Short bites: Dan Stock with Melbourne’s food news

Darren Purchese desserts are growing compassion and community. Dan Stock brings you the new openings and latest food news.

Pastry prince Darren Purchese knows that life isn’t always sweet.

So, too, does Palestinian chef Aheda, who arrived in Australia in 2018 seeking asylum.

Aheda dreams of opening a food truck and shares her story and traditions through immersive cooking experiences via Melbourne social enterprise, Free to Feed.

The duo has created an online dessert cooking class as part of Feast for Freedom — Purchese’s dessert that’s inspired by Aheda’s traditional baklava.

Dessert whiz Darren Purchese with asylum seeker Aheda in the kitchen. Picture: Tony Gough

Returning for the third year, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Feast for Freedom is an annual fundraising event in aid of those seeking asylum, a celebration of refugees and cultural diversity.

The ASRC are calling on the public to host their own Feast for Freedom with friends, family and colleagues, cooking recipes that have been gifted by refugees. This year’s Feast will feature recipes gifted by refugee cooks from Palestine and Sri Lanka. As a Feast for Freedom host, people will receive exclusive access to these recipes and more from the Feast for Freedom recipe archive (featuring recipes gifted by refugees from Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia and Iran).

Purchese says the ASRC is a hub of compassion and community.

“It makes me humble and more appreciative of the things I have in my life that we all take for granted,” he says.

The official feast weekend is March 26-28, but Feasts can be held anytime throughout the month.

For more info, to access the online cooking class (available from Friday, March 12) or to register for a feast: feastforfreedom.org.au

SMALL BITES

What was Shannon Bennett’s Benny Burger on Swan St has become Rickshaw Bar. Owner and craft beer lover David Andersen, creative director Stuart Neil and head chef Oak Kunnalok (ex-Rice Paper Scissors, Nobu, Chin Chin) have created the 65-seat venue to showcase local brewers, distillers and a menu of charcoal barbecue, skewers and pan-Asian plates. Open Wed-Thur from 4pm and Fri-Sun from noon at 95 Swan St, Richmond. Rickshawbar.com.au

Rickshaw Bar.

Melbourne’s favourite mod Thai restaurant, Longrain, is hitting the road. Following in the footsteps of Richmond’s acclaimed Anchovy which popped-up post lockdown over summer, Sutton Grange winery will be the weekend home of Scott Pickett’s Longrain through March and April. A $95 multi-course banquet menu of classic and new dishes will be offered, designed to complement winemaker Melanie Chester’s award-winning wines. Bookings essential: longrainmelbourne.com

Billed as “when burger met taco” Luis Oliva and Hellen Witton will open their second Bobby Dre’s store in Werribee this week. Following from the success of their Geelong restaurant, Bobby Dre’s offers handmade tacos made to Oliva’s family recipe, alongside beef, veggie and chicken burgers. Novel high teas of burgers or tacos are sure to be a hit with families. Opening tomorrow at 54 Watton St, Werribee. bobbydres.com.au

Bobby Dres. Photos: Supplied

Andrew McConnell and Troy Wheeler are firing up the smoker out at their Smith Street Meatsmith butcher for the first monthly Sunday Smokehouse session. Featuring a monthly changing menu of BBQ meats and crafty brews, this month features a 15-hour smoked O’Connor brisket sandwich with $6 Sailor’s Grave tinnies to go with. From 11.30am-3pm Sunday at 273 Smith St, Fitzroy. Meatsmith.com.au

Meatsmith’s 15 hour smoked brisket.

Yarra Valley’s popular Innocent Bystander is celebrating its fourth birthday with a “coronaversary” party this weekend. With roaming Circus Oz performances, flamenco guitar from Malcura, wine tastings, food through the day and special birthday cocktails, it promises to be a fun-filled day in the heart of Healesville. March 14 from noon at 316 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville. innocentbystander.com.au

Innocent Bystander.

NEVER TOO OLD FOR A LONG LUNCH

“I’m very surprised I was asked to be part of this one. The generations have passed me, I’m quite comfortable with that. I feel a bit embarrassed, I just wonder how many people going to the Longest Lunch have heard of me, for a start.”

All of them, Stephanie Alexander, make no mistake.

On Friday, the awesome octogenarian will join fellow Melbourne Food and Wine Legends Jacques Reymond and Philippe Mouchel to kick off this year’s Melbourne Food and Wine Festival with the signature Bank of Melbourne World’s Longest Lunch. The trio will cook for more than 1000 socially distanced diners in Treasury Gardens, with Alexander’s quince tart with sapore ice cream the ultimate full stop to the feast.

Stephanie Alexander will be part of the World's Longest Lunch. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The following day, Kate Reid from Lune and Nathan Toleman from Mulberry Group will host the inaugural World’s Longest Brunch which promises to be the best way to Saturday that Melbourne’s seen all year.

Then throughout March, festival events take over restaurants and bars across the city and suburbs, with tickets still available for such events as pasta making with Scott Pickett, and Meg and Zenta Tanaka’s Food and Family: the Japanese way at Collingwood’s Cibi cafe.

The festival’s famous Crawl and Bite progressive dinners this year put a spotlight on the great food to be found throughout the western suburbs, with food tours of Caroline Springs, Altona and Melton uncovering each suburb’s hidden food gems.

Postponed on the eve of last year’s festival, this year’s event is making up for lost time, with a further two programs of events still to come: a winter celebration at the Queen Victoria Market festival hub, and a regional festival to be held in November.

For full program and tickets to the World’s Longest Brunch and more: MFWF.com.au