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Why it’s time to share our food and wine with the world
Why it’s time to share our food and wine with the world
JOHN O’SULLIVAN, TOURISM AUSTRALIA MANAGING DIRECTOR
WE WANT TO SHOWCASE the way food and wine willmake any visit TOAUSTRALIA MEMORABLE.
Highlighting the reality of our exciting world-class food and wine offering is a huge opportunity, and what
the Restaurant Australia concept is all about. JOHN O’SULLIVAN
4
For generations people have travelled to Australia to experience our world-class nature and wildlife. Increasingly, however, more people
are discovering that Australia’s exceptional food and wine experiences are also one of its greatest assets.
With a range and quality of produce that is second to none, combined with a rich history of migration, Australia has become home to one of the most exciting and multicultural cuisines in the world. Chefs, winemakers and producers revel in the creativity of a food and wine culture unbridled by tradition.
Combined with a superb climate, Australia’s food and wine experiences lead us outside to enjoy some of the world’s finest flavours against a backdrop of stunning scenic beauty.
Yet, remarkably, the appeal of Australian food and wine remains one of our best-kept secrets. And therein lies our opportunity.
By tapping into the groundswell of interest globally and the boom in gourmet tourism, we want to showcase the way
Come and feast on our food and wine experiencesA note from John O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Tourism Australia
food and wine will make any visit to Australia memorable – whether it be for business or leisure. The aim is to expand our successful campaign There’s nothing like Australia and for the first time give food and wine a dedicated focus.
Whilst Australia is not automatically associated with having a good food and wine offering amongst those who haven’t visited, once people visit Australia the destination catapults to near the top of the culinary rankings, behind only France and ahead of Italy.
Closing this perception gap and highlighting the reality of our exciting world-class food and wine offer is a huge opportunity, and what the Restaurant Australia concept is all about.
Now is the time to bring our culinary assets to the fore and put Australia on the global food and wine map once and for all.
I hope you’ll join in sharing Australia’s outstanding food and wine experiences with the world.
Prep work
Introduction 06
Opportunity 16
Ingredients
Aims 18
Thinking 22
Recipe for success
Essence 30
Restaurants 33
Wine 34
Produce 36
Trails 38
People 40
Experiences 42
Festivals 44
Restaurant Australia 46
Get involved 50
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2041
CONTENTS
5
CONTENTS
The world is simmering with culinary desire. A passion for food and wine, from the USA to Asia and beyond, is stirring a zeitgeist
that has turned chefs, producers and winemakers into the new rock stars. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list causes social media meltdowns as the dining-ob-sessed clamour to be first with the news, millions tune in to watch Masterchef contestants test their culinary skills, and larger-than-life personalities like Heston Blumenthal, Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson tantalise a global audience of unprecedented proportions.
There’s a healthy obsession with produce, too, as “provenance” becomes the new buzzword and food lovers demand a deeper connection to what they’re eating and drinking. Seeking out real and authentic experiences, they relish the opportunity to meet winemakers, farmers, butchers and chefs - touching, tasting and testing their knowledge.
With such a voracious appetite for all things gastronomic the world over, it’s little wonder that gourmet tourism is
booming. And Australia couldn’t be better placed to satisfy the need. Here we’re as food-mad as the rest, perhaps more so.
In only a generation our evolving cuisine is finding its place as one of the most sophisticated, fresh and exciting in the world with our diverse migrant history giving us a distinctive multicultural style. Our wines regularly win major trophies at the biggest international competitions and our unique produce is renowned, from outstanding seafood, lamb and wagyu beef to, increasingly, indigenous ingredients like quandongs, saltbush leaves and lemon myrtle.
Add the relaxed, no-pretension-allowed hospitality that runs through our top restaurants to our cafes, pubs, bars and cellar doors, not to mention some of the world’s most spectacular settings, and the reasons to put Australia on top of a gourmet traveller’s wish list are compelling.
As Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker, says, “An investment in the food and wine credentials of Australia can only mean great things for all of us”.
Why Australia is spectacularly well-placed to attract the growing wave of food and wine-loving travellers.
The world goes gourmet
Clockwise from top left: Pialligo Estate Winery, ACT; Dining, Darwin Waterfront, NT; Australia has some of the best salmon in the world; Sydney’s Chiswick restaurant; Wyndham Estate, NSW; our fresh seafood is renowned.
6
PREP WoRk INTRODUCTION
WITH SUCH A vORACIOUS
AppETITEfOR ALL THINgSgASTRONOMICTHE WORLd OvER,IT’S LITTLE WONdER THATgOURMET TOURISMIS BOOMINg.
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the perception is thatit’s almost ‘throw anothershrimp on the barbie.’
CHEf AND RESTAURATEUR NEIL PERRy
Living here in Australia, surrounded by the rich bounty of the country’s food, wine and specialty beverages, it’s hard to imagine
that people who have never visited have little knowledge of the depth of our gastronomic experiences. Whether it’s lovingly made sourdough, tender sweet lamb, freshly caught Kingfish, vibrant Riesling or sun-kissed mangoes – we really are spoilt for choice.
