Will Cowper chats putting his culinary creativity on show at this year’s Night Feast
Every year, a collection of Brisbane’s dining’s best come together for Night Feast – Brisbane Powerhouse’s month-long celebration of feasting and art. For four weeks, rising culinary stars stand shoulder to shoulder with the city’s gastronomic elite, as 20 stalls sling an assortment of street eats to the hungry masses. This year, South Bank fine diner OTTO Brisbane has joined the Night Feast fold, with head chef Will Cowper devising a tight menu of dishes shaped by Italy’s street food traditions and OTTO’s own exacting standards. We caught up with Will to chat about OTTO’s Night Feast offering and how the event is pushing Brisbane’s dining scene forward.
We are beyond excited to hear that OTTO Brisbane will be participating in this year’s Night Feast! To start, can you reveal what you and the crew will be serving throughout the festival?
To start, we’re serving goat curd with truffle honey and flatbread. For mains, we have deep-fried lasagna filled with slow-cooked brisket ragu – crafted exclusively for the festival – alongside house-made pasta with local crab and tomato sauce. And to finish, our classic tiramisu.
Italy has a rich legacy of street-style dining – did you draw any inspiration from Italy’s street foods when brainstorming ideas for your Night Feast menu?
Absolutely, Italy’s street food traditions are rooted in simplicity and bold flavour, which definitely informed our thinking. We wanted dishes that felt approachable and generous, while still reflecting OTTO Brisbane’s attention to detail.
As a fine-dining chef, what are some things you have to consider when crafting dishes for an event like Night Feast that are accessible, but retain OTTO’s culinary essence?
Crafting a menu for Night Feast means balancing accessibility with integrity. We want guests to feel the energy of street food, but still taste the refinement that defines our ethos.
OTTO will be joining an illustrious list of restaurants at this year’s Night Feast – are there any non-OTTO dishes you’re eager to try this year?
I’m excited to see what other chefs are plating up this year – there’s so much creativity on show, it’s hard to choose. I’m keen to try Hoy Pinoy’s lechon baka, which brings bold Filipino flavour to the table, and Lune’s Lamington croissant cube sounds like a bit of genius.
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What do you love about events like Night Feast? What do you think they contribute most to Brisbane’s culinary scene and night life?
Events like Night Feast create space for chefs and diners to connect outside the usual restaurant setting. It’s a chance to be creative, but also to be part of something bigger – Brisbane’s growing appetite for good food and shared experiences.
It’s been ten years since you first took on the role of head chef at OTTO Brisbane – in what ways have you seen Brisbane’s dining landscape evolve and flourish in your time here?
We are seeing the Brisbane dining scene showcase some of Australia’s best produce, offering a world-class dining experience. It’s heartening to see so many chefs opening restaurants and attracting diners – both local, national and international – to embrace everything Brisbane restaurants have to offer. It’s a collaborative community here among chefs; we are all supportive of one another and share knowledge and insights to contribute to the thriving dining scene.
OTTO has been regarded as one of Brisbane’s best restaurants throughout your tenure. How do you approach the mammoth task of maintaining the restaurant’s high standards and consistency, while still leaving room to experiment and try new things?
It’s definitely a team effort. We hold ourselves to a high standard, but we’re always asking how we can evolve and stay relevant – whether it’s refining technique, sourcing better produce, or rethinking how we tell a story through food.
Night Feast is running at Brisbane Powerhouse from Wednesday October 15 to Sunday November 9. Click here for our list of must-try exclusives available this year.