Chocolate Dumpling Recipe

Thursday, 26 August 2010 16:20

Dark & white chocolate dumplings with cinnamon ice cream

Philip Johnson, from Eating In

Philip Johnsons New Book

Thursday, 26 August 2010 14:40

‘When we invite friends and family to dine with us, although we go to a lot of effort to prepare delicious food, the rewards of seeing people come together at the table, to talk, laugh and indulge, make it worthwhile.’

– Philip Johnson

Eating In is a collection of the very best recipes from award-winning chef Philip Johnson. Reflecting his signature style, these recipes are a celebration of the dishes which have been a constant favourite at his ever popular Brisbane bistro, e’cco.  Philip Johnson is chef and owner of e’cco and his recently opened offshoot, e’cco bar, in Brisbane. New Zealand born, he has become one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs and has a devout local following. He opened e’cco in 1995 and proceeded to win the Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year Award only two years later.

You can buy Eating In at your local specialty bookstore, alternatively you can purchase it online here

EAFE delicious dinner with guest chef, Brett Graham

Thursday, 19 August 2010 09:40

Following the celebrations of the Awards evening EAFE along with delicious magazine, Henschke & Sanpellegrino hosted a reader dinner at glass brasserie, Hilton Sydney.  The menu consisted of a six courses, with each dish matched with a Henschke wine.  Each course was designed and cooked by a Young Chef winner from 2005 –to 2009 with the additional course cooked by our 2010 Guest of Honour, Brett Graham.    The kitchen was overseen by Joe Pavlovich, Luke Mangan’s Executive Chef.

Hosted by delicious Food Director, Valli Little and Luke Mangan, guests were served by glass brasserie's fabulous front of house team with two special guests, Jai Leighton & Leanne Altmann, our Young Waiter winners from 2007 and 2008 respectively.

All in all, the evening was a fantastic success with guests being given the unique experience to taste, see and hear about the exceptional styles of food that these talented individuals have to offer. We would like to thank all the chefs and waiters involved with special thanks to Johann Henschke for attending and talking about the wonderful wines served on the night.

Glass Brasserie, Hilton Sydney

Staff Briefing

Valli Little, Food Director, delicious Australia & Luke Mangan

Potato with leek and mustard cloud - Matt Dempsey, EAFE Young Chef Winner 2009

Henschke Tilly's Vineyard 2008

Smoked Salmon with peapuree, anchovies, yuzu dressing and avruga caviar - Beau Vincent, Youg Chef Winner 2006

Henschke Louis Semillon 2008

Silk purse with Hunter Valley Snails, young garlic and green sauce - Jake Nicolson, Young Chef Winner 2008

Henschke Johann's Garden 2008

Should of baby lamb with baked baby jersalem artichokes, winter savory and black truffle - Brett Graham, EAFE 2010 Guest of Honour

Henschke Henry's Seven 2008

White chocolate emulsion with blood orange sorbet - Kenneth Bryce, Young Chef Winner 2005

Henschke Muscat of Tappa Pass 2008

Lemon & hazlenut millefeuille - Melanie Gowers, Young Chef Winner 2007

Henschke Muscat of Tappa Pass 2008

Guest of delicous, Johann Henschke

Guests were lucky enough to be seved by Jai Leighton, Young Waiter Winner 2007, and Leanne Altmann, Young Waiter Winner 2008

Some of EAFEs 2010 National Finalists and their partners enjoying the evenings festivities!

Fellow chefs and old friends of Brett Graham; Justin & Georgia North, Matthew Kemp & Warren Turnbull

Kitchen brigade hard at work!

photographs by domandheath.com

2010 Winners Announced

Wednesday, 11 August 2010 12:00

On Monday night our 2010 Electrolux Appetite for Excellence national winners were announced at an exclusive reception held at the Electrolux Showcase, Sydney, attended by Australia's leading chefs, restaurateurs and food industry luminaries.

Richard Wilkins hosted the awards presentation alongside Luke Mangan and the guest of honour, Brett Graham, ex-pat and multi-Michelin starred chef and owner of London's The Ledbury.  Guests included Peter Gilmore (Quay), Justin and Georgia North (Becasse), Christine Manfield (Universal), Philip Johnson(e'cco), Cath Claringbold, food commentator Lyndey Milan & some past finalists of the program including Massimo Mele(Hugos Manly), Adam D'Sylva(Coda), Jake Nicolson(Circa, the Prince), Penny Grant(Maze), Leanne Altman(Cutler&Co) & Jai Leighton(Hilton,Melbourne).

Over the last few months, the 2010 winners have competed in a range of hospitality challenges to prove their culinary skills including mystery box cook offs, customer service tests, food and wine knowledge tests and one-on-one interviews, all under careful scrutiny of a judging panel comprised of Australia's leading chefs and hospitality leaders

The winners receive a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience to expand their food and wine skills, learn from some of the world's best chefs and be inspired by an amazing overseas trip.  What another fantastic young group of up and coming hospitality talent.  We offer not only the winners our congratulations but all of the contestants who entered Appetite for Excellence this year!  For those of you that didn’t manage to enter this year, we hope you are now inspired and that we will see your entries next year!