Stepping inside our restaurants, so emphatically endorsed for their exciting food, warm hospitality and stunning locations, is a chance to experience the culinary creativity of some of the best international chefs in the world. Visiting a cellar door too is quite out of the ordinary and can often end in a private chat and tasting with the winemaker on a vine covered slope or picture-perfect valley.
Despite these attributes, Australian food and wine is, incredibly, one of the world’s best kept secrets.
Perhaps it’s because of the relative youth of our industries. In world terms, Australia is a teenager, not constrained by established culinary tradition. Unlike places such as France or Italy, we are not naturally associated with a long heritage of food and wine.
Or perhaps we’re struggling to shrug off the knockabout image of our past. We
all love a barbecue – even with a prawn or shrimp, as our friends in the USA would say – but this stereotyping of Australian food, up there with meat pies, pavlova and beer, has left a limited impression that doesn’t capture the depth of quality and sophistication of Australia’s modern food and wine culture.
The quality of our wine and other beverages, too, needs to be reinforced. Australia is one of the most outstanding wine-producing countries in the world, attracting growing interest from markets such as China while traditional markets such as the USA and UK are still discovering the appeal of our premium labels. And there is a growing range of premium distilleries, coffee and tea products ready to be discovered.
And here’s the opportunity, as the following pages show. Food and wine experiences are a key driver in holiday deci-sion-making, yet Australia isn’t necessarily considered a premier destination for the increasing number of gourmet travellers. Not surprisingly, though, once people have visited they associate Australia strongly with good food and wine, ranking us in the top three countries, behind only France and ahead of Italy.
Our food and wine make a great story. We need to tell the world.
The world needs to know our food and wine secrets.
A story to be told
INTRODUCTION PREP WoRk
9
Rated as: 36% of participants rate ‘good food, wine, local cuisine and produce’ as among the top 5 most important factors when choosing a holiday destination.
Tourism Australia conducted a Consumer Demand Research Project in 15 of Australia’s key tourism markets. The research identified that ‘food and wine’ was a key factor in holiday decision-making and the most important emotive trigger closely followed by world-class beauty.
fOOd ANd WINE: A KEY dRIvER
A safe and secure destination
A destination that offers value for money
Good food, wine, local cuisine and produce
World class beauty and natural environments
Interesting attractions to visit
Rich history and heritage
Friendly and open citizens, local hospitality
A family friendly destination
Spectacular coastal scenery
Clean cities, good infrastructure
47%
39%
38%
37%
36%
30%
27%
22%
20%
19%
PREP WoRk INTRODUCTION
10
Dining at Sean’s Panaroma, Sydney, NSW.
12
FRANCE
ITALY
SPAIN
GERMANY
JAPAN
AUSTRALIA
MEXICo
ARGENTINA
USA
THAILAND
FRANCE
ITALY
JAPAN
GERMANY
SPAIN
HoNG koNG
THAILAND
ARGENTINA
USA
AUSTRALIA
visited AustraliaNot visited Australia
Southern ocean Lodge, Luxury Lodges of Australia, kangaroo Island, SA.
THE pERCEpTION gAp
66%
60%
58%
40%
34%
34%
31%
30%
29%
21% 25%
22%
22%
24%
26%
29%
31%
33%
57%
60%
The research also found that of those who have not been to Australia only 26% associated it with ‘good food and wine’. But that figure rose dramatically to 60% among those who have visited. In fact, Australia is ranked the No. 1 destination for food and wine for visitors who have previously travelled here from China, the UK, the USA, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.
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INTRODUCTION PREP WoRk
13
1 There is a significant perception gap on the quality
of Australia’s food and wine between those who have visited Australia and those who have not.
People travel to experience difference. There is a need to
define Australia’s food and wine experiences.
3
Australia is a dream destination but we want to make it the next destination.
INSIgHTS
5The low association between quality dining and Australia could be related to the deeply entrenched and outdated perceptions in the international marketplace. perceptions need to change to reflect the reality of our food and wine offering.
In some key markets, there is a gap between aspiration and actual visitation.
food and wine is an area where we have a great opportunity to stand out – a missing ingredient we can use to reignite people's passion for Australia and help reduce over-familiarity and become new and exciting.
4
The research indicates food and wine is a key driver of tourism, which is
supported by the current global trend of gourmet tourism.
2
PREP WoRk INTRODUCTION
14
15
With the rise of gourmet tourism being one of the strongest travel trends globally, food and wine
have the power to take Australian visitor numbers to new heights.
The world is travelling on its belly, with food fanatics seeking out hands-on experiences, hidden gems and unique flavours. Beyond restaurants, the culinary explorer is looking for discreet pockets of gastronomic excellence only the locals know about, the more authentic the better, which bodes well for the future
of Australian tourism and our flourishing food and wine industry. The opportunity is immense, with the growth in popularity of gourmet tourism placing food and wine firmly on the travel industry agenda. And Tourism Australia’s ambition is to increase overnight tourism expenditure to between $115 and $140 billion annually by 2020.
“There’s no reason why we can’t put this country on the global food and wine map once and for all,” says Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker.
Peter Gilmore, Executive Chef of Quay
The growth of gourmet tourism is a billion-dollar opportunity.
