Double duty for star chef Kellie

There are some busy times ahead for star Adelaide chef Jake Kellie.

Kellie, who guides star eatery arkhé, has this week also taken the reins as culinary director at luxury Barossa estate Kingsford The Barossa.

Kellie will lead Kingsford’s Orleana Restaurant as well as the broader food offering across the boutique hotel.

He is charged with re-shaping the restaurant’s offering that promises to be a celebration of the region's rich produce. 

"Kellie’s bold cooking style and immersive approach to dining is in perfect synergy with the vision for Orleana, a restaurant designed to showcase the depth of produce in the region and complement the legacy and landscape of the Kingsford Estate, says Salter Brothers Hospitality Chief Operating Officer, Andrea Richards.

"He’s built an outstanding reputation with some of the world’s best chefs including Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal, honing his craft at revered restaurants including The Fat Duck (UK), The Ledbury (UK), Estelle (Melbourne), Aria (Sydney) and most notably as head chef at Michelin-starred Burnt Ends in Singapore that also inspired his own restaurant, arkhé.

“As one of Australia’s finest chefs, his approach to food is fearless, refined, and grounded in deep respect for produce and technique. He pushes boundaries without losing sight of authenticity, which is exactly why he resonates so strongly with today’s guests.”

The dining space at Orleana sits within Kingsford’s luxury lodge, surrounded by 225-acres of native Australian landscape.

The restaurant serves both a la carte and a chef’s selection with ingredients harvested either on-site from the estate’s kitchen garden or sourced via a network of local growers.

A big task given he will also continue to oversee arkhé, his Norwood restaurant.

“This is a place where food is grown with care, cooked with purpose, and served with humility," Kellie says.

"It's a place where guests are invited to connect - with the region, the producers, and the stories behind each plate. I believe that modern Australian cuisine is not defined by trend, but by terroir - and that thoughtful food, grown and cooked with integrity, creates meaningful hospitality.

“For me, Orleana is a chance to bring something fresh and grounded to the Barossa, a restaurant that’s shaped by the seasons, the producers we work with, and the amazing team behind it. I want to create food that feels honest and generous and build a culture that supports that at every level. There’s so much potential here, and I’m keen to bring it to life.” 

See https://kingsfordbarossa.com.au/ 

The perfect side trip from the Gold Coast beaches

 

Summer visitors to the beaches of Queensland's Gold Coast are being urged to take a side trip to the vineyards of the nearby Granite Belt.

Local tourism operators say the Granite Belt Wine Country's combination of cool summer nights, farm-fresh produce and natural beauty offer a contrast to the glitter strip. 

Nestled on the Great Dividing Range, the Granite Belt is emerging as a summer escape for foodies, wine lovers, and nature enthusiasts. 

Under a three-hour drive from Brisbane, the Gold Coast, or Byron Bay, the region offers an alternative to the summer heat of the coast.

"Granite Belt Wine Country isn’t just about incredible wine - though we have that in abundance," said Chris Nolan, president of Granite Belt Wine & Tourism. 

"It’s about the cool, fresh nights you won’t find anywhere else in Queensland, paired with seasonal produce, iconic national parks, and cosy accommodation that feels like a home away from home."



The average nightly January temperature drops on average to 4-5 degrees cooler than Brisbane and the Gold Coast. 

For nature enthusiasts, the Granite Belt boasts Girraween National Park, known for its dramatic granite outcrops, wildflowers, and wildlife.

“Summer has been amazing on the Granite Belt, we’ve had an incredible influx of tourists to the region all loving the cooler days and nights, low humidity, as well as seeing the vineyards blooming with life,” said Adam Penberthy, owner of the Ballandean Pub and Dear Vincent Wines.

“The pub has been bustling with out-of-towners coming in for a meal after a day exploring or swimming in our epic water holes, cooling off with a cold beer.

“At the cellar door, we’ve been amazed at how busy the summer season has been. Guests have loved our summer release wines Sunshine and our Pink Fizz Pet Nat, perfect for a long lunch under the shade of the 100-year-old olive tree.”

For more info about planning a Granite Belt getaway visit the Granite Belt Country website here.

Images: Georgie Lillis

Sydney's new inner city market

 

The booming inner city Sydney suburbs of Alexandria, Zetland and Green Square are set to welcome a new weekly produce market that will launch on Easter Saturday, March 30, at Green Square Plaza, Zetland.

