Hot Rock Press Releases

It’s only fitting that a chef who looks for the explosive on the menu, as Azure’s head chef Adrian Gillespie does, now brings a volcanic experience to Highland diners.

Looking for a dining experience that would equally feed conversation as it would equally feed conversation as it would dining delicacies, Adrian teamed up with Highlands businessman, George Hilder, who owns the much-talked-about ‘Hot Rock’ dining system.

The Hot Rock system may hark back thousands of years, but under the watchful eyes of George and Adrian, restaurant goers find themselves indulging in a contemporary culinary experience.

Being almost self-explanatory, Hot Rock relies on stones heated in an oven until they are piping hot (George says that just out of the oven they sit at about 440 degrees Celsius), then they are whisked out to the restaurant where diners get the opportunity to cook their own food in their own way.

Not content just explaining how the Hot Rock system worked, a Hot Rock banquet was soon put together before the doors opened for another busy Friday night.

Thinking that I would be given the opportunity to talk my way through the process for the next 15 minutes as the Hot Rock were prepared, but before I got the chance to take photos and talk to Adrian about how he teamed up with George’s Hot Rock, the sizzling stones were being seasoned with salt ready to be taken out to the restaurant. “That’s what is so great about Hot Rock, the preparation time is minimal so we can keep costs down,” Adrian said.

As we sat down to eat, Adrian explained why he wanted to add Hot Rock to the menu. “Hot Rock is a cooking system, so it gives me great versatility when it comes to experimenting with Hot Rock menus,” Adrian said. “And I know that the last restaurant to have this system, the 1890 restaurant, had great success.”

Coming off 1890’s success, Adrian said that he was looking to re-instate some of the Hot Rock favourites while continuing to expand the menu with his hallmark experimentation.

“It’s like my a la carte menu,” he said, “I can’t just leave things as they are, I always have to put my own spin on things. And Hot Rock lends itself to being built upon with all kinds of influences.” Already talking about adding Indonesian and Indian styles of food, along with Asian supplements like rice or noodles, Adrian is confident that his kitchen verve will only accentuate the success of Hot Rock.

Hot Rock will be put on the Azure Brasserie’s menu for the first time this Wednesday.

For bookings, contact the Azure Brasserie on 4862 2677 or call in to the restaurant at 250 Bong Bong Street, Bowral.

Joshua Grech, Southern Highlands News, 8/7/2002

“Hot Rock” dining is a new concept in Goulburn. The technique itself is very old and dates back to pre-Christian cultures.

George and Maryanne Lipman at the Tattersalls hotel have established a new restaurant and garden where families can dine and enjoy this concept of cook it yourself dining.

The granite rocks are heated in a special oven and placed onto platters. Your meat is then placed on the rock and sealed on one side by the heat and then turned to seal the other, locking in the juices and natural flavours.

Next you slice off pieces as thick or thin as you like and cook them to suit your individual palate. You eat straight from the rock. The food on your rock continues to cook as you eat.

The new restaurant at the rear of the Tattersalls hotel means that families do not have to walk through the bar, they can enter from the car park through the garden area.

The new restaurant has an atrium atmosphere and patrons can choose to dine indoors or out under shade in the garden.

Diners have a choice from the menu including steak, chicken and vegetarian dishes. There is no additional oil or fat used during the cooking and Hot Rock is approved by the national Heart Foundation.

If you are looking for somewhere different to dine with a pleasant relaxed atmosphere the new restaurant at the Tattersalls Hotel is worth a try.

Goulburn Post, 22/12/2001