Unlocking the gems
16
PREP WoRk OPPORTUNITY
restaurant in Sydney, shares Gago’s optimism. “Australia offers an incredible diverse range of environments to enjoy food and wine. It’s an experience we can offer people overseas that you just can’t have anywhere else,” he says.
We’ve always had the water, the sun, the seafood and the easygoing Australian sense of hospitality, according to food writer Jill Dupleix. “But now there’s a new hunger here to make our way in the world by doing our own thing. That, I think, will put Australia back on the go-to map for travelling food lovers.” The best food
and wine talent in the world is falling over itself to come to Australia, she adds. “Once they get here they can’t believe the produce, the opportunities, the weather or the people.”
“Australia offers an incredible diverse range of environments to enjoy food and wine. It’s an experience we can of-fer people overseas that you just can’t have anywhere else.” PETER GILMORE, EXECUTIVE CHEf – QUAy
The growth of gourmet tourism is a billion-dollar opportunity. Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, Luxury Lodges of Australia, NSW.
Our objectives are:
To make people aware of the unique, high-quality food and wine experiences
in Australia and ensure we move consumers from aspiration to consideration and purchase.
2
To develop a positioning for Australian food and wine to strengthen the
tourism offering and tap into the global food and wine trend.
1what we need to do
18
INGREDIENTS AIMS
18
Left to right: asint, sitatinis dipid magnist,
Star of Greece, Port Willunga, SA.
19
Task 1: “List ways to enjoy food and wine as a tourist”. And so began several sessions over several hours of trying to define
the Australian food and wine experience, firstly among Tourism Australia’s internal management team and later with the invaluable input of industry advocates such as chef and author Maggie Beer, wine authority Jeremy Oliver and Hayley Baillie, of the luxury Baillie Lodges.
Could it be walking the produce trail of
Kangaroo Island or washing down freshly shucked oysters with a glass of Coles Bay bubbles in Tasmania? Buying a bucket of prawns from the Fremantle fish markets or bar-hopping from rooftop to rooftop above Melbourne’s laneways? Sipping a cocktail at Bondi Beach or a craft beer in Cairns, or learning how to make bread from plant seeds on a Top End bush tucker tour?
Defining the Australian food and wine experience was never going to be easy, and the task only emphasised the remarkable
Finding words to sum up our unique qualities.
defining our food and wine culture
20
diversity of what’s on offer. It was going to come down to what is unique.
Yes, the quality of our produce is exceptional and makes our dishes sing; yes, Australians are welcoming, open, authentic, friendly, down-to-earth and generous people; and yes, the landscape is jaw-droppingly beautiful with strong connections to open space and water.
The answer became clear. “What makes our food and wine unique? It’s the combination of three factors: People, Produce, Place,” says Tourism Australia’s
Chief Marketing Officer, Nick Baker. But a positioning statement was needed and a suggestion was put forward: Fresh flavours (produce and creativity), fresh thinking (inventive chefs, new approach to wine-making), open air (world-class beauty and space). After more discussion and more defining of what makes the Australian food and wine experience unique, it was decided that the local culture, native ingredients and a distinctively Australian approach could be captured with one confident change: Fresh thinking, open air, our flavours.
Clockwise from left: Head chef Andrew Dennis of Perfect Drop, Daylesford, VIC; Ananas Bar and Restaurant, Sydney, NSW; Domaine Chandon Winery, VIC; bush tucker produce; Cookie Bar and Restaurant, Melbourne, VIC.
food for thoughtComments that came up during discussions:
• our diversity in food and wine has strengths as well as weaknesses. – chef Michael Moore.
• We should focus on food unique to us and celebrate indigenous ingredients. – Matt Stone.
• The concept of “open” works on several levels: travellers come here to experience open space and open their minds. – Maggie Beer.
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THINKING INGREDIENTS
What makes our food and wine culture different from the rest of the world? Three key words define it.
UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS
pEOpLEFREE THINkING
Welcoming, openness, characters,
multicultural
pLACEoPEN
Weather, sunshine, outstanding
natural beauty
pROdUCEFRESH
Sustainable, diversity, safety,
island nation
2222
INGREDIENTS THINKING
Seaside dining, Port Douglas, QLD.
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Clockwise from left: Sailing on Sydney Harbour, NSW; Margaret River Gourmet Escape, WA; smoked clams, Noosa International Food & Wine Festival, QLD; Saffire Freycinet, Luxury Lodges of Australia, TAS; Seppeltsfield Wines, SA.
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OpENnatural beauty: water, beach and coastal
ROOM TO BREATHEopen air
OUTd
OORS
easeopen-air dining
views
ACCE
SSIB
LE attitude, free-spirited, multicultural
no
bou
nd
arie
s
Expanding on each theme, these words relate to our food and wine personalities as well as our place – Australia’s unique and diverse landscape.
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THINKING INGREDIENTS
fRESHunrestricted approach to food
fresh thinkingIN
vENT
IvE
fun
UNpR
ETEN
TIOU
S
diversity: produce and approachSURpRISINg
Our produce is fresh... and so is the way we approach our food and wine.
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INGREDIENTS THINKING
Fabulous and fresh oysters with a twist.
