This blog is unprofessional, according to the person behind chef Paul Wilson’s Twitter account – whether it is Paul himself or his wife Bec. I’ve asked for an apology but they have chosen to ignore the request. And now I’m telling this story which encompasses how people fuck-up on Twitter, ethics and how and why [...]
{ 3 comments }
We don’t see much innovation in cookbooks nowadays but The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria is as you’d expect from one of the world’s most innovative chefs. What most people don’t realise is that most book publishers don’t test their recipes properly. Yes, the chefs and celebrities that write them actually cook the [...]
{ 7 comments }
Quietly, the man who was once the most famous chef on the planet slipped into Sydney, Marco Pierre White. In addition to seeing his daughter who lives there, this first visit was to promote Continental Stock Pot by cooking a dinner for bloggers. The interesting thing about his trip was that there was no newspaper [...]
{ 12 comments }
Matt Preston licks plate. Photo stolen with full disregard for copyright and fair use from the Masterchef website. It’s pretty impressive how Matt Preston the chummy and ever so slightly chubby Melbourne food writer grew into the huge Masterchef’s Matt Preston and brand. And just grew. And grew. And grew to the point that Woman’s [...]
{ 35 comments }
One of the most exciting chefs to be in town for the Sydney International Food Festival was the witty and erudite David Thompson. If you aren’t familiar with Thompson, the caffeine-fuelled chef is the father of Thai food in Australia and one of the main reasons that Sydneysiders have a taste for good spicy Thai [...]
{ 6 comments }
Yu Bo’s Sichuan banquet at Sydney International food festival Is it possible to talk about Sydney and Melbourne without making a comparison of which is best? I think not. And so is the debate between which was the best food festival this year: the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival or Sydney. I went to both [...]
{ 8 comments }
Only the other night gazing out at the opera house from Quay restaurant in Sydney I had the good fortune to sit at dinner with the new improved much, much larger than life Matt Preston. Not only was I subject to his advice on all things Myf Warhurst, his pony skin R.M. Williams boots and [...]
{ 16 comments }
You don’t have to know much about Anthony Bourdain to know he loves Melbourne. He was back earlier this year guided around town – and down to the Royal Mail Hotel – by Matt Preston, Tony Tan and Paul Wilson. Here are the Youtube clips from what was show recently in the US. Part one: [...]
{ 17 comments }
Neil Perry (left), Thomas Keller and Heston Blumenthal (bald). Courtesy of the Melbourne Wine and Food Festival. On the SBS Food site you can see my story on meeting Thomas Keller at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival earlier this year. Like most chefs of his calibre, he is charming and practiced and I got [...]
{ 4 comments }
On the bombshell that the Herald Sun is dropping the Gordon Ramsay cookery column on Tuesdays, the craggy-faced man arrives in town and we are invited to see him pre Tracey Grimshaw. I reckon he’s wearing heel lifts in his trainers and looking a bit taller than when he was last in town, has a [...]
{ 7 comments }
Outside at the Langham I finally managed to catch Sat Bains, an English chef with Indian heritage who has one Michelin star for his Nottingham restaurant and hotel. He’s big,black bald and ballsy. Plus he also swears a lot. He was one of the highlights of the many Michelin starred chefs attending the 09 Melbourne [...]
{ 6 comments }
With thanks to the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. It’s 3.50 on a Friday afternoon. I’ve just finished a great meal cooked by Scott Pickett at The Point in Albert Park and his mentor the brilliant Phil Howard from Two Michelin star The Square in London as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. [...]
{ 4 comments }
Packed into the new recital centre in Melbourne were a star-studded audience to hear Neil Perry, Heston Blumenthal and Thomas Keller discuss “A new approach to cooking”. Sydney chef Tony Bilson was taking notes sitting next to the legendary Cheong Liew. I think I spotted Karen Martini and Martin Boetz. The audience was also packed [...]
{ 4 comments }
Three years ago I went on a boozy winery tour with a busload of artist mates. Somehow along the way I managed not only to buy two small olive trees, but also two magnificent French oak wine barrels to plant…
There’s a rumour that Melbourne hospitals lay on extra staff in the Emergency Department at this time of year. Yes, it's tomato season and given our vast migrant population, there will invariably be a few home-bottling and canning disasters. Every Italian…
Making yoghurt at home is really simple and doesn't take much science. Here we make two different styles of yoghurt using both cows' and goats' milk.
It took four hours of a Saturday afternoon to construct this gigantic pie.
The recipes available are all pretty similar, three different types of pork with herbs and spices surrounded by jelly and encased in a hot water pastry. This one…
There's a lot of meat and fat in a pork pie including the hot crust pastry which is made with lard and butter.
I bought a whole tub of dripping, which is basically like lard (pig fat) but from beef, as…
Five days later and the bacon is cured. Salty and sweet, with a hint of juniper and sage, it was worth it.
Nothing is ever easy for me. Frustrated by the poor quality of filling and pastry in local pork…
Recent journalismWe don't see much innovation in cookbooks nowadays but The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria is as you'd expect from one of the world's most innovative chefs.
What most…
Consult a financial adviser before drinking from a Riedel.
Dishwasher tablets erode your glasses and crockery. Use liquid instead.
Decant heavier reds at least 8 hours before drinking.
If you want to drink…
Three years ago I went on a boozy winery tour with a busload of artist mates. Somehow along the way I managed not only to buy two small olive trees,…
There’s a rumour that Melbourne hospitals lay on extra staff in the Emergency Department at this time of year. Yes, it's tomato season and given our vast migrant population, there…
Making yoghurt at home is really simple and doesn't take much science. Here we make two different styles of yoghurt using both cows' and goats' milk.
One of the most exciting chefs to be in town for the Sydney International Food Festival was the witty and erudite David Thompson. If you aren't familiar with Thompson, the…
I recently had a non-brush with death while eating what turned out not to be my last meal.
It made me think of all the meals I'd wasted. A bad…
Neil Perry (left), Thomas Keller and Heston Blumenthal (bald). Courtesy of the Melbourne Wine and Food Festival.
On the SBS Food site you can see my story on meeting Thomas Keller…
Typical. Just as the world peaked Paul Levi, the man who had no small part in bringing us the slightly dubious word “Foodie”, launches the Gastrosexual, a man with more…
With thanks to the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
It's 3.50 on a Friday afternoon. I've just finished a great meal cooked by Scott Pickett at The Point in Albert Park…
Copyright Edward Charles and Tomato Media Pty Ltd 2005-2011