The market, curated by Cambridge Markets, will feature 50 food-focused stalls that organisers promise will bring the best of fresh food, produce, baked goods, prepared meals, hot food and beverages to the precinct.

Some of Sydney’s best micro-retailers across homewares, fashion and gifting will also be represented.

The market will be held every Saturday from 8am-2pm.

“It is thrilling to be bringing this brand-new market to this emerging precinct,” said Cambridge Markets director Rebecca Starr. “This is a rapidly growing area and we hope to help bring a wonderful selection of food in all its guises to this space.

“There will be fresh fruit and veg, coffee, cake, bread, meat and seafood, cheese and dairy, olives, artisanal products, wine and spirits and plenty more.

"On top of that we will have our always-excellent selection of global gourmet eats. People can come down for breakfast, brunch or lunch and do their weekly grocery shop while they are here.

“Shoppers might also find some interesting stalls where the can take home something for themselves or their homes as well. It will be a beautiful market with plenty of interest for everyone.”

Some of the stalls at this market will be: Ton Ton Bakery artisan breads and pastries, Natas Portuguese tarts, Peterson Wines and Savannah Estate from the Hunter Valley and Yum Cha Eat Street duck pancakes.

The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO, said the market would be a great boost to an increasingly thriving area.

“Activating spaces like Green Square Plaza is part of City of Sydney’s vision for a vibrant, liveable city,” she said.

The market kicks off on Saturday, March 30, which is Easter Saturday, with some festive activities including an appearance by the Easter Bunny and chocolate eggs for children.

Cambridge Markets hosts markets across Sydney, from Pittwater to Cronulla. Find them at cambridgemarkets.com.au

Chef returns to where his career first blossomed

Chef Cameron Cansdell has returned to where his career took off by starting as Culinary Director at Central Coast hotspot Bells at Killcare.

Cansdell moved to the Central Coast 17 years ago when Karina and Brian Barry founded Bells at Killcare, and was the first head chef under the then Culinary Director, Stefano Manfredi.

The duo established a popular multi-award winning restaurant and the famed Bells kitchen garden, which had a big influence on changing the dining scene on the Central Coast.

While at Bells at Killcare, Cameron met then restaurant manager Hayley Hardcastle and in 2014 they married and went on to open Bombini at Avoca Beach, Fish Dining and Saddles at Mt White.

Cansdell's return coincides with the opening of The Lodges at Bells (below), where guests will have the option of booking a private chefs dinner in the luxury of their own lodge.

The Barrys said: "We look forward to this next chapter: Cameron’s simple and ethical approach to food, seasonally focused menus and humble nature have always been part of Bells DNA, so his return is like family coming home."

The menu at Wild Flower Bar & Dining at Bells will be revamped and there is already a new breakfast menu, with breakfast now open to the general public as well as hotel guests.

Meanwhile, guests have until February 29 to get a special deal on the Lodge launch offer, an
all-inclusive package for four guests (children welcome) for $599 per person, per night.

The package includes dinner at The Wild Flower Bar & Dining with a choice of three à la carte dishes or the five-course chef's tasting menu; gourmet lunch provisions; daily à la carte breakfast; premium in-lodge bar with a selection of wines, beers, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.

Also think a heated private pool, two day beds and rooftop sunset deck with panoramic ocean views, daily turndown service, local transfers, complimentary wifi and in-room entertainment as well as parking for two cars and the use of mountain bikes. The package is normally $750 based on four people per lodge.

See bellsatkillcare.com.au

The perfect time for wine lovers to go for Broke

The 20th anniversary of the Little Bit of Broke festival will be even more special given it coincides with the bicentenary of the tiny Hunter Valley hamlet.

To be held from Friday, March 15 to Sunday, March 17, the weekend promises wine, food, farm gate produce, live music and lots of fun.

A Festival Kit includes festival entry, a keepsake tasting glass and tasting tokens to which you can add dining, experiences, events, workshops, extra tastings and even transport, all bookable online.

There will be a record number of festival offerings with 17 locations from which to choose.

From dining in a hatted restaurant, picnicking with alpacas, sunset wines and tunes, there are plenty of choices.