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Clockwise from left: Bush tucker; Neville Poelina from Uptuyu Aboriginal Adventures, The kimberley, WA; chef Mustapa Jaffar, The Malaya, Sydney, NSW; Dining, Darwin Waterfront, NT; Fino restaurant in Willunga, SA.
TO E
XpLO
RE
OUR fLAvOURSfrom traditional boundaries
welcoming
TO EXpERIMENT
TO C
HALL
ENgE
from convention
from cultural constraints
TO g
IvE
IT A
gO
People are warm and unburdened by centuries of tradition.
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THINKING INGREDIENTS
BEA campaign hero Sounds of Silence, Uluru kata Tjuta Photo: James Fisher
fresh thinking
Open airOur flavOursSix powerful words to encapsulate our people, produce and place.
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ESSENCE RECIPE FoR SUCCESS
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One of the world’s top restaurant critics sums up Australian food with a single word: more. “As in more flavours, maximally
heightened,” Los Angeles Times reviewer Jonathan Gold says.
He might add more freedom, more fun, more fresh produce and, recently, more global recognition. Visiting chefs and industry commentators are stunned by the quality and sophistication of our restaurants, and the diversity of what’s on the menu.
Without the burden of tradition, our chefs have the freedom to be playful and creative, to write their own rules. “[Australia] acts like a sponge,” says David Chang, of Momofuku fame. “And if any country can get away from asking ‘What’s
There are seven categories that could be considered key to our food and wine offering in Australia... starting with restaurants.
World class
our tradition?’ and say ‘Let’s just eat good food’, it’s definitely Australia.”
One of the strongest trends is the use of indigenous ingredients with the welcome appearance of produce such as warrigal greens, lemon myrtle, finger limes, marron and quandongs on menus, reflecting the unique character of our dishes and our sense of place.
Australian restaurants may have a “roll your sleeves up” relaxed feel, – due in part, perhaps, to the weather that draws us outside and towards the water, a verandah or the shade of a gum tree – but they are now known in the global food industry as some of the best in the world. This is reinforced each year by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards that recognise chefs such as Attica’s Ben Shewry, Quay’s Peter Gilmore and expat Australians David Thompson, of Nahm in Bangkok, and Brett Graham, of London’s The Ledbury.
We flirt with different cuisines, techniques and flavours from regions all over the world. But as Chin Chin’s Benjamin Cooper says: “In the end we have a style that is unique to our country, our produce and our passion.”
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Clockwise from left: Chapel Hill Winery, SA; Chin Chin restaurant, Melbourne, VIC; Leeuwin Estate Winery, Margaret River, WA; Freycinet Lodge, Freycinet National Park, TAS; Julaymba Restaurant, Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa, QLD.
• Our east Asian techniques. Australian chefs have embraced this cuisine.
• They are authentic. Australia has an acute sense of itself.
• They are egalitarian. Everyone can afford to
eat well, with a depth of quality at all levels of dining.
• Pretentiousness has no place. They are not overly formal, even at the high end. “We dress down and eat up,” says leading food critic Terry Durack.
More reasons to vISIT Australian restaurants:
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RESTAURANTS RECIPE FoR SUCCESS
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Approachable, unpretentious and gutsy are words that could be used to describe our world- renowned wines, and equally
the people behind them. Walk into almost any cellar door, from the Margaret River region to Tasmania’s Huon Valley, from the Mornington Peninsula to the Hunter or Coonawarra, and you are likely to find yourself chatting to the winemaker and several family members, often second- or third-generation vignerons.
But the relaxed and democratic nature of those in the industry belies our reputation as one of the outstanding wine-producing countries. Our distinctive signature wine, shiraz, is in strong demand the world over. And, according to one of Australia’s foremost wine commentators, Huon Hooke, there are many more varietals exciting international wine lovers. “Our rieslings are well established among cognoscenti, as are
our semillons. No other country makes dry white semillon to rival Australia’s Hunter Valley. And no other country produces the luscious, extremely old fortified wines that Rutherglen does – muscats and tokays.”
For wine-loving tourists, there are more advantages. Most of Australia’s wineries are accessible from the major cities, and if charm and history – and tastings – aren’t enough to satiate enthusiasts, there are tours, quality restaurants and hands-on classes. Wine Australia’s James Gosper says: “Over the last 10 years we have seen Australia’s winemakers become increasingly proud of their wines as true expressions of their culture and environment, and of the characteristics that make our wines stand out from the rest of the world. The diversity of both our wine regions and the personalities of the wine community make for a very exciting journey for travellers”.
Our signature wines have as much personality as their makers.
vintage talent
five reasons to visit Australian wineries – by Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker, Penfolds.
Tour the diverse Australian
landscape and visit the winery homes of a treasured liquid as old as civilisation itself. Big and small, new and old – our wineries offer a different experience and different wines.
A ppreciate one of
life’s hedonistic pursuits, in situ – great wine and food, with great people. “It’s why we work!” Relax, unwind and reward yourself.
See how it’s done. Experience
the intriguing, often mystical, winemaking process… the vineyards, the grapes, the barrels, the bottles. If you’re lucky enough to visit during harvest you can hear/ smell/touch/ taste the vintage.
T erroir, or sense of place, is a
term not owned by the “Old World”. Australia possesses some of the most ancient soils on the planet and some of the world’s oldest vines scattered across our hills and valleys, inland or near the sea.
