Oakridge named in the delicious 100 list
A focus on using fresh ingredients from Yarra Valley producers, as well as from its own kitchen garden, is proving to be a winning recipe for a Coldstream restaurant.
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Beautiful ingredients sourced from local producers helps the food at Oakridge Wines stand out, according to chefs Jo Barrett and Matt Stone.
The Coldstream winery restaurant has been recognised as the third best in the state in the Sunday Herald Sun’s annual delicious.100 list, recognised for the work it does in the area of sustainability.
Barrett said it was so exciting to be included in the list among incredible company.
“We are so proud of ourselves, our community and our team. It’s especially wonderful to be recognised for our work in the area of sustainability — that’s a really important part of who we are and what we do at Oakridge,” she said.
“We represent a region that is full of incredible primary producers and we have a great relationship with them all. With such beautiful ingredients, you really don’t need to do much to make it taste good. For example, our cheese is made from milk from the tiny Little Yarra Dairy. We also put plenty of love into our own kitchen garden, and we think it shows in each dish.”
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Barrett said their garden guided the way they shaped the menu.
“It also allows us the freedom to experiment with different techniques — for example we had a huge amount of peas this year so we decided to experiment and make pea flower mead,” she said.
“The most exciting thing for us is when a dish is created from all our own ingredients and leaves no waste. For example, not long ago we made a dish from our corn and zucchinis and zucchini flowers from our garden and chickens from just down the road. The sauce was made from bones of chicken, with nothing wasted. We get such a kick out of being able to serve something that is so perfectly Oakridge.”