FOOD BITES Lisa Rockman
May 21, 2022 - FOOD & DRINK Lisa Rockman
May 3 2022
FOOD FIGHT 2022: FOUR OF AUSTRALIA’S BEST CHEFS TO BATTLE IT OUT IN THE HUNTER
The Hunter Culinary Associations Food Fight will return to Crowne Plaza this June.
The Hunter Valley Food and Wine Festival signature event will see four of Australia’s best chefs to battle it out to take home the top prize.
“Having sold out the event to 350 people in 2021 and having to cancel it at the eleventh hour, we’re excited to bring back this event this June,” Hunter Culinary Chairman, Gus Maher said.
“We’re sure that we’ll draw a great crowd from both the industry as well as food lovers from near and far.”
Each year two highly regarded Sydney chefs take on two top names from the Hunter and provide their 300 strong dining audience with an incredible day of food and wine.
After a massive day of entertainment and amazing culinary delights, the audience is then set the task of deciding which chef cooked which dish, and who did it best.
Check out the four chefs who will battle it out this year below..
Joshua Raine
Executive Chef at Tetsuyas – Not a lot of need to say much more, as Josh’ and the famed establishment that he represents are legendary.
Alexis Besseau
Head Chef at Restaurant Hubert – If you’re savvy with the top end of the Sydney food scene, then you’ll know that for us to have Alexis cook for us is pretty special.
Michael Portley
Executive Chef at Humbug Newcastle – Humbug is a new addition to the Newy dining scene, but Mike is certainly no newcomer, having been Head Chef at The Edwards as well working at Bodega Sydney and Africola Adelaide.
Thomas Waite
Sous Chef at Bistro Molines – The old master on the hill just keeps nurturing outstanding Chefs, and word is that Thom’ is one of his best.
The Hunter Culinary Association’s Food Fight will take over Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley on Tuesday 28 June 2022. To secure your tickets visit hunterculinary.com.au/events
March 18, 2022 - FOOD Lisa Rockman
Brett Graham Scholarship winner Jayden Dann "can't wait" to cook at The Ledbury in London
Three aspiring young local chefs went head to head at TAFE NSW Hamilton this week in the final Brett Graham Scholarship cook-off. Up for grabs was an all-expenses paid trip to London to work with Graham at his restaurant The Ledbury, and a $10,000 cash prize.
Competition was fierce but in the end 20-year-old newly qualified chef Jayden Dann of Pokolbin's EXP. restaurant triumphed over Ian Tintero, of The George Tavern in East Maitland, and Jahri Ettridge, who represented Terrigal's Yellowtail.
Dann's entree (veal tartare with a dressing of anchovies, capers and dijon, Jerusalem artichoke crisps, bone fat marrow hollandaise and toasted sourdough), main (ocean trout with seaweed powder, barbecued confit leek, confit fennel, lemon pea purée, fish skin crackle and a creamed leek and bonito sauce) and dessert (chocolate brownie, Guinness and chocolate semifreddo and sourdough meringue) stole the show.
All four judges commented on the "incredible talent" displayed by the competitors.
This year, chief judge Andy Wright, co-founder of the Hunter Culinary Association and now co-proprietor of Pokolbin Catering Co, was joined by Tracey Amos of TAFE NSW, Hunter & Coastal Lifestyle publisher Cornelia Schultz, and Shayne Mansfield of The Flotilla.
Dann, who attended Kandos High School and just completed his TAFE studies, was last year's runner-up and keen to go one step further this time around. "I want each bite to make them question how the dish has been created, and for them to never want the experience to end.”
"Knowing guests are enjoying my food makes every long, hard day worth it.”
"You feel like you are not working but just doing what you love."
Dann has been acting sous chef at EXP. restaurant and, the day after winning the scholarship, was officially appointed sous chef. He's looking forward to The Ledbury experience.
"I'm extremely excited to soak in all the techniques, skills and knowledge. It will be eye-opening for me to watch such a large team working to put together an amazing menu," he says.
