Have you ever wanted to design your perfect meal, and have a chef cook it for you? 

That’s exactly what Josh Seaward, owner and executive chef at Forty Feathers, has made it his mission to do.

From small weddings and elopements to private dinners for any occasion, Forty Feathers can provide everything from canapes to 10 course degustation menus.

Covering the Newcastle, Hunter Valley, Central Coast and Sydney regions, Josh and his team can come to you – whether it’s in your home, holiday accommodation or an event venue.

What sets Forty Feathers apart is Josh’s commitment to creating custom menus for his clients, working with them to develop a menu that is tailored to their tastes and desires.

“I really want the menus to be creative to the person. If someone comes to me with a particular  event, we can create a custom menu around their experience. It’s more about the experience – we want to cater to that,” Josh said.

Working as a chef in restaurants throughout Europe, the UK and Australia for more than 20 years, the idea for Forty Feathers came about 4 years ago following some time spent working as a private chef in chalets in France. Josh saw an opportunity to create his own version based out of Newcastle. 

“Private cheffing is not new – it’s been around for centuries. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, we just want it to be a great experience, and I’m using my 20 years of industry experience to give that to everybody.”

The start of the pandemic hindered Josh’s plans for the business, however since lockdowns were lifted Forty Feathers has well and truly taken flight. And, although Forty Feathers has been met with success, Josh wants to keep the events he does small and private, catering to groups of 30 to 40 at a maximum.

“By keeping it small we can concentrate on the quality and intimacy, and keep it niche,” he says.

“A lot of our customers enjoy the interactiveness of it, being able to sit at the bar and have a chat and learn something – it’s part of the experience.”

Whilst the food and Josh's kitchen flair are the stars of the show, the Forty Feathers brand and name is as integral to the story as the food and experience. Forty Feathers is homage to Josh’s sister Melissa, who sadly passed away from cancer the day before her 41st birthday in 2017. 

Melissa's love of birds, in particular the New Zealand fantail, is represented in the logo, designed by artist Nic Brown Lee. Forty Feathers is Josh’s way of celebrating and remembering his beloved sister.

If you feel like sitting back and letting Forty Feathers do the work for you, Josh offers a seasonal menu that customers can choose from, if they don’t wish to devise their own curated menu.

On the evening we catch Josh in action he’s formulated a custom menu. You won’t see any of these dishes on the Forty Feathers website, instead the menu has been created based on what seasonal ingredients are available to Josh and the team.

For the canapes, Josh has created beetroot waffle, Wagyu bresaola; sesame cones, duck pate, macadamia; and oysters, salmon pearls and ponzu. 

The courses start with scallops, chive and salmon pearl beurre blanc and golden purslane, followed by duck breast, radicchio, plum jam, pomegranate jus, purple orach,

and lamb rack, potato galette, tomatillo, and chickpea miso jus, for the third course.

To finish the savoury courses, Josh serves Wagyu cap 9+, rainbow chard, sprout, spinach puree and amaranth, with the Wagyu sourced from Carrara 640.

Josh rounds off the meal with 2 sweet courses – lemon meringue tart and raspberry, and sticky date cake, salted caramel and figs. 

Feeling inspired to create your very own custom menu? Josh emphasises that anyone can work with Forty Feathers for their event or celebration.

“It’s not for a certain type of person. We want to aim for that high quality, but there is something for everybody and any occasion,” Josh said.

Whether you have a special occasion coming up or you want to indulge in an elegant meal just because, chat to Josh or visit Forty Feathers and start planning your dream dinner party.