Celeb chef Paul West teases tastebuds at Toowoomba Royal Show’s Founders Pavilion

Celeb chef Paul West reveals how good it was to be back at the Royal Show, and the surprising job he worked during COVID-19.

Paul West of River Cottage Australia. Heritage Bank Toowoomba Royal Show 2021.

Paul West has never lived in Toowoomba, but the celebrity chef felt a certain sense of nostalgia while walking into the showgrounds for the Royal Show.

“It shows what an important role country shows play in the fabric of our regional communities, and how much they mean to so many people,” the former host of River Cottage Australia said.

“You really get that sense of excitement, and it continued all day.”

Mr West revelled in being back in the Garden City for the return of the Toowoomba Show and was not short on energy as he ran several cooking demonstrations in the Founders Pavilion across the weekend.

Having held classes at the show before, he said the answer was simple when invited back.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a better regional show than the Toowoomba Show,” Mr West said.

“This is a show that’s had a strong presence for over a century.”

After his work ground to a halt due to COVID-19, Mr West took on a new challenge to make ends meet.

“Last year, I actually turned to oyster farming on the far south-coast,” he said.

“It was about this time last year, my phone rang for three days’ straight and 12 months’ worth of work was cancelled.

“I just had to find a way to make a living, so my mate had an oyster farm, so I just went and farmed oysters.

“It was sensational, I loved it.”