"I'll be able to watch how Brett delegates his team and bring that back to my own team and better myself and my peers."
Travel features in this ambitious young chef's immediate future.
"I plan to take the next five years and travel as much as I possibly can, every year being in a different country, and then coming back to the Hunter," Dann says.
"The ultimate goal is to be able to bring back all I have learned and give diners a unique experience in my very own restaurant in about 10 to 12 years' time."
The Brett Graham Scholarship, offered annually by the Hunter Culinary Association in conjunction with TAFE NSW, is now in its 18th year. The aim is to identify and nurture young hospitality talent - be they working in the kitchen or front of house, or are budding sommeliers.
"We are so proud of what we achieve here with our partner TAFE NSW," Hunter Culinary Association chair Gus Maher says.
"Time and again Brett Graham scholars have repaid our investment handsomely, returning to the Hunter, with many now our emerging industry leaders."
The proof is in the pudding. Previous scholarship winners include chefs the calibre of Troy Rhoades Brown (Muse), Garreth Robbs (Bistro Molines), Chris Thornton (Restaurant Mason), George Mirosevich (Signal Box), and Josh Gregory (Muse Kitchen).
22nd December 2021 - FOOD & WINE Lisa Rockman
LISA MARGAN LAUDED
Lisa Margan was guest of honour at Hunter Culinary Association’s end-of-year lunch at Bimbadgen last week.
She received the association’s award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual, which recognises “a person who has been instrumental over a number of years in representing the Hunter region’s culinary industry with distinction”.
Margan, co-owner of Margan Restaurant & Wines at Broke, is a qualified chef who kicked off her career in the Hunter at the Cellar Restaurant under the watchful eye of Robert Molines. She now leads an experienced team at Margan Restaurant who for several years now, have achieved a coveted Good Food Guide Chef’s Hat.
Margan has also served on many industry-related committees.
“I am very proud and humbled by the award” she told Food & Wine.
“I have been on the HCA executive for more than a decade, many of that as deputy chair, and I have loved working alongside a group of passionate hospitality (mostly) industry professionals.
“I have been working in the region for decades now and it has been inspiring to witness the rise and rise of the culinary scene in the Hunter. We have such quality and diversity, from casual dining all the way through the hatted restaurants, and it is great to see the region truly ‘on the map’ for the food and wine lover.
“Hunter Culinary Association supports the people, food and wine producers and venues in this industry across our region and I have loved being part of that. I am also proud to be the first woman (solely) to be awarded this and I look forward to applauding many more as there are so many women in our industry quietly achieving great things.”
Association chairman Gus Maher said Margan had “arguably done more that anyone to raise the profile of both food and wine, which are inextricably linked to tourism in the Hunter region.”
“Lisa is retiring from our committee after 11 years of service to the industry; in that time she has been instrumental in both the promotion of our industry, but also in achieving our other key aim which is nurturing young and aspiring chefs through scholarships” he added.
30th June 2021 by Lisa Rockman
29th June 2021
7 June 2021 - Alissa McCulloch
Ahead of Hunter Culinary Association Annual Food Fight | 28 Jun
The annual Hunter Culinary Food Fight is just around the corner, and this year’s line-up is as impressive as ever.
Chefs Mitchell Beswick (Muse Restaurant), Sam Alexander (Yellow Billy Restaurant), Andrew Wandless (Una Más - Coogee Pavilion), and Alex Prichard (Icebergs Dining Room and Bar) will go head-to-head in the kitchen.
Undoubtedly one of the best days out in the Hunter Valley, with more than 200 people expected to attend the competition is fierce and the atmosphere is buzzing.
Hosted once again by Colin Fassnidge and Matt Kemp, who are long-time supporters of the Hunter Culinary Association, HCA Chairman Gus Maher said, “Each of these talented chefs has earned their stripes at some of the world’s most prestigious Michelin-starred and hatted restaurant, so guests will be dining at an incredibly high standard.”
See Full Story including Q&A with Mitch Beswick and Sam Alexander