Gourmet Kitchen

The theme for this year’s Gourmet Kitchen program is ‘sustainability’. We all want to reduce our carbon footprint when it comes to the consumption of wine, food and travel, but sometimes, it’s just difficult to know where to start and what it all means, particularly if you add having a family into the mix.  

We hope to change that or at least point you in the right direction. We’ve put together a program that is inspiring, entertaining and educational, packed with great chefs, winemakers and travel experts who are incredibly passionate about sustainability.

They’ll give some great insights cooking, wine, travel, why sustainability is important to them and their business, how we can all live more sustainably, teach us about seasonality and sourcing regional products – just to get things started.

Think you’re a chef in the making?

Fancy yourself as a budding chef? (or you know someone else who is...?) Do you have a cracking signature dish that everyone loves? 

Then we want you to hear from you! This is your opportunity to cook your dish live on the 'Gourmet Kitchen' cooking stage along with the chance to WIN some great prizes!

To enter, simply send us a 40 second video of you cooking up a storm in your kitchen. It’s that easy. Full terms and conditions, online entry form, and prize draw details can be found at www.winefoodhotel.com/promotion

ENTER today!

www.winefoodhotel.com/page/view/promotions-3/

Gourmet Kitchen Stage 2010

Printable Timetable »

Please note that timetables, speakers and topics may be subject to change at short notice

Peter Popow - Head Chef The Meat and Wine Co

Peter Popow, currently the Head Chef at the Meat &Wine Co, is originally from Poland, but has spent more than a decade in Melbourne kitchens practicing his impressive culinary skills.

The Meat and Wine Co besides being famous for the quality and consistency of their steaks and ribs, also displays a suprising menu that has something for everyone, including Australian premium game, seafood, chicken and vegetarian dishes for variety. The impressive menu is complimented by an extensive wine selection, displayed in a glowing staircase of wine - the signature feature of this contemporary steakhouse.

When asked why the Meat and Wine Co’s menu has been so successful, Peter states,
“I have the freedom to express my own creativity and experiment with only the freshest and best available products and ingredients. He states humbly “our customer’s can taste this, and I know that’s why they keep coming back”.

Naomi Crisante

Naomi Crisante is a food educator, television presenter and food writer with wide media experience including TV, radio and live presentations at key food events.

Naomi has a natural creative flair for food and presenting, thanks to her background as a cooking teacher, recipe writer, food stylist and test kitchen manager. Her recipe style is inspiring yet accessible, with smart ideas that are quickly understood and can be easily adopted by most cooks.

Currently a regular presenter on WIN TV’s Alive and Cooking program and well-known as the face of Cheese Matters, you can find out more about Naomi at www.naomicrisante.com.au

Anna Spurling - Director | La Madre Bakery

Anna Spurling and her partner in business (and life), Tez Kemp, took over the reigns of Geelong’s La Madre Bakery three years ago. Since then, the couple has put their savvy stamp over the entire operation and offering.

La Madre is now considered one of Australia’s leading artisanal bakery’s and now supplies some of Melbourne and country Victoria’s most acclaimed restaurants, providores and retailers, with the bakery’s specialisation, sourdough. All of their products are crafted using considered techniques and age-old recipes, and it’s all hand-made with a capital N “No” to preservatives, improvers or any other additives. The full suite of La Madre breads not only features sourdough in all its tin, bun, baguette, roll, cob, fruit-laden and rye-combo forms, but also a ‘traditional’ range, as well as pastries and sweet seasonal treats. They have also recently developed a range of breads utilising an ancient grain that is experiencing a welcome resurgence, spelt.

What makes Anna get out of bed in the morning is her devotion to creating a truly sustainable, respectful business. Anna has implemented initiatives across the entire operation to create an almost “blue-print” of how small to medium sized businesses can be sustainable if they’re serious about it. This not only includes conducting acute environment audits and implementing efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, but also demands that products are created with great integrity and that the business makes meaningful contributions to the needs of the local community.

It is a truly wholistic approach based on strong personal values. Their win in the Baking Industry Association of Victoria’s “Excellence in Baking” awards with the “2009 Baking Manufacturer of the Year” accolade was an important acknowledgement of Anna’s efforts thus far.

La Madre Bakery

18 Milton Street, Bell Park, VIC 3215
T: 03 5272 1727
E:
W: www.lamadre.com.au

Maurice Esposito and Hilary McNevin - Esposito Restaurant

Maurice Esposito and his wife, Hilary McNevin have a combined total of 35 years experience in the food industry. Together, they own Esposito restaurant in Carlton where Maurice is hands-on owner/chef. 

Maurice began his chef’s training 20 years ago and has worked with Stephanie Alexander and Robert Castellani as well as Richard Neat at the Michelin-star restaurant Pied a Terre in London.

He opened Otto in 2000 in Sydney for Maurice Terzini and on his return to Melbourne, worked as Executive Chef of St Kilda’s The Stokehouse and at Il Bacaro and Sarti in the CBD before buying seafood restaurant Toofeys and turning it into Esposito in 2007.

Esposito’s menu is built around top-quality sustainable seafood, meats and seasonal, local produce.

Hilary worked front-of-house in restaurants for 15 years and when she and Maurice started a family, she went to university to study writing and editing at RMIT.

She is a contributor to Epicure The Age, Winestate Magazine, a restaurant reviewer for The Age Good Food Guide and Cheap Eats and the author of Guide to Fish: Choosing and Cooking Sustainable Species which was published in October 2008.