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Bouvard Tavern chef playing for high stakes in sandwich competition

Rachel FennerMandurah Coastal Times

A GENUINE passion for cooking brought Bouvard Tavern’s head chef from South Korea to Mandurah and into the finals of the 2017 WA’s Best Steak Sandwich competition.

Melbourne-trained Seungmin “Darby” Shin has worked at the tavern in Dawesville for four years.

His sandwich is one of four nominated in the country section of the competition.

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Cervantes Bistro and Bar, Bayview Bar in Bunbury and Southerly’s Tavern in Port Dennison are also nominated in the country category.

Darby started his training in 2005 and worked all over Australia and Indonesia before settling locally.

He worked a stint on the mines, saying the money was good “but it wasn’t being a real chef”.

The inspiration for his steak sandwich came from watching men at McDonald’s put fries in their burger.

Darby said he wanted to replicate the crunch fries add to a sandwich.

Tavern owner Steve Coyne said he was stoked to see Darby “finally get some recognition”.

“We’re well known locally for food, but we’re out of town (Mandurah) so people don’t come out,” he said.

“It’s a bit of country.”

Darby said the tavern was “lovely”, with none of the usual competition between the kitchen and bar staff.

“Countryside people are always kind,” he said.

“After work I always come out to have a beer with the local people.”

Winners will be announced at Crown Perth on May 16 and 17.