Embrace and invoke the
effervescent hospitality of the Australian winemaking fraternity, a rich and diverse culture. Why does it always taste better at the winery? Because it does.
The wine list
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS WINE
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Sevenhill Cellars April 2013. Photo: Adam Bruzzone
Gone are the days when we were known for our “big reds” – today’s styles span delicate and unusual varietals reflecting contemporary thinking alongside centuries of tradition.
Sevenhill Cellars, Clare Valley, SA.
When iconic Australian winemaker Peter Lehmann was asked why Australia produced so many different
types and styles of wine, he replied: “Because we bloody well can.
“How boring it would be if every day you just had to produce more bottles of Chateau Lafitte.”
If he’d been talking about food, he’d have given the same answer. With so many different climate zones, from tropical to desert, from temperate to downright arctic, there’s nothing Australia can’t grow or produce.
Australians rejoice in having a range and quality of produce that’s equal to any in the world, grown in a clean, green environment.
They can choose salmon from Tasmania and barramundi from the Northern Territory, oysters from Coffin Bay in South Australia and king prawns all along the eastern coast.
There’s venison from Margaret River or the Adelaide Hills and much prized wagyu beef from many Australian regions, and lamb fed on a diet of lush green pastures. Some of the finest chickpeas in the world come from the Ord River in the far north-west of Australia, with lentils coming from the Wimmera region of Victoria, mangoes from the tropical regions of Queensland and vast citrus orchards growing along the Murray River along with apple orchards in Tasmania.
There are world-class cheeses from
Australia’s fabulous produce is the key to culinary creativity.
Land of plenty
PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUC PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCEPRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCEPRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCEPRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCEPRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS PRODUCE
places like Tasmania’s Bruny Island, rare honey from unpolluted havens such as Kangaroo Island in South Australia, premium extra virgin olive oil from massive olive groves in Victoria, and locally grown coffee from NSW’s North Coast. The produce menu is endless and it includes the bush tucker ingredients of indigenous Australia that are having a growing influence on our distinctive culinary style.
There are also, surprisingly, black truffles, and those from Tasmania and Western Australia in particular, are now filling the seasonal gap in Europe.
Why? As Peter Lehmann said: “Because we can”.
Fruit drying, in the Barossa Valley, SA; Fresh prawns, Balmoral Beach, Sydney, NSW; olive oil, Montalto Vineyard and olive Grove, VIC.
stellar seafoodTasmania’s vast Macquarie Harbour, edged by World Heritage-listed forests and fed by rivers renowned for almost prehistoric beauty, is home to millions of Atlantic salmon. Across Australia, in the heat of The Kimberley, wild barramundi are biting; on the reefs there are coral trout and in the deep seas off South Australia’s Port Lincoln great tuna fish thrive.
It’s the diversity of our marine waters - greater than anywhere on Earth – that makes our seafood unique. So vast is our fishing zone – second only to Russia – that it covers all marine conditions, from tropical to arctic, and almost every type of seafood. In addition, the marine environment is well managed and protected, with fishermen firmly focused on quality and sustainability.
“What is taken, is taken with a great deal of care,” says one of Australia’s foremost seafood experts, John Susman. “Across the board we have a unique environment, a unique approach to fishing which is committed to longevity.”
Our tuna, prawns, crayfish and abalone are world class, but the variety of fish is also what gets top chefs excited: Red Emperor from Queensland, John Dory from NSW, snapper and flathead from Victoria, King George Whiting from South Australia, WA’s Jewfish and, of course, the wild barramundi of the Top End.
Celebrated chef Luke Mangan points to Hiramasa Kingfish and Tasmanian salmon, served sashimi-style, as some of the most popular dishes on his menus.
for George Costi, managing director of De Costi Seafoods, it’s simple: we
have some of the best seafood in the world. “I’ve been
everywhere,” he says, “and I haven’t had
seafood as good as ours here.”
“Australia has the best seafood in the world.” DAVID CHANG, CHEf
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SOuTherN highLANdS, NSWMake a morning stop at Montrose Berry farm in Sutton forest to pick raspberries and purchase house-made berry pies. follow with lunch at the award-winning Biota in Bowral.
The POAcher’S WAy, AcT/NSWPick up smoked goods like lamb, haddock and chicken from Poachers Pantry, then head to Grazing in Gundaroo for a modern European bistro lunch. End the day at Mount Majura Vineyard’s cellar door.
FLeurieu PeNiNSuLA, SAJust a short drive from Adelaide, try biodynamic shiraz and
chardonnay at Paxton Vineyards in McLaren Vale. Their cellar door, Landcross farm, was once a sheep and wheat farm. Stop by fino restaurant for a lunch made with local, seasonal produce.
POrT dOugLAS, QLdOnly an hour’s drive from Cairns, the town’s Sunday morning markets are the spot to sip on a coconut juice while perusing local produce.
yArrA VALLey, VicVisit Innocent Bystander to sample local cheeses, plus breads and baked goods made on-site. Taste méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines at Domaine Chandon.
