River Cottage Australia’s Paul West says home cooks deserve praise
HE made his name as a chef and farmer on television, but Paul West says home cooks are unsung heroes who should be celebrated more than the so-called superstars of the kitchen.
Moreton Life
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HE MADE his name as a chef and farmer on television, but Paul West says home cooks are unsung heroes who should be celebrated more than the so-called superstars of the kitchen.
“The most celebrated chefs should be the home cooks who put food on the table seven nights a week,” Paul says.
His grounded outlook and appreciation of everyday cooking probably goes back to his earliest memories in the kitchen — making jam drops with his grandmother and watching his dad burn steak and onions on the barbecue every Sunday.
It was cemented during his time on the television program River Cottage Australia which took him on a journey from chef to sustainable farmer from 2013-16.
Paul says many people are afraid to cook, but shouldn’t be, especially if they can source fresh ingredients locally.
And he reckons we’ve got it made in this part of the world with an abundance of seafood and produce on offer in the Moreton Bay Region.
“The hinterland has amazing produce but if I had to pick an iconic ingredient, it’s the seafood. You’ve got the Moreton Bay bug,” he says. “I feel it’s Brisbane’s best-kept secret.
“Cooking with the best ingredients is the best way to be the best cook you can be.”
See for yourself when Paul works his magic on the USC Seafood Cooking Stage during the Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival on September 8 and 9. The festival will be held on Redcliffe Pde, Redcliffe.
Paul says he’ll show how simple it is to cook fresh seafood and prove you can do more with prawns than dip them in dressing.
So what can we do to make better use of the produce available in the region?
“The first step is to support it and make sure if you live in the Moreton Bay area that the fresh seafood you buy is from the area,” he says. “About 75 per cent of the seafood we eat (generally) is imported. It’s crazy.”
Paul says chefs are often praised, but the producers of high-quality ingredients should also be recognised in equal measure. And they need to be supported so their businesses will remain viable.
One of the key lessons learned from his River Cottage Australia experience was to care about food.
“If you can’t grow it yourself and have to buy it, care about where it comes from.”
It’s a philosophy Paul continues to embrace in his new life in Melbourne with wife Alicia, young sons Otto, 3, and Bowie, 1, and dog Digger.
“It’s not too much different. We still grow food in the backyard and I’m getting chickens and bees in spring,” he says.
COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS
Paul will be joined by some of the region’s best chefs all weekend including:
● Nick Tzimas (chef/owner, The Golden Ox Restaurant and Function Centre)
● Tim Stanton (head chef, Mon Komo Hotel)
● Yugi (teppanyaki chef, Tempest Seafood Restaurant and Teppanyaki)
● Gary Dutton (chef/owner, Seafood Town
Your guide to eating your way around Moreton Bay Food & Wine Festival
Dessert Festival
It’s a sweet-tooth’s paradise. You’ll find all of your dessert favourites — we’re talking creamy, frozen, deep-fried and all the deliciousness in between.
The Dessert Festival is a judgment-free zone — dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner is perfectly acceptable!
Local Cafes and Restaurants
You’ll be spoiled for choice with delicious food options at the local cafes and restaurants that call the picturesque Redcliffe Parade home all-year-round.
Grab yourself a seat and enjoy the Redcliffe-hospitality or grab something on the go with many of the local cafes and restaurants hosting takeaway stalls.
Seafood
There’s seafood and then there’s Moreton Bay seafood! And you’ll find plenty of it at this year’s festival.
Head to the Seafood & Wine Deck where you’ll find delicious seafood food vendors selling a variety of fresh and cooked seafood.
After grabbing your seafood dish of choice, watch how the ‘pros’ do it on the USC Seafood Cooking Stage. Paul West (best known as the host of River Cottage Australia) will be cooking up a seafood storm alongside local chefs all weekend long.
Local Produce
The amazing produce of Moreton Bay (and its neighbouring areas) will be proudly on display at the festival. Head to the Local Tastes Pavilion where you can sample fresh local specialties, meet artesian producers and stock up on your favourite homegrown and homemade goodies.
Food Trucks
Brissie’s best, most mouth-watering food trucks will be popping up at MBFW. With an impressive selection of vendors slinging finger-lickin’ deliciousness, you’ll find something no matter what your stomach is craving.
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