Five Minutes with Sean McConnell, Rebel Rebel

Who are you?

I’m Sean McConnell, the chef and owner of Rebel Rebel.

Tell me about Rebel Rebel

We’re a family-run, casual restaurant operating seven days a week in the New Acton precinct.

How did you get involved in the hospitality industry?

When I was a teenager, I worked in fast-food restaurants like Pizza Hut in the suburbs of Melbourne. But food has always been a big part of my family. My parents had a catering company and my two older brothers are chefs as well. In 1998, I started my chef’s apprenticeship and it all happened from there.

If you weren’t in hospitality, what would you be doing instead?

I guess cooking has always been my dream job, so I’m just living that dream! I’m not really built for the 9 to 5 grind, so if I had to pick a new job tomorrow, maybe I’d do something physical like gardening.

What is your food philosophy?

Keep it seasonal and simple.

What is your favourite or must-use ingredient when cooking?

Anchovies or fish sauce: they just provide a different, complex way of seasoning foods. I would use those as well as salt because they provide a different level of saltiness.

What’s an underrated Canberra venue that you love?

I often visit Senn Noods for a bite between services. Their kitchen is open all afternoon, and their food is really tasty.

Who do you admire in the Canberra food scene?

Honestly, I admire all the staff at Rebel Rebel. They inspire me every day. We’ve got quite a few people who’ve worked for us for two years or more. We’re just really lucky to have a committed and stable team.

I also really want to shout out my wife, Jen. Running a restaurant is very demanding, and at times, she probably feels like a single mum.

She’s the MVP in this relationship.

Where’s the best place for a drink in Canberra?

The best place for a drink in Canberra is definitely Bar Rochford. I think we’re really lucky to have them here.

Who is your dream dinner party guest, and what would you make them?

I would invite Fergus Henderson from St John in London (famed for his nose-to-tail approach to cooking). I’d either make our grilled wagyu tongue or Rebel Rebel’s pig’s ear sandwich for him.

What is your current food obsession?

I’ve got a pizza oven in the backyard and I’ve been perfecting my pizza dough recipe. It’s almost bang on now.

What’s the best thing you ate this week?

I just got back from a quick mid-winter to Byron Bay with my family. The food scene up there is better than ever. We had a meal cooked by Alana Sapwell-Stone at the Eltham Hotel which was just outstanding. It’s my new favourite pub! The smoked eel dip with potato gems and pickles was unreal.

What’s a food that reminds you of your childhood?

Gotta be jaffles! My sisters and I would make jaffles every afternoon after school: we’d sometimes do tuna, corn and cheese, or just a classic ham, cheese and tomato.

I’ve often thought Rebel’s braised duck with fregola and cavolo nero would actually work really well in a jaffle.

When you can’t be bothered to cook for yourself, where do you go and what do you eat?

On my days off, I often head to CBD Yum Cha on West Row. If I’m with a group, we’ll get something from the live seafood tank. The XO pippies are really good and the coral trout is excellent. If I’m on my own, just a few dumplings.

Where are you travelling next?

Jen and I lived in Vanuatu for five years, so we’re planning to take our kids there next year to get a little dose of island life. There are a lot of resorts but also a whole lot of cool restaurants as well. The produce there is pretty amazing. People think there’s a lot of seafood, but they only have small fishing vessels, so it’s very weather-dependent. Sometimes you can go three months without seeing a single fresh fish.

Tell me something you love about living in Canberra

Everything is eight minutes away – that’s the magic number.

What TV show or movie are you watching right now?

I’m obsessed with Alone US. I’m currently watching season 11. I think it’s possibly the greatest reality TV show of all time. These guys are actually out there to survive. In the current season, they’re in the Arctic Circle in the most populous grizzly bear habitat on earth.

I reckon I’d go alright [if I was on the show]. I’d probably be okay with gathering food and feeding myself, but I think the mental toughness would be a challenge. One season, they were out there for 120 days.

An easy one to finish – what’s your go-to coffee order?

I skip breakfast and just have a coffee. I only drink one coffee a day, and always made with Barrio beans using our vintage Atomic coffee machine.

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