PerTh hiLLS, WAChoose from three wine trails in the Perth Hills: Chittering Valley, Bickley Valley and Mundaring. Stop at Milbrook Winery for a dinner featuring West Australian fare, like roasted Manjimup marron.
NOrTh-WeST TASmANiAIn Elizabeth Town, Ashgrove Cheese farm offers traditional and specialty cheddars, like the Leicester-style Rubicon Red.
NTWander through Mindil Beach Markets as the sun sets, tasting fare from across the globe from Dutch poffertjes to Thai papaya salad, plus local crocodile burgers.
TRY THIS SAMpLE Of day trip food trails
Travel itineraries can be arranged around many an interest: museums, shopping, art galleries. But, for culinary enthusiasts, food and
wine trails are the only way to plan a trip, punctuating the journey with memorable dining experiences – and Australia presents a bounty of options.
“Australia’s warm climate and vast territory provide perfect conditions for
bountiful yet diverse harvests,” says food writer and television personality Lyndey Milan. “Add to this the hard work, generosity, innovative nature and open minds of Australian farmers, vignerons, producers and chefs, and you have a unique cuisine brought to life by the people, the climate and the land in a vast array of capital city and regional locations, each brimming with their own character.”
Food and wine trails provide the perfect combo of travel and taste.
ON THE HUNT
Regional dish, Maslin Beach, Fleurieu Peninsula in SA.
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS TRAILS
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When chef Ben Shewry’s Attica restaurant in Melbourne rocketed to No. 21 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants
list, making it the top restaurant in Australasia, the first thing he did was grab his board and go surfing.
It was typical of the down-to-earth, unpretentious style that characterises so many in Australia’s food and wine firmament. They go for gold and win it, then settle down for a beer with their mates.
Australia is a wonderful mix of indigenous culture and migrants from all over the
world, a melting pot of traditions that lives on strongly in many communities. But our chefs and winemakers aren’t captive to those traditions. They’re the renegades of the New World, who give a respectful nod to history before leading us into new adventures.
Industry icons Cheong Liew and Tetsuya Wakuda pioneered the art of fusing Asian flavours with European techniques; Peter Conistis took the food of his Greek heritage and made it his own; the flavours of our indigenous heritage are finally making their mark; and several of our finest chefs,
Visitors love the down-to-earth nature of our people.
Clockwise from left: Balla restaurant, Sydney, NSW; Finishing touches, Margaret River Gourmet Escape, WA; Bill Biscoe at Seppeltsfield Winery, Barossa Valley, SA; a competitor in the cocktail competition, Noosa International Food & Wine Festival, QLD; executive chef Gary Cooper of Bella Vedere, Yarra Valley, VIC; Chef preparing dishes at Pod Food in Pialligo, ACT; one of Australia’s leading chefs and restaurateurs, Neil Perry.
Easygoing excellence
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“our food is a mixture, a blend, in exactly the same way that our population is a mixture.”NEIL PERRy, CHEf AND RESTAURATEUR
including Neil Perry and Luke Mangan, take influences from Asia, Italy and Spain to produce uniquely Australian dishes that showcase their exemplary skills and the depth and quality of our produce.
Robert Hill Smith heads Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, dating from 1849, and is a staunch protector of family tradition – yet he leads the charge with new wine styles and varieties. At the other end of the spectrum are young winemakers who ferment biodynamic wine in huge ceramic eggs or serve it rudely fresh from demijohns on bar counters.
Benjamin Cooper, from Melbourne’s Chin Chin, believes there is a warmth to our hospitality and a genuine enthusiasm. “A lot of it comes down to people,” he says. “Australians have a terrific attitude to dining and cooking. We’ve embraced all these cultures, ditched a lot of the stuffy tradition and bring a genuine passion to what we do.”
No longer content with fine dining, food lovers are hungry for culinary experiences.
Adventurous appetites
dining out in Australia is sure to result in a memorable meal, but impassioned food lovers increasingly want to go a step
further. They long to don their gumboots and get their hands dirty, to taste and smell and touch the produce, meet the growers, chefs and winemakers, and learn new skills.
These experiences give the opportunity to interact with food and wine at a deeper level, and there are plenty of options to choose from around Australia. The country’s expansive coastline lends itself to sea-going fare. At the Freycinet Marine Oyster Farm, guests from Tasmania’s Saffire hotel are kitted out in waterproof gear to explore Pacific oyster beds. The harvest is then sampled on-site, freshly shucked, served with a glass of champagne.
In the Northern Territory, fish for barramundi, Spanish mackerel and longtail tuna in Howard Springs, then feast on the day’s catch for dinner at Arnhemland Barra Fishing Lodge. Down south, jump aboard a boat tour to the
world’s southernmost vineyard to savour a lunch of cheese, berries and salmon sourced from the Bruny Island surrounds.
Heading inland, visit the Hunter Valley’s award-winning Tyrrell’s Wines. Founded in 1858, take a private tasting at its original homestead of the ‘Winemaker’s Selection’ range of wines.
In Canberra, visitors can go on hunts through truffieres – or truffle farms – alongside local growers and dogs following the sought-after fungi’s scent, then taste the unearthed truffles there and then. “Many people don’t get the opportunity to visit a farm and harvest hands-on,” says Lana Mitchell, co-ordinator of the annual Canberra Truffle Festival (trufflefestival.com.au). Searching for the produce and savouring it enhances the experience, she adds. “The truffle is not just any product – normally grown in the wild forests of France and ripening in the dead of winter, there is a certain mystique about it.”
