Fresh prawns are tossed through a rich, buttery sauce in an award-winning chef’s restaurant-quality pasta that can be recreated at home.

“Big” Sam Young, the head chef and owner of Sydney restaurants S’more and Young’s Palace, combines homemade prawn stock, XO sauce, soy and butter to create the deeply flavourful dish.

Young, who was recently named Restaurant Personality of the Year at the 2026 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, joined The Morning Show on Wednesday to reveal his recipe and the secret to perfectly cooked prawn pasta.

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Prawn stock

• 400g whole prawn with shell and head (save prawn meat for later)

• 50g carrot slices

• 50g brown onion sliced

• 50g celery stick sliced

• 1tbsp white peppercorn

• 1tbsp fennel seed

• 100g tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves

• 1.5l water

• 3tbsp veg oil

• 2pc garlic clove sliced

• 50ml white wine

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat

2. Saute onion, celery, carrot and garlic until soft. Add prawn heads and shells, turn up to high heat

3. Stir fry until shells turn bright orange and juices release. Deglaze with white wine.

4. Press down on heads with a spoon to release flavour

5. Pour in water and add bay leaves, white pepper and fennel seeds

6. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 30-40 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Makes approx 500-600ml

Prawn Pasta

• Prawn meat chopped (saved from above recipe)

• 5g shallot

• 5g coriander

• 1tbsp LKK XO

• 20g LKK light soy

• 200g prawn stock from above recipe

• 100g unsalted butter, diced

• 120g fresh pasta (as you like)

• Touch of salt

Method:

1. Start a pot of water on stove for pasta later

2. Place prawn stock, soy, XO and butter in a saucepan and bring to boil and let butter emulsify.

3. In another small saucepan, sauté prawn meat in 1tbsp of oil

4. Place pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes

5. Add cooked pasta to prawn stock pan and add sauteed prawn, shallot and coriander

6. Give a final toss

7. Serve!