Cooking with Charly, Founder of Terra Firma Dining

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Cooking with Charly, Founder of Terra Firma Dining

There’s nothing quite like sharing food under the open sky.

And for Charly Pretet, founder of outdoor catering company Terra Firma Dining, outdoor dining takes on a whole new meaning.

Charly and his team create their kitchen entirely outdoors over an open flame everywhere they go.

Designed to bring people back to basics together around food and fire, Terra Firma Dining offers a unique and grounding experience, blending nature, local food, and meaningful celebration.

Designing Terra Firma Dining

Before beginning Terra Firma, French-born and raised Charly previously owned restaurants in Paris and one in northern New South Wales, Australia.

“I was focused on the fine dining aspect of the industry for a very long time. Over the years, I felt a bit frustrated to be locked into my kitchen and lose this interaction with the guests,” Charly explained.

“The whole idea of Terra Firma is to push the boundaries and immerse the guest into our kitchen. We set up our kitchen in the middle of events and the middle of properties.”

Meaning solid ground in Latin, Terra Firma has a dual meaning. The ground is where the team cooks with open fire, and it’s the same local grounds they source their produce from on Australia’s Sunshine Coast.

This connection with nature and pride in sourcing the best produce grown locally is part of what makes Terra Firma unique.

“I'm in contact with many local farms and commercial fishing operators who are now friends. I even go with them on the boat sometimes,” Charly shared.

“I really like connecting with the suppliers and understanding where the produce is from and how it's been harvested, farmed, or grown. I think more and more people are also seeking to know where the produce comes from as well."

Featuring the Plateau Dining Table, 1977 Outdoor Sofa and Lode Outdoor Ottoman.

Featuring the 1977 Outdoor Sofa in Element Basalt fabric. Curve module coming soon.

Cooking in alignment with nature

Breaking free of the controlled indoor kitchen environment is not without its challenges. But for Charly, it’s part of the enjoyment of this style of creating food.

“You always need to compose with the elements, and you need to be one with nature, understand the forecast, the risks, and how the fire works,” Charly shares.

“There's not only grilling. You can smoke, use the coals, and use embers. It's so versatile, and there are many ways to use it. I think it's just fascinating.”

While the open flame cooking process is longer, it brings many benefits that aid in the overall experience.

"There are many quicker ways to cook, but I think we are losing a bit of the connection in fast-paced environments,” Charly explains.

“We are in 2023; everyone is connected to apps and devices. Reconnecting people to fire and food produce for me is part of the mission and something I truly enjoy.”

Taking the time to enjoy the simple pleasure of being outdoors with friends and family is what it’s all about for Charly.

“I think it's a beautiful way to celebrate a good meal and a good moment together.”

Charly sources fresh local ingredients. Featuring the Plateau Outdoor Dining Table.

Featuring the Plateau Dining Table in Salt finish styled with the Plateau Dining Bench and Luna Outdoor Dining Chairs.

Inspiring the menu

Designed especially for the King Living team, Charly created an incredible spread inspired by the ocean that surrounded the Noosa location on Australia’s Sunshine Coast.

The side dishes included fresh local scallops, king prawns, and a mixture of green vegetables.

“We're going to first cook some Noosa scallops half shells straight in the coals with olive butter, citrus, and thyme. We're really going to work with the fire and the smoke and leave the fire to do the work," Charly explained.

"Then we will be cooking some beautiful Mooloolaba king prawns straight on the grill with a very fresh relish, cucumbers, lots of herbs, chili, and ginger.”

“On the side, we've got a mix of kale, broccolini and spring onions. And we have a beautiful fragrant citrus and yogurt sauce to dress."

Charly chose a beautiful red emperor fish for the main dish to complete the flavourful spread.

"It's a reef fish, firm flesh, absolutely delicious. We marinate it in a little bit of a yuzu soy sauce marinade, and it will go straight on the grill. We'll baste it in a kind of Balinese sambal with cucumber and chili.”

Terra Firma Dining is all about creating meaningful moments and connecting. Featuring the Plateau Dining Table.

Discover more

For Charly, it all comes back to creating an experience worth being entirely present for, one that is needed in our modern lives and one that will be remembered.

“What I love about cooking over fire is to really get back to basics. To get back to this primal instinct of fire, food, and gathering, and immerse the guests, their friends, and family into the cooking process.”

To learn more, you can visit the Terra Firma website or Instagram.

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