The people who seek out these food experiences aren’t after fine dining alone – they want a culinary adventure.
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS ExPERIENCES
Take a food tour VicTOriAcOuNTry: Wine Tours Victoria makes daily trips to the yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Macedon Ranges (winetours.com.au).ciTy: Melbourne food Experiences hosts gourmet tours, including Italian and Vietnamese hot spots (melbournefoodexpe-riences.com.au).
QueeNSLANdcOuNTry: Go to the Atherton Tablelands with food Trail Tours and visit a macadamia farm and cheesemonger (foodtrailtours.com.au).ciTy: food Tour T offers two tours in Brisbane: ‘sensational flavours’ and ‘gourmet gardens’ (foodtourt.com).
NeW SOuTh WALeScOuNTry: Pair up with foodPath for farm and food tours in the Southern Highlands (foodpath.com.au).ciTy: Take a ‘walking safari’ food tour with television presenter Maeve O’Meara through Sydney (gourmetsafaris.com.au).
TASmANiAcOuNTry: Pennicott Wilderness Journeys manages the Bruny Island Traveller cruise tour (pennicottjourneys.com.au).ciTy: Gourmania runs tours on the best of Hobart (gourmaniafoodtours.com.au).
WeSTerN AuSTrALiAcOuNTry: The ‘indulgence winery tour’ also includes beer, chocolate and cheese. Swan Valley Tours (svtours.com.au). ciTy: Word Of Mouth food Tours in Perth has progressive lunches (womtours.com.au).
NOrTherN TerriTOrycOuNTry: Ayers Rock Resort has tours through the nearby Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (ayersrockresort.com.au). ciTy: Slow food Darwin runs tours exploring local food (slowfooddarwin.com.au).
SOuTh AuSTrALiAcOuNTry: Barossa Taste Sensations showcases the produce and wine of the region (barossatastesensations.com).ciTy: Taste the flavours of Adelaide with Top food & Wine tours (topfoodandwinetours.com.au).
Foraging at Patrizia Simone’s Country Cooking school, High Country Harvest Festival, VIC; lunch in the Smokehouse Cafe, Poachers Pantry and Wily Trout Vineyard, ACT.
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Food festivals are the ultimate expression of the ritual of dining together, inviting guests en masse to culinary experiences beyond the
bounds of a typical restaurant. “Food festivals are increasingly part of
Australia’s growing food culture,” says Joanna Savill, festival director of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Good Food Month. “They reinforce the notion that good food and its celebration is part of our lifestyle – a way to engage with friends, family and the broader community around a shared table.”
The Australian food festival calendar is peppered with events across the country. They might showcase the region’s best – such as Taste of Tasmania and South Australia’s Tasting Australia – or a locally prized product, like the Griffith Salami Festival and the Apollo Bay Seafood Festival.
“Australia has more food festivals in absolute numbers than anywhere else, ranging from regional producer-style markets to internationally recognised events attracting some of the world’s best chefs,”
says Michael Hodgson, Managing Director of Brand Events, which co-ordinates Margaret River’s Gourmet Escape, and Taste of Sydney and Melbourne.
Homegrown and foreign dining trends often form a festival’s focus. “Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is all about celebrating and showcasing local excellence – as well as demonstrating the latest in trends from all around the world,” says festival CEO Natalie O’Brien. “Our advantage is the innovation, strength and authenticity of our product.”
Some food festivals have a hub of eateries and workshops, while others captivate a city by popping up in restaurants, cafés and bars. Wine connoisseurs also have plenty of dedicated options, including Savour Australia, the NSW Wine Festival, and Orange Wine Week.
These epicurean events entice locals and tourists alike. “Food festivals attract visitors drawn by our ‘clean, green’ agricultural environment, outdoor lifestyle and the creative energy of Australian chefs and restaurateurs,” Savill says.
Clockwise from left: The Taste Festival, at vibrant Sullivans Cove, TAS; Margaret River Gourmet Escape, WA; Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, VIC.
Our food and wine festivals show we know how to throw a party.
Carnival time
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS FESTIVALS
international chefs touch down in AustraliagOOd FOOd mONThfrom its beginnings in 2008, Good food Month, created by fairfax, has become Australia’s largest food festival. The event celebrates the best restaurants, bars and cafes with a program of special events in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra. for wine and food lovers. It also attracts the world’s best chefs like René Redzepi of Denmark’s Noma restaurant and Alex Atala of Brazilian restaurant D.O.M. fame. www.goodfoodmonth.com
meLbOurNe FOOd & WiNe FeSTiVALWith more than 200 individual events across 17 days, the Melbourne food & Wine festival is a feast for the senses. The event brings together international names like Ángel León (Aponiente, Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain) and three Michelin-starred Christopher Kostow (The Restaurant at Meadowood, St Helena, USA), with local chefs such as Jacques Reymond, Adam D’Sylva and Stefano de Pieri.
