Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine The convicts’ diet at Hyde Park barracks between the 1820s and 1840s provides us a snapshot of the harsh environment of the early Australian settlers. Food was regarded as a scarce product and the regular food allowance set by the British government provided the convicts with basic fuel for survival [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine Chef Dan Hunter has been developing a “strong, identifiable cuisine that is only Australian” in his Victorian award-winning restaurant Brae. In search of Australia’s own culinary identity, Australian chefs like Hunter are widely adopting local produce and native ingredients on their menus. Top Australian chefs are employing their creativity [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine Our modern eating habits reflect the zeitgeist of the time. In a fast-paced world, people tend to be more individualistic and a solitary fast-food quick bite can be a common event. Family meals are becoming crucial for reconnecting as a shared group experience. The research reveals that ‘the vast [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine The skills of Australian chefs can be influenced by their personal experience, as they can imprint a subjective interpretation in their style of cooking. Chefs tend to cook food they appreciate and it is invariably connected to their childhood memories of family meals. The expertise of Australian chefs is [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine High-profile Australian chefs have been the pioneers of the ‘bush foods revolution’. They have been promoting native ingredients by actively using them on their menus. Indigenous plants are also becoming increasingly available on supermarket shelfs, as a sign that they have been commercially grown as opposed to wildly sourced. [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine Parrot pie and possum curry – how colonial Australians embraced native food. But only because they had to!! British settlers needed to engage with the edible flora and fauna of the continent almost immediately upon arrival. Cooks – mainly women – relied on traditional British methods to transform these [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine ‘If Australians are to start reducing our dependence on introduced animals, then we need to ensure that our choices are ethical, humane and environmental’, points out Garvey. According to the author’s research, macropod (kangaroo and wallaby) meats are a great source of high-quality lean protein, rich in iron [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine Rockpool Dining Group, Merivale, Solotel, Lucas Group, Fink Group and other large restaurant groups are now dominating the restaurant scene in Australia. While these restaurant groups are tough competition to the individual owner-operated restaurants, they also show leadership and innovation for our industry. Often they have more capacity [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine Are we going native? Our native produce could give the AussieCuisine an identity specific to our country and not borrowed from immigrants or our neighbours. As Daniel Motlop points out, "we sell croc, wild boar, emu, rabbits, goat, magpie geese, but also things like Kakadu plum, rosella, paperbark, finger [...]
Viewpoints from Aussie Cuisine Respecting foreign food cultures encourages dialogue and understanding, as it brings people together. Chinese food has become very popular in the western world and has promoted China as a tourist destination. Therefore, good Western food should also be available to their visitors and to the fast growing Chinese [...]