Daniel Garwood and Ambrose Chiang
Greenwich Village, Manhattan
ACRU is a restaurant to remember. The team—both front-of-house and back-of-house—ensures every guest feels at home, while serving a seafood-inspired, Australian-influenced menu with touches of Daniel’s travels that will leave you excited. Enjoy a set menu in the dining room or choose from an à la carte menu at the bar, where you can focus on small bites and wine. ACRU is the perfect spot for any special occasion.
Full name, age, where are you from?
Daniel Garwood, 30, from Tasmania, Australia.
Ambrose Chiang and I’m from Sydney and Hong Kong.
What is your title and where do you work?
DG: Executive Chef/Partner at ACRU.
AC: I am the General Manager at ACRU.
What inspired you to work in the food industry?
DG: My love of food in general. I’ve always enjoyed eating and tasting new things, fascinated by different cultures and people. Growing up in Tasmania, I had direct access to mountains, beaches, the bush, rivers, and rainforests. This inspired me to explore what I could find to eat in these places. We would gather things like wild berries, sea succulents, and native herbs. I grew up wanting to know what the rest of the world had to offer, and traveling as a chef was presented to me by my parents as the best way to experience this when I was about 4 or 5.
I knew early on that I wanted to travel the world and discover new cultures and food. The best way to begin understanding a new culture is through its cuisine. The same can be said for individual households; one family may have a strict eating schedule, while another may change things up daily. I noticed this concept early in my life while visiting friends, and I became fascinated by how vast the idea could be. This fueled my desire to travel the world and experience food from different perspectives.
I was often sick as a child, spending a lot of time at home due to various illnesses. Fortunately, during that time, I was able to cook with my mother. Every time we baked together—nothing extravagant—I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of creating something to share with my family. I think about those moments a lot, and they are a significant reason I wanted to become a chef.
AC: I have had a strong desire to be around food everyday since I was a child. My grandmother and mother are both fantastic Chinese cooks and I watched and sometimes helped in the kitchen with prep. Seeing live seafood in Sydney and Hong Kong coming to homemade food left a big impression on my view of food and culture.
I studied at Le Cordon Bleu Sydney. I was encouraged to explore more on wine, beverage and restaurant service. I immediately was drawn to this world and started to train for WorldSkills competitions and began WSET studies while completing my bachelor’s degree and working part-time.
What is your biggest customer pet peeve?
DG: Calling them customers. At ACRU, they are guests in our home. I believe this is an important mindset to maintain. If you come to ACRU, we treat you like a family member or friend. We only ask that you treat our staff as you would your friends and family. I have zero tolerance for rudeness or obnoxious behavior toward our team.
AC: Being rude to FOH team.
What is your most blissful food moment?
DG: Frantzen, 2014. This was one of my first fine dining experiences in Europe. I believe I was 20 at the time and on my way to work at Faviken but thought I should stop at Stockholm's best, Frantzen. I didn’t know anything about omakase at the time but quickly learned from sitting at the chef's counter. The 20 or so courses were uniquely innovative while still maintaining the integrity of the region. It was a mind-blowing experience. I'll never forget the fermented rye soup, scallop with truffle dashi, and 62-degree oyster.
AC: On a daily basis, family meal at ACRU. The only time that everyone sits together and connects for a short moment is extremely blissful and special. Personally, a burger with fries at the bar at PJ Clarke’s makes me very happy.
What dish do you want to perfect in the kitchen?
DG: We strive for perfection in everything we do in the kitchen, even though it’s ultimately unattainable. It's hard to pinpoint a particular dish, but I really want to perfect our desserts. Since I currently make all our pastry elements, it’s an area I’m eager to work on and learn more about. The rules are quite different from savory cooking, but I think a small crossover is important. Pastry involves form and manipulation, which is crucial for expanding my creativity and that of my team.
AC: I guess for me in the dining room, I want to perfect and make our wine pairings an institutional / must have order because Daniel’s cuisine deserves the extra dimension. In terms of service, I want to perfect the fine line between professional, smart service and connect with guests as mates.
If you could shout out a colleague or friend in the industry who would it be and why?
DG: I’d love to give a quick shout-out to Jacob Hearth! We met during the Atomix residency at “Ritual at Manresa” earlier this year. Currently, he is working toward opening his own restaurant in San Francisco next year named Winnie’s, and we wish him all the best!
AC: This one person right now would be Daniel Calvert of Sézanne in Tokyo, who just recently received the well-deserved three Michelin stars. Daniel's culinary achievements are nothing short of remarkable. However, what truly sets him apart is the warmth and genuineness he brings to his colleagues and guests.
Beyond the restaurant, Daniel's character shines through his deep commitment to his personal relationships. He holds his family and friends in the highest regard with absolute hospitality, love and care.
What is the best food city?
DG: It’s all relative to what you’re looking for, but to be honest, a city like Sydney is pretty close. The standard of produce, the level of trained industry professionals, and the variety of cultures provide a vast array of quality meal options. New York is also up there for similar reasons, but I still have more to explore here.
AC: Tokyo. Exceptional produce and cooking at every price point can be found.
How do you relax outside of work?
DG: I find it relaxing to keep my mind active, whether it’s brainstorming new ideas or concepts, business plans, dishes, or future goals. I also find taking my dog for a walk along the Hudson River quite therapeutic.
AC: I like to cook at home and run long distances along Riverside park.
What is your astrology sign (including moon and rising)?
DG: Leo
AC: My sun sign is Taurus. Moon sign is most likely Capricorn and the rising sign could be Leo or Virgo or Libra.
