Tasmania could be nation’s food bowl: Bartlett
Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett yesterday launched a new culinary event that will bring some of the world’s best chefs to the state, celebrate Tasmanian quality produce and highlight the ability to turn Tassie into Australia’s food bowl.
“By embracing innovation and large-scale irrigation, we can turn Tasmania into the nation’s food bowl,” he explained. “We can create a continuum of food excellence that runs from the seedlings in the paddock right through to the tables of Australia’s finest restaurants and beyond, including overseas markets.”
“Savour Tasmania will be a demonstration of just what can be achieved.”
Savour Tasmania will be held from the 27th to the 31st of May this year. It will bring three celebrated international chefs to Tasmania – Tetsuya Wakuda; Emmanuel Stroobant from Singapore; and London chef Shane Osborn.
“They will create gourmet dishes in Tasmanian restaurants utilising the finest Tasmanian foods and wines,” Mr Bartlett said. “Tetsuya’s Sydney restaurant has been listed in the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants since the list’s inception in 2002.
Emmanuel Stroobant is chef and owner of Saint Pierre Restaurant in Singapore, which was named Singapore Restaurant of the Year in 2007 by World Gourmet Summit.
Shane Osborn of Piéd a Terre in London – the first Australian chef to have attained Michelin status – and his protégé, Marcus Eaves, from the sister restaurant, L’Autre Piéd, will also be present.
A gala dinner involving all three chefs will be held at The Henry Jones Hotel Atrium, hosted by Christopher Lawrence from ABC Radio, Hobart. They will also share their expertise at demonstration classes for hospitality students and the broader hospitality industry.
Mr Bartlett said the inaugural Savour Tasmania event was just a taste of what is to come.
“In future years, we are looking to take this pilot event State-wide – bringing the best Australian and international chefs to every corner of Tasmania,” he advised. “Meanwhile, Savour Tasmania 2009 is receiving significant media interest and Tasmania as a whole will benefit from the resulting international exposure of our finest produce.”
Savour Tasmania is part of the Government’s innovative ‘paddock to the plate’ strategy, which also includes the creation of a top flight farm management course and the establishment of a leading institute for training high-end chefs.
