Mogens Bay Esbensen facts for kids

Mogens Bay Esbensen, born in 1930, is a famous chef and author from Denmark. He is known for bringing Thai cuisine and its special ingredients to Australia. Many people see him as a leader in creating Modern Australian cuisine. He owned and ran several popular restaurants. These included La Causerie, Pavilion on the Park, Butler's, and The Old Bank in Sydney. He also had Nautilus in Cairns. Today, he lives on the island of Læsø, located between Sweden and Denmark.

Mogens Esbensen's Cooking Journey

Mogens Esbensen was born on a farm near Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1930. He loved cooking from a very young age, starting when he was just four years old. By the time he was 15, he began training to become a professional chef. His teacher was Ejler Jørgensen, a well-known chef in Copenhagen.

Early Career and Travel

At 22, Mogens became the head chef at the Hotel de France. He wanted to see the world, so he joined Scandinavian Airline Systems (SAS). He worked as a flight steward and cooked meals for passengers on planes. This job allowed him to travel to many different places.

In 1959, he was sent to Bangkok, Thailand, for a year. This experience would later greatly influence his cooking style. After his time in Thailand, he returned to Denmark.

Adventures in Asia

Mogens soon went back to Bangkok. He became a food and drink manager at the Rama Hotel. He also tried to start a floating hotel in Hong Kong. Later, he helped set up a big international resort in Pattaya, Thailand.

In 1965, Mogens opened his first restaurant called Two Vikings. He sold his share of the restaurant in 1972. He then tried to start an orchid farm near Pattaya. Sadly, this business did not work out, and he lost all his savings.

Moving to Australia

Two years later, Mogens became a consultant for the Bangkok Hyatt Hotel. During a trip to the Hyatt Kingsgate in Kings Cross, Sydney, he decided to move to Australia.

He started by running a small restaurant called La Causerie. In 1976, he became the head chef at Pavilion on the Park. He ran this restaurant with another chef, Damien Pignolet. The restaurant became very popular and earned a lot of money.

Bringing Thai Flavors to Australia

Mogens first cooked French cuisine. But after living in Bangkok for 17 years, he started adding Thai dishes to his menus. In 1979, he bought a restaurant called Butler's. Here, he created an international menu, but it was still mostly known for French food.

He asked Sydney food suppliers for Thai ingredients that were not common then. These included fish sauce, lemon grass, gingers, Thai eggplants, and tropical fruits. Over time, these ingredients became easier to find.

While on holiday in Port Douglas, in the early 1980s, Mogens bought the Nautilus restaurant. He ran Nautilus at the same time as Butler's. It was at Nautilus that he became famous for his amazing Thai cooking.

Writing Cookbooks

In 1986, Mogens wrote an important cookbook called Thai Cuisine. In 1988, he wrote A Taste of the Tropics: the Delights of Australian Tropical Fruit. Both books are now out of print. By 1989, Mogens had sold Nautilus and returned to Sydney. He wanted to focus on his restaurant Butler's.

Later Life and New Beginnings

Mogens Esbensen was very successful as a chef and restaurant owner. In the 1990s, he built a beautiful tropical house. It was on seven acres of rainforest near Cardwell in Far North Queensland.

However, by 1990, he faced some tough times. He had financial problems with Butler's. He also became very ill, which stopped him from working. This led to him losing his restaurant and his beloved house. He left Australia in 1992, feeling sad.

Rediscovered by a Food Critic

In 2001, Stephen Downes, a well-known Australian food critic, wondered what had happened to Mogens. Downes searched for him and found him on the quiet island of Læsø. Mogens was living there, far away from the busy restaurant world.

Stephen Downes interviewed Mogens many times. These interviews were later included in a book called Advanced Australian Fare. This book was published in 2002. Mogens Esbensen still lives on the island of Læsø today.

Books by Mogens Bay Esbensen

• Thai Cuisine by Mogens Bay Esbensen. 1986 & 1990 editions published by Viking O'Neil ISBN: 978-0-670-90311-5
• A Taste of the Tropics: the Delights of Australian Tropical Fruit by Mogens Bay Esbensen. 1988 edition published by Viking O'Neil ISBN: 978-0-670-90120-3
• Advanced Australian Fare: How Australian Cooking Became The World's Best by Stephen Downes. Published by Allen & Unwin 2002 ISBN: 978-1-86508-581-4