Unforgettable Steak Experience
Learn more about Chef Dharshan Munidasa’s revolutionary method of cooking the perfect steak.
MEAT
Carne Diem Grill takes pride in exclusively serving Wagyu Beef from Westholme, one of the finest producers in Australia. Westholme Wagyu is renowned for its exceptional quality and luxury, produced exclusively from Westholme cattle that were first brought to Northern Australia from Japan more than 20 years ago, and is highly sought after for its superior taste and tenderness. Westholme cattle are born wild and roam free on vast Queensland pastures. They are not administered growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics, allowing for a more natural and sustainable approach to farming. The beef is well-marbled, supremely tender and possesses a rich, decadent flavour that can only be found in Wagyu. Chef Dharshan Munidasa, in his quest to find high quality beef for Carne Diem Grill, tested numerous brands and marbling scores before settling on Westholme Wagyu for its exquisite flavours, and price point.
The lamb racks at Carne Diem Grill are sourced exclusively from Maimoa, a boutique producer in New Zealand who are known for their grass-fed and pasture-raised lamb. This lamb is handpicked by the expert team at Maimoa and aged for tenderness. After testing many racks of lamb, Chef Dharshan Munidasa was impressed by the fine delicate balance of Maimoa Lamb.
HEAT
Fire is at the heart of the method at Carne Diem Grill. Our custom grill oven is built around harnessing the raw power and energy of charcoal embers and enclosing this heat in a chamber. The meat is skewered and exposed to the direct radiation of the embers which goes up to high temperatures of 750°C without any flare ups. The extreme heat created by closing the hood of each charcoal pit in the oven breaks down the muscle fibers in the meat, cooking the steak in a matter of minutes. The resulting doneness varies along the steak and the beauty of the steak is in the perfect imperfections with burnt edges, micro crusting and pink centres.
Salt
After exposure to the high heat of the grill, the cut is rested. The skewered cut is suspended so that it does not sit on a flat surface, but rather has air around it so that it breathes. Sundried Indian Ocean sea salt from the dry zone of Sri Lanka is generously piled on the steak during the resting process. While resting the salt melts and is gently brushed off with a bamboo brush that is typically used to clean shark skin wasabi graters of Japan. The melted salt amplifies the deep flavours of the meat to a level you have never tasted before!
IGNIS MAXIMUS
‘Ignis Maximus’ is the grill oven that brings together the cooking method at Carne Diem Grill. Designed and engineered by Chef Dharshan Munidasa, this oven is built on the principles of the charcoal yakitori grills of Japan. ‘Ignis Maximus’ is made up of a charcoal pit with its own sliding hood that encloses the pit, converting the grill into an oven. The use of brass water valves to control fresh air inflow and outflow of exhaust, controlling the amount of oxygen feeding into the fire, allows us to cook meat at 750°C ember temperature without flare ups.