Wineries involved include regional star Margan, Nightingale Wines, Whispering Brook, Winmark and Krinklewood.    

The program has just been announced and tickets are on sale now at brokefordwich.com.au.

A hop-on, hop-off bus service will enable festivalgoers to park their cars at the Festival Hub in the heart of Broke and the take the shuttle to different destinations.

The Festival Starter Kit begins at $35 per person with four tastings included, while the Festival Super Kit includes eight tastings for $50.

* Kids enter for free as they do not require a Festival Kit which includes wine tastings that are reserved for over 18 years only.

From saddles to skin-care products, head bush for Christmas presents with a difference

One country region of Australia is urging consumers to turn their backs on mass produced and homogenous goods, and instead take a trip to the bush to do some Christmas shopping.

The Granite Belt, around 2.5 hours from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, says it is opening its doors, farms, and workshops and urging people to come and experience fresh mountain air and buy from the bush this summer. 

“With the countdown to Christmas 2023 well underway, the annual pre-Christmas pilgrimage to Queensland’s Granite Belt is really becoming a thing,” says Martin Cooper, president of the local not-for-profit tourism association, Granite Belt Wine & Tourism.

“It’s fantastic country here and looking greener than ever. We’re seeing visitors and extended families looking for gifts with meaning and that give back, with many taking pre-Christmas escapes from the shopping crowds and humidity of the coast.

“There’s just so much to do here. From incredible national parks to dining with more than 50 wineries in the region, the area has become a destination of choice in summer. We don’t BYO here, we PYO (pick your own) with strawberries and fresh stone fruit grown right here on the Granite Belt.

“There’s no better place to buy from the bush for gifts with meaning."

The locals say they have everything from Christmas trees to horse saddles on offer.

Local saddler Lyle Kent, of Kent’s Saddlery in Stanthorpe, says: “People come into our store, and they say we want to support small business and buy Australian made. What my wife and I love about this place, we employ local people, and this contributes to their livelihood and the flow-on effect is amazing.”

From wines to cheesemakers, apple pie makers, leather goods, jam makers, luxe skin care makers, the region says it has plenty on offer for a Christmas present with a difference.

Local grape grower and winemaker Tim Coelli runs Twisted Gum Wines with his wife Michelle.

“The Granite Belt wine makers are small-scale producers and it’s reflected in our specialised wines here," he says. "It means you’re literally drinking wine on the ground from where the grapes are grown.”



Sourcing local ingredients and taking inspiration from a local National Park, Washpool Supply Co in Stanthorpe is a local natural skin care maker, where they teach visitors how to create and make their own soaps and a range of luxe, organic products.

“When you buy from the bush, you’re supporting not just one person, or one business, you’re supporting everyone," says owner Emily Thomas. "We’re a community here and we support each other.” 

Local attractions include granite outcrops with freshwater swimming holes, Girraween National Park, Sundown National Park and Nundubbermere Falls camping area and Storm King Dam.

Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt lie high on the Great Dividing Range, around three hours from the Gold Coast and Byron Bay.

For information about visit the Granite Belt this summer see www.granitebeltwineccountry.com.au

Cheers to a small town whose producers have big ideas

Meeniyan is a small country town - home to fewer than 1000 people - on the South Gippsland Highway between Leongatha and Foster in Victoria.

Despite its size and relative isolation, the hamlet is home to Meeniyan Square (above), a rustic outdoor event space that hosts regular events as being home to Meeniyan Pantry and Cellar, which is a deli, café and music venue.

Every second Sunday, Meeniyan Square hosts a farmers market.

Now two popular Gippsland brands are embarking on a new collaboration with Sailors Grave Brewing joining forces with Trulli to create a new gourmet destination aimed at locals and travellers alike.

Sailors Grave, from nearby Orbost, will have launch a fully kitted-out bar in a renovated shipping container with eight beer taps on February 17 to coincide with the Meeniyan Garlic Festival.

It is planned that The Sailors Grave Outpost will be a hub for the brand to host events, launch beers and to build a bigger connection to greater Gippsland.

“When we could holiday during the last two years of Covid we obviously had to stay close, and we kept on landing back at Meeniyan, largely due to its central location but also because we kept on being drawn to the hospitality of the Trulli family.” says Gab Moore from Sailors Grave.

