Current Issue #488

The Pot to be taken off the boil after 20 years

The Pot to be taken off the boil after 20 years

Owner Simon Kardachi has called time on King William Road institution The Pot after two decades of adaptation and reinvention – but it’s not the end of the story.

Since opening in 1999 as The Melting Pot, the restaurant has previously undergone several different reincarnations, first as a fine dining restaurant and later transitioning to a more relaxed bistro under Emma McCaskill and now head chef Max Sharrad. Along the way, the kitchen has seen some of Adelaide’s most high profile chefs pass through its doors including Peel Street’s Jordan Theodoros, Press and Osteria Oggi’s Andrew Davies, Shobosho’s Adam Liston and the more recently departed McCaskill.

As owner Simon Kardachi told The Adelaide Review last year, that adaptability has been key to The Pot’s success since day dot. “I build the vision for a restaurant around reading the dining market — finding a niche that isn’t being filled, and catering precisely for it,” Kardachi said.

the-pot-emma-mccaskill-adelaide-review
Photo: Sia Duff

“My restaurants are never designed as a food concept or with a chef first; it’s about understanding how to fill that vacant niche. I’ve spent my life thinking about food and how best to enjoy it, right down to the cutlery you use. I dissect everything to figure out why things work. I try to build knowledge about what makes customers tick, and present that knowledge back to the kitchen.”

But while The Pot banner will be retired, Kardachi and Sharrad have already announced plans for a new venture to open in its place. Open from April 4, new bar and eatery Nido will allow Sharrad to fully explore his love of Italy, with a menu dominated by hand-made pastas and meat dishes.

“I am especially excited to share with the public a few things that they may have not seen before; incredible breakfast pastries called ’sfoglietelle’ from Campagna, trapizzino (stuffed focaccia; half-sandwich, half-pizza) from the streets of Rome, and rich and hearty ragus from the northern region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (the home of my ancestors).”

The Pot will continue trading until Sunday, March 31. Nido will open from Thursday, April 4.

thepotfoodandwine.com.au

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