www.melbournefood andwine.com.au
NOOSA iNTerNATiONAL FOOd & WiNe FeSTiVALNow in it’s 11th year, the Noosa International food and Wine festival celebrates Australian produce, wine, and talent. This internationally acclaimed event, also plays host to the likes of André Chiang of Restaurant André in Singapore – listed as one of the 50 Best Restaurants – and Carlo Cracco of two Michelin-starred Ristorante Cracco in Milan.
www.noosafoodandwine.com.au
mArgAreT riVer gOurmeT eScAPefollowing the success of the inaugural festival in 2012, Margaret River Gourmet Escape continues to evolve to become bigger and better, attracting global celebrities such as Heston Blumenthal and Rick Stein alongside local icons Neil Perry and Matt Moran. The program showcases the best of WA and the Margaret River Wine Region, with events in remarkable locations such as beaches, forests, and vineyards.
www.gourmetescape.com.au
EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS NTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS NTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS NTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS NTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS
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Welcome to Restaurant Australia,a place where we’re serving up the
best and most uniquefood and wine experiencesin remarkable locations every day.
NICK BAKER, CHIEf MARKETING OffICER
Cockburn Ranges, El Questro, The kimberley, WA
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS CAMPAIGN
Introducing a marketing campaign to capture the world’s imagination.
RESTAURANT AUSTRALIA
When it comes to Australia’s reputation as a food and wine destination, perception lags well behind reality.
While we now boast some of the world’s top restaurants, finest produce and most diverse talent, the rest of the world is still largely unaware of this.
Our job is clear – we aim to move the perception of Australia’s food and wine culture away from stereotypes and to share with the world the passionate, innovative and unique culinary destination this country has become.
How do we do that? With a campaign that captures the world’s imagination.
Welcome to Restaurant Australia, a place where we’re serving up the best and most unique food and wine experiences in remarkable locations every day.
At its heart is the idea that Australia is the world’s greatest restaurant – with the finest food, warmest service and a
spectacular location. We will invite the world to join us for a meal to remember.
Restaurant Australia works beautifully because it’s a simple and bold analogy, underpinned by the truths that make Australian food and wine unique: • It immediately provokes reappraisal
and shows people that our food and wine are far more sophisticated than they might think.
• It allows us to show off our people, produce and place – the three things that combine to make our food and wine experiences unique.
• It’s brilliantly simple – working across key tourism markets from east to west.
• It’s durable – Restaurant Australia is a platform that isn’t just a one off, but can last for years to come.We’re excited to open Restaurant
Australia for business, and you’re all invited to join us.
Clockwise from top left: The Source Restaurant, Moorilla Winery, TAS; Ben Shewry from Attica, Melbourne, VIC; Aroma Festival at The Rocks in Sydney, NSW;Melbourne’s laneway cafes, VIC; Quay restaurant, Sydney, NSW; picnic at Poachers Pantry, ACT.
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS CAMPAIGN
At its heartis the idea thatAustraliais the world’sgreatestrestaurant.
How to get involved
An investment in the food and wine credentials of Australia can only benefit everyone. The tourism industry has much to
gain from the volume of travellers that our exceptional food and wine will attract – everyone from small B&B owners and local produce farmers to those who work in our top-end restaurants and hotels.
But we can’t do it alone. To go global with a food and wine campaign, we need to work together, pool our expertise and share stories that will inspire the world to take a seat at our dining table.
As a next step, industry is encouraged to visit australia.com/restaurantaustralia to find out more information on how to get involved, and the benefits of doing so.
We are engaging with you early in this campaign so that you can begin thinking about how food and wine relates to your business, and how you can make the most of the world trend towards culinary travelling.
Tourism Australia has worked with the State Tourist Offices and our agencies to develop the marketing campaign for the Restaurant Australia creative platform, which will launch in 2014.
The campaign includes events, social media, PR, digital, advertising and content marketing activity, and aims to benefit the combined Australian tourism, food and wine industries.
So let’s get involved – together we can show the world why there’s nothing like Australia for incredible food and wine experiences.
And when the world comes to dinner, we will all share the benefits. We look forward to taking a seat with you in the most extraordinary dining room on Earth – Restaurant Australia.
We can all benefit from raising our glasses to Australia’s exceptional food and wine.
JOIN US AT THE TABLE
• Visit www.australia.com/restaurantaustralia for more details.
• Subscribe to Tourism Australia’s Essentials Newsletter for updates.www.tourism.australia.com/subscribe
• Visit www.tourism.australia.com/tnla for free campaign materials.
• for free food and wine images and videos for marketing register with Tourism Australia’s image gallery (www.images.australia.com) and video gallery (www.video.australia.com).
• Start to build relationships with local producers and growers in your region and think about how you can work together to create a unique food and wine tourism experience.
• follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tourismaus and www.twitter.com/australia, on facebook at www.facebook.com/seeaustralia, and on Instagram @Australia.
• Use the #restaurantaustralia to join the conversation.
Uluru kata Tjuta National Park, NT.
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RECIPE FoR SUCCESS GET INVOLVED
We look forwardto taking a seat with you in the most
extraordinarydining room on earth- Restaurant Australia.
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#RESTAURANTAUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA.CoM/RESTAURANTAUSTRALIA
Join the conversation
