Appetite for Excellence finalists 2012 Hunt & Gather dinner Canberra

Electrolux Appetite for Excellence

Hunt & Gather Dinner

terrace cafe @ the war memorial

the menu

tongue & tripe
oyster, geranium, passionfruit
perch, guava, rhubarb
2012 Ravensworth Riesling

beef carpaccio, radish, beetroot & aioli
potato gnocchi, seared local mushrooms & mushroom cream
2011 Mount Majura Graciano

poached rockling, surf clams, salted cucumber, baby turnip & tatsoi
slow roasted pork belly, chestnut & apple stuffing
2011 Clonakilla Viognier Nouveau
2011 Clonakilla Shiraz O’Riada

cheese on toast
truffle small cow farm camembert
tumba hills honey & thyme baked small cow farm camembert
2008 Barton Estate Late Harvest Riesling

country valley farm milk & cookie, strawberry & macadamia crisp
Rutherglen Tokay
All Saint Barrel Aged Muscat

In the tradition of the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence awards, the young chef, waiter and restaurateur finalists toured an Australian state – this year NSW and ACT – meeting with farmers and artisan producers. The culmination of the road trip was the Hunt & Gather Dinner held in Canberra on Saturday night.

The dinner was inspired by the week of visits, and used produce from the tour, then was complimented by a visit on the Capital Region Farmers Market on the morning of the dinner.

The Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Australian Young Chef, Waiter and Restaurateur of the Year will be announced at glass brasserie, Sydney tonight. We think that all the finalists are winners. What a dinner! It shone from start to finish.

The surprise of the night though was the cheese on toast – a savoury choux profiterole with blue cheese filling and vegemite topping – from Chef Stewart Wesson. Many of the patrons were surprised as at first glance the dish appeared sweet. At the awards after he was crowned Australian Young Chef of the Year, Stewart Wesson explained this was his play on a cheese and Vegemite sandwich. Wesson told me that feedback on the night was divided. Personally, I adored it (but after watching the kitchen preparations earlier that day – did have the benefit of knowing what was coming.)

http://appetiteforexcellence.com/

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