This keeps the paste bright and controlled.

Stored under oil and used while still active, the ferment rewards precision in timing and restraint in application.

Longevity is secondary to balance.