Becasse Producers Forum lunch with Carlo Petrini

What better way to meet Slow Food Founder Carlo Petrini than over lunch, and not just any lunch …

The menu starts: “… ‘Bécasse Producers Lunch Forum’ has been created to support and champion our passionate and sustainable local producers and put us all in touch with our ‘terroir’ …”

Every 6 weeks Australian restaurant, Becasse in Sydney, holds the ‘Producers Lunch Forum’ based around innovative local producers. The lunch is a celebration of the biodiversity of great Australian produce.

What a great honour and pleasure to be invited by Chef Justin North to join special guests from Vogue Entertaining + Travel, Slow Food Australia and Slow Food Founder and International President Carlo Petrini.

Lunch was delicious! Chef Justin North provided a showcase for the producers and gave us a chance to hear their stories. But its also the story of him, and his wife, and his team. The text I sent him after the lunch was inadequate: “Thank you for including me at your fantastic produce forum today – your commitment and passion shine through.”

Canapé
Goats’ curd, olive and lemon thyme biscotti sandwich

Freshly baked Bécasse bread
Pumpkin brioche, stout and garlic rosemary

Amuse Bouche
Spring Bay scallop with organic garlic stems, green chilli and black pepper

Brian Freeman from Freeman Vineyards
2008 Freeman Rondo rose

Phil Lamb from Spring Bay Seafoods
Spring Bay mussels, abalone with braised peri winkles, bouillabaisse mousseline and
sea urchin jelly
2007 Freeman Fortuna

Rob Lennon from Gundooee Organics
Roast rib of Gundooee organic grass fed wagyu beef with osso bucco of shin, broad bean puree and crushed Bauer Organic Dutch cream potatoes
2004 Freeman Secco Rondinella Corvina

Lynne Tietzel of Australia on a Plate
Sutton Grange Organic Farm Holy Goat la Luna with caper and raisin puree, baby beets and fresh almonds

Rob Bauer of Bauer Organics
Bécasse organic carrot cake
2007 Vinden Estate Botrytis Semillon

During the lunch Libby Travers introduced 2010 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards

From the earth, From the dairy, From the paddock, From the sea

All was well! Stories were passionate! Applause resounded!

A highlight of the day had to be when Carlo Petrini announced that Rob Lennon was “Better than Bob Dylan”.

And, of course for me, shaking the hand of the founder of Slow Food was pretty good just in itself.

Becasse
204 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

+61 2 9283 3440

www.becasse.com.au

and you can follow Chef Justin North at Becasse (PlanB and Etch) on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JustinBecasse