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Margaret River, Western Australia: As a chef, Loh Kain Boon is unusual; as a personality he is unique. Take a look at the costume: head covering is an empty flour sack, draped sideways in pirate fashion. A white T-shirt tops shorts and a brief blue and white domestic apron; legs are bare, feet shod in black running boots. Can this be the lead chef in Margaret River, the fast-developing Australian wine region often compared to Bordeaux?

Boon's menu is equally eccentric. Veggie soup and hummous are joined by an onion and tomato tart Tatin. The pungent curried Brussels sprouts are not for the fainthearted. "We sort 'em out with the sprouts", says Boon of his customers, "then we know who's who". Main courses include Thai salad, Moroccan chicken, curry laksa (a Malaysian fish stew), and Indonesian gado gado. "Eclectic is the word" comments Bev Sprague, owner of A Mano cooking school in nearby Perth, "Boon's duck confit is so famous he's planning to take it commercial".

Even on Sunday night the Arc of Iris is humming. Boon's partner, Glen, rummages for soft drinks behind a makeshift bar composed of two oil drums topped with a wooden plank. The restaurant is BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle), an Australian institution which forces restaurateurs to keep their wine list prices competitive. Background music from the library of CDs filed beside the stove ranges from Dylan to Bach to Irish reels.

"This is a big family kitchen" says Boon. "I'm here l2 hours a day, seven days a week. My grandfather was truly Chinese -- he went to market early every morning and we children went with him. I guess I'm always trying to go back to my youth." Boon was born to a Chinese family in Malaysia and, as the eldest son, given an education in English. Sent to Norwich, England, to study accountancy, he was soon diverted by cooking. "I found mayonnaise more fascinating than figures".

It was a long road to Margaret River, but here Boon has found his niche. The area was a backwater until the l970s, when a viticultural study showed it to be a southern hemisphere Bordeaux, almost identical in climate and geology. Five pioneers planted vineyards, led by Dennis Horgan at Leeuwin. "We grow less than l percent of Australia's wines, but we already produce 23% of the fine wines over $l5 a bottle". Horgan is convinced that, just as the prosperity of Bordeaux began with exports to Britain in the l8th century, so Asia will drive the wines of Western Australia. "Last year, Bangkok took 50 cases of ours, next year it will be 500", he says.

"You'll see, this is just the beginning".

Following the wines, the foods of Margaret River are developing beyond the ubiquitous steak and chips (French fries). Boon gets prime fish from Augusta, just to the south: from the nearby Indian Ocean come firm, snow-white school shark, succulent bronze whaler, another shark, and a type of snapper called red emperor. Good cheeses made in the area include Brie, Camembert, aged Cheddar and a delicious marinated feta. Marron, a rare fresh-water lobster, is raised in the artificial lakes which dot the landscape (the land is arid, needing regular irrigation).

Margaret River is still a one-garage town in frontier country. To the west stretches the Indian Ocean. A few miles to the east the outback begins -- scrub land, then desert for 2000 miles with scarcely a settlement in between. A bush survival manual sold in the tourist center warns starkly "Death by exposure and dehydration is anything but a pleasant way to go".

The Arc of Iris seems suddenly a haven of civilisation. Boon stops by our table to chat. "There's not much difference between French and Asian cooking", he says. "French is a bit more genteel. We Asians cook food on the bone, the French remove the bones but then cook them separately to extract all the flavor". Like all outstanding chefs, Boon likes to analyse the structure of dishes and the more he cooks, the more he pares the process down to essentials.

"My flavorings are clear and basic, I don't go for complexity. Take this Vietnamese beef" he says, pointing to our plates. "The idea came from the sauce in a noodle shop, but I keep the meat in pieces, European style. I'm aiming at a fragrant, simmered broth which does not cloud. We must bridge the ethnic gap".

Tonight Boon is expansive but he has been known, in a fit of temperament, to abruptly close the restaurant in the middle of service, shooing the diners out the door. He carries it off with panache, opening the next day with a broad smile through his gappy teeth. For Loh Kain Boon, cooking is a way of life and he invites his customers to share it with gusto.

Vietnamese Beef
serves 4
An Asian version of French pot au feu, this recipe is good with a firm piece of beef such as brisket or shin which delivers rich flavor to the broth. For a quicker version, use chuck steak, which will be tender in l l/2-2 hours.

2 lb beef brisket or boneless shin
4 qts mild veal stock or water, more if needed
small bunch Vietnamese mint or fresh coriander
l tablespoon peppercorns
2 stalks lemon grass or pared zest l lemon
l/2 teaspoon soy sauce, more to taste
salt and pepper
l lb bok choy
l lb tomatoes, peeled and cut in wedges

Tie beef in a neat cylinder, leaving a long string. Combine stock or water with herb and peppercorns in a large deep pan and suspend meat in it by the string. Cover and bring liquid to a boil. Peel and chop lemon grass and add it or lemon zest to the pan.

When liquid boils, skim froth, lower heat so liquid scarcely bubbles and leave to poach 3-4 hours until meat is very tender when pierced with a two-pronged fork. Skim often during cooking, especially at the start, and if necessary add more stock or water so the meat is always covered.

Let meat cool to tepid, then lift it out, discard strings and cut it in l/2 inch slices. Strain broth and if necessary boil it until reduced to 5-6 cups. Add soy, taste and adjust seasoning.

Coarsely shred green leaves of bok choy and cut stems in 2-inch lengths. Add stems to broth and simmer until almost tender 8-12 minutes. Add leaves and simmer until wilted, 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and heat until very hot. Taste again and adjust seasoning. Arrange beef in bowls and ladle hot broth and vegetables on top. Serve boiled rice on the side.

Anne Willan is the founder of the famous French cooking school, LaVarenne, and has also served as president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She is the author of over a dozen internationally published cookbooks.