ROADIES: 10 tracks to cook to with Chef Julian Cincotta

Photo: Yeah Rad

Our mate Julian is an absolute hospo rockstar. Having manned some of the country’s best kitchens, Julian’s curiosity and unique approach to merging food, booze and culture has seen him become one of the industry’s most influential operators. Head chef and co-founder at the iconic Butter in Surry Hills - a restaurant dedicated to fried chicken and hip-hop, we caught up with Julian to discuss the connection between music and food, before grabbing his favourite tracks to listen to in the kitchen in this latest instalment of our Roadies Playlist series. In what definitely wasn’t an excuse to simply go and sink our teeth into some of their famous friend chook, read our yarn and jam the tracks below!

Photo: Yeah Rad

YH: G’day JVC, firstly, in your opinion, what's the link between good music and good food?
JVC: To me, music and food are the same in the sense that they’re both art.  They share common threads when it comes to creativity, the ability to take you on a journey and creating all-encompassing experiences. In a restaurant environment, ambience is key, so music and food work hand in hand to create the experience for our customers. Good food and good music can be the difference between mediocre and full on ballin’ out FUN!

YH: What role does music play in your creative process?
JVC: Music is essential to my creative process because it influences my mood and mindset. Whether it's an upbeat tempo to energise me through a busy day or mellow tunes to foster concentration, music shapes my approach and enhances the creative process.

YH: You’ve mentioned the role of good tunes in creating an atmosphere for your customers, but what about the kitchen crew?
JVC: Good music is huge in setting the tone for the kitchen environment and hyping up the team for a busy day. While I prefer minimal distractions during service, starting the day with the right music can uplift spirits and motivate the team. It's amazing how music can turn a challenging day around or help shake off a rough morning (most importantly a hangover from a few too many YH BEERS the night before haha). Then once that last docket is done, it’s pack down time. I love a hard and fast pack down to the beat only, there ain’t no love songs at this time!

YH: Ok, time for the tracks. Can you whip us in to 10 songs that you love listening to when you’re on the tools?

JVC: I find myself drawn to a variety of genres depending on the day and my mood. It's so hard to pick 10 songs, but as far as artists and albums, recently I've been listening some oldies but goodies; Apollo Brown's album ‘Trophies’ frequently for its vibe and energy. When I want something more uplifting, RUFUS DU SOL and Flight Facilities hit the spot. For a touch of nostalgia, classic artists like Elvis, Buddy Holly, and Johnny Cash never fail to create a great atmosphere in the kitchen or at home when I’m cooking some ONLYPANS videos haha.

YH: We can work with that! Cheers legend!

‘Roadies’ is a playlist series where we ask YH mates to give us10 tracks that play an important role in their world. Click here to see more, and follow us on Spotify to give ‘em a listen.