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At first glance, it may seem that food culture and gaming culture are literally worlds apart. But, dig a little deeper and you will quickly see that they are not lacking in similarities. Both inspire connection, both can deliver a truly immersive experience, and both can instantly transport you to another place or time. And those same crosses are being celebrated this month for PlayStation to Plate, an innovative new restaurant concept that sees highly regarded Australian chefs bringing the virtual food of the PlayStation universe to life.

From Friday December 3 through Sunday December 12, three Australian restaurants will each create a limited-edition menu item that reinvents an iconic IRL video game dish. Restaurants serve up their iconic creations throughout the ten days of the pop-up, but you can also have any of the dishes delivered to your door with Deliveroo.

Morgan Hipworth, the young gun baker behind Melbourne’s Bistro Morgan, is no stranger to making mind-boggling, otherworldly desserts. His Windsor bakehouse is famous for its dynamic rotation of inventive donuts, cookies and treats. And this month, Hipworth unleashes that creative flair into the video game world, to deliver an IRL recreation of Chef Tulio’s Sirangian honey mousse from Ratchet & Clank: a flaw apart.

The game is a high-impact adventure through multi-colored worlds, the energy of which the young chef translates into an eye-catching dessert deposited in a jar. “Ratchet & Clank is full of heaps of different sizes, so I created a taste experience on several levels, ”Hipworth explains to Concrete playground.

“We start with a layer of strawberry jelly, then we cover it with a homemade vanilla cream, a layer of strawberries and a chocolate sponge cake, then this very important Sirangian honey mousse” , he describes. “And it’s green, because it comes from another dimension!”

Morgan Hipworth, from Bistro Morgan

It was a fitting choice for Hipworth, who called the virtual dessert a “perfect match.” “This dish really brought out the pleasure of Ratchet & Clank world, as well as the creativity that explains why I fell in love with pastry, ”he adds.

As for how he reworked an animated dish into an edible off-screen creation? “I wanted to channel the fun and the spirit of the game and bring the colorful world to life,” Hipworth said. The chef selected flavors he knew worked well together, then cleverly reworked them in the form of a classic Aussie treat. “La bagatelle is such an iconic dessert”, explains the baker. “Bringing a fun twist with Sirangie honey seemed like the best choice. “

As with all of Bistro Morgan’s dessert creations, this one also aims to offer a portion of escape. “I want my customers to be transported to another dimension, and you can do that with flavors, smells and colors,” he shares.

After all, for this king of desserts, the leap between the worlds of hospitality and gaming is often not that huge. “One of my favorite things about food is how immersive it is – and the exact same could be said for games,” says Hipworth. “Both have the ability to connect and bring people together. Both have the innate ability to instantly transport you to another place or time.”

Watch PlayStation to Plate December 3-12 in Sydney and Melbourne. You will find each dish presented on the menu in its respective place, as well as to take away via Deliveroo.

Posted on December 10, 2021 by

Libby curran