"We were looking for an outpost for Sailors Grave that was still in Gippsland but closer to our market in Melbourne.”

Sailors Grave Brewing was established in 2017 in the historic old butter factory in Orbost but its beers are now sold across Australia as well as in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the UK.

Trulli, meanwhile, has undergone many transitions and now offers woodfired pizzas, pastries, bread, and gelati, all produced on site. The deli offers a diverse range of products from cheese and meat to pantry items and a wine cellar, specialising in produce from Gippsland.

Big new gig for rising culinary star

 

Artisans of Barossa is one of South Australia's standout gourmet destinations - a collaboration between eight of the Barossa's leading wine producers that offers a range of food and wine experiences. 

German-born Robin Wagner has just been unveiled as the new head chef following the departure of Ryan Edwards. 

It is a step up for Wagner, who comes to Artisans of Barossa from Magill Estate Restaurant in Adelaide, where he spent four years as sous chef working under head chef Scott Huggins.

Artisans of Barossa opened an impressive new venue in Tanunda in 2021 offering seated tastings and experiences and a Barossa providore.

“It’s advantageous to work with a seasonal, regional menu," Wagner says. "Each season has a purpose, and cheffing is about making dishes that showcase local produce."

His kitchen philosophy is based on minimal food wastage, and he is passionate about seasonal vegetables. 

Wagner has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Germany and hatted restaurants in Australia, which has been his home for the past five years. 

His CV includes a stint at the Lake House in Daylesford and at Sepia in Sydney. 

“It’s a unique experience working with eight winemakers collaborating and producing various wines," he says. "I look forward to working with such a beautiful portfolio of wines - it offers flexibility and diversity.” 

The eight Artisan members are John Duval Wines, Spinifex Wines, Purple Hands Wines, Lienert Vineyards, Chaffey Bros. Wine Co., Schwarz Wine Co., Hobbs of Barossa Ranges and Sons of Eden.

Essen restaurant at Artisans is now open seven days a week and offers an à la carte menu. See www.artisansofbarossa.com. 

Cherry Christmas? Not for everbody

Australia's cherry industry is in a positive growth phase, but current wet weather threatens the upcoming harvest and may limit Christmas supply.

Growing consumer appetite for the fruit locally and in export markets is a huge positive, Rabobank says in a new industry report.

But three consecutive La Nina weather events have taken their toll on Australia’s cherry production, with continuing wet conditions expected to impact the outlook for the coming harvest.

This will not only weigh on grower returns, but could also affect the availability, quality and price of this summer and festive fruit favourite for Australian consumers, the specialist agribusiness bank says.

In the report Southern Hemisphere Cherries, Growing Exports and Challenges, Rabobank says Australia’s sweet cherry sector has been in a growth phase for the past four years, with more than 450,000 additional cherry trees reaching bearing age since 2018.

Despite this growth in plantings, sweet cherry production and export volumes “continue to be affected by three consecutive La Nina weather events,” the bank says.

This impact was evident last season, says report co-author RaboResearch associate analyst Pia Piggott, with the industry estimating that Australia’s total cherry production for 2021-22 was down 15% on the previous year, at 17,000 tonnes.

Total Australian cherry volumes to export markets - which require the highest-quality premium fruit - decreased 20% on the previous year.

Piggott said export markets are particularly important for Australia’s cherry industry, due to “higher unit value” obtainable for exported fruit.

“Exports account for approximately 25% of the Australian cherry industry’s sales volumes, but almost 40% of sale value,” she said.

“So lower volumes of high-quality cherries suitable for export markets - along with outbound airfreight rates remaining high - means margins will be challenged for the sector this coming season.”

Piggott said longer-term demand for high-quality cherries as prized fruit in Asia, and in the domestic Australian market - together with healthy lifestyle trends - will support growth opportunities in the Australian cherry industry.

“Australian cherries remain competitive in the export market, although production risks, elevated input cost and labour challenges persist for growers,” she said.

Sydney CBD to get a new produce market

Sydney is to get a new gourmet produce market when Quay Quarter Lanes Markets launches on November 9.

The market will bring farm-fresh food to the Sydney CBD and aims to attract over 40 stallholders, including farmers, bakers, makers, cooks, picklers, roasters, growers and gourmet retailers.