The 2010 Electrolux Appetite for Excellence winners across three award categories are:

Electrolux Young Chef

Winner: Soren Lascelles, Assiette, Sydney, NSW (left)

Runner Up: Danika Heslop, Quay, Sydney, NSW (middle)

Judges Acknowledgement: Emma Shearer, The Manse, Adelaide, SA (right)

Electrolux Young Waiter

Winner: Louise Tamayo, Becasse, Sydney, NSW (left)

Runner Up: Josh Smith, Black Cow Bistro, Launceston, TAS (middle)

Judges Acknowledgement:  Aaron Christian, Georges on Waymouth, SA (right)

Electrolux Young Restaurateurs

Winner: Kim Coronica, Richmond Hill Café & Larder, VIC

Winner: Thomas Moore, Grazing, Gundaroo, NSW

EAFE 2010 Produce Tour - Part Two

Friday, 06 August 2010 00:00

We know you have been waiting patiently to see some more gorgeous pictures of what was an incredibly invigorating week on the road meeting a selection of NSWs passionate producers and hospitality professionals.  We hope you enjoy the photos and are thinking of ways you can get involved in the program next year so you too could have the opportunity to have such an experience!

EAFE Team

Yulgilbar Station

Yulgilbar, today remains one of the few pioneering studs still operating.

Sam Hordern founded Yulgilbar Santa Gertrudis Stud as stud number 13. He was at that time a founding member of King Ranch Australia and was the foundation president of Santa Gertrudis breeders Australia Association. Today, Yulgilbar Station is owned by Sarah and Baillieu Myer (Sarah is Sam’s daughter) and has been in the Myer family since Sam’s death in 1960. The property is now managed by Rob and Lorraine Sinnamon.

Armstrong Oysters

Armstrong Oysters have been going strong for the past 40 years. It is family owned and operated and resides in the beautiful Camden Haven, Laurieton. It is now in its second generation, with 40 years of knowledge & experience in the Oyster farming industry, harvesting their Oysters 12 months of the year.

Armstrong Oysters are busy suppliers, supplying wholesalers up to Queensland and as far down to Victoria. They also supply Oysters direct to Restaurants, Wholesale seafood outlets and farmers markets Australia Wide. Armstrong Oysters are fast becoming one of the largest producers of Sydney Rock Oysters in NSW with an annual harvest of three to four million oysters per year.

Great Lakes Beef

A popular family run winery and Angus beef cattle enterprise, Great Lakes Beef is nestled in the hinterland of the Great Lakes region on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.   As many people have discovered Great Lakes have over the past 8 years been slowly growing a herd of premium Angus beef cattle that now allows them to offer their customers “hormone free, milk and grass fed Angus beef”.

We were not only treated to a tour of the cattle farm but lucky enough to be talked through a beef butchery lesson and masterclass taught by head chef and owner of restaurant Balzac in Sydney, Matthew Kemp.  Just when we thought it couldn't get any better we all sat down to a divine lunch.

Great Lakes Beef use sustainable farming practices which results in animals drinking clean water, eating better quality grass and living a low stress life.  They say you can taste the difference and we agree!

Dinner at Margan with Ian Atkinson, 2009 EAFE young chef finalist

Friday - Hunter Valley

Friday was a busy day!  Our day started with a Sanpellegrino and Aqua Panna Water Tutorial, followed by a Champagne Bollinger Tutorial and lastly a Henschke Tutorial.  Like the days previously it didn't stop there... We were extremely lucky to have a stunning lunch cooked for us by three chefs from Hunter Valley Chefs & Co followed by a tour of Brokenwood & a game of cricket!

Sanpellegrino & Aqua Panna

Bollinger

Henschke

Lunch prepared by Hunter Valley Chefs & Co

Brokenwood

Hunter Valley Cheese

Dinner at Verandah Restaurant with Matt Dillow, EAFE 2010 young restaurateur highly commended

On behalf of Electrolux Appetite for Excellence and the 2010 National finalists we would like to thank all of our partners and the many producers that made this a once in a lifetime memorable experience for us all.

Make sure you come back soon to see the photos from our amazing Hunt + Gather Dinner where the finalists prepared a feast using the produce and knowledge they had picked up throughout the week!

photographs by domandheath.com

Georges Providores - Weekly Produce Update

Thursday, 29 July 2010 17:58

VEGETABLES

Vegetables are in good supply considering the cold weather. Broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, pumpkin and zucchinis are all excellent quality. Loose Rocket has been in short supply for the last week and half, this is due to the extreme cold weather which has frozen over majority of the crop and is unable to pick.