The market will be held once a month and bring the laneways of Quay Quarter, on Loftus Lane, to life.

The market is a new event from Cambridge Markets Sydney in collaboration with Quay Quarter Lanes and City of Sydney.



It will feature local retailers including Zini Gelato, Adora Chocolates and Bubble Nini Teas.

The market will also showcase Cambridge Markets’ stallholders, from Prickle Hill Farms, Brickfields, Berliner Bakery, Stephen Hodges Fish, Savannah Estate Winery, Brother Mountain Macadamias, Rita’s Organic Farms, Noble Organics meats, West Walla organic eggs, Le Saucier pasta sauces and Bacca cured meats.

There will also be coffee and pastry from the bakery of CBD restaurant, Grana, which neighbours Quay Quarter Lanes. Adding to the mix will be tacos from Jeerys and sweet treats from Thicc Cookies.

Quay Quarter Lanes Markets will take place on the second Wednesday of the month, from 8am-2pm.

There will also be live music and entertainment.

Cambridge Markets director and organiser Rebecca Fox said the launch of the market would be an important step in connecting people who live and work in the city centre with fresh local food and quality producers.

“One of the great things about markets is the connections they cultivate,” Fox said. “When we take a produce market to a community, it’s an opportunity for people to get out and actually talk to a farmer, or a grower, or the man who baked the bread, people they might not meet regularly.

“We have producers and markers at our markets who do everything from cure fish to pickle olives to make small-batch gin and they have such great stories about how and why they do what they do."

The market has been made possible due to a Precinct Activation Grant from City of Sydney. The grant is being overseen by The Freelance Consultancy Group (TFCG).

“We are delighted to bring a new event back to the area after a few challenging years,” said Genevieve Deslandes of TFCG. “You can expect many surprises, live music and plenty of community initiatives on a monthly basis.”

See cambridgemarkets.com.au

TV chef lifts the bar at Hobart waterfront eatery

Celebrity chef Ben Milbourne has joined the team at Peacock and Jones restaurant within The Henry Jones Art Hotel building; located in the heart of Hobart’s historic Hunter Street waterfront district. 

Milbourne is the new culinary creator in an eatery that showcases Tasmanian produce, combining a connection of place and history with some of the state’s best farmers.

Head chef Ishan Acharya is this week launching a new menu that showcases seasonal local ingredients and stories of the people who grow them. I'll report back later this week after doing a rigorous taste test.

Milbourne connects with producers while Acharya showcases the harvest.

A former contestant on MasterChef Season 4 and MasterChef: Back to Win, Milbourne is best known as the host of the TV food series Left Off the Map.

He has over 10 years of experience building relationships with Tasmanian farmers, fishers, growers and makers, as well as working with some of the most experienced chefs in the business.

“It’s a really exciting partnership and one that sits perfectly with my ethos,” says Milbourne. “Tasmania has the best producers in the country and this is an opportunity to really elevate and celebrate their diversity at Peacock and Jones.

“Our new menu not only features the produce, but also shares the incredible stories of the people who are dedicated to the quality and sustainability.

“From Lyndall Farm lamb to Leap Farm curdy to Robbins Island Wagyu, Tassie’s absolute best is on the menu. Here we can literally have the produce harvested and on the plate that same night. It doesn’t get more special than that.”

Head chef Acharya was previously senior sous chef at the two-hatted Bert’s Bar & Brasserie in Newport and two-hatted Bistro Moncur in Woollahra as well as working at The Bathers’ Pavilion and Pier.

“Our philosophy is simple - we are inspired by what grows here,” he says. “We are blessed as chefs that we can jump into the car and see our producers pulling up vegetables, processing the goat milk or digging up our truffles.”

The menu will change and adapt as dictated by the seasons.

Highlights include charcoal calamari with ink emulsion, fennel cream and seafood cracker (above); Lyndall Farm lamb with fermented black barley, spinach and Leap Farm curdy; Strelleyfield free-range duck with radicchio and sweet potato, and Robbins Island rump cap.

The 50-seat restaurant flows from tables inside to a light-filled atrium, separated by a glass wine cellar.

Peacock and Jones is at 33 Hunter Street, Hobart, and serves dinner Wednesday-Saturday. See peacockandjones.com.au