Perth chefs headed for Gascoyne Food Festival

TEN Perth chefs will feature at this year’s Gascoyne Food Festival.

Carnarvon’s signature produce – the banana – will make a return to this year’s festival after Cyclone Olwyn wiped out supplies 18 months ago.

Shannon Whitmore from Kent St Deli will make the ‘banana bender’ for the Long Table Lunch at the Bentwaters Plantation.

“This region has the freshest food… it will be great to meet the farmers,” Whitmore said.

A highlight of the four-day Festival from August 11-14 is the Chef’s Tour of farms in the region.

WA Food Ambassador Don Hancey said it was important for chefs to connect with the farmers and anglers and “put their hands in the soil”.

“This is one of the rare times in WA where quality chefs get to meet so many producers,” Hancey, who will be preparing a trio of dumplings for the Long Table Lunch, said.

Chef and Passion Meets Purveyor owner Pete Manifis, who wholesales Gascoyne produce to Perth restaurants, said strawberries, zucchini, eggplant, beans, grapefruit and herbs were in-season produce that would feature at the Festival.

Manifis will team up with The Old Brewery chef Greg Farnan for the Surf & Turf event on Sunrise Beach, Exmouth.

“It’s second to none to have access to this produce in Perth this time of year,” Farnan said.

“The variety and consistency of the produce is amazing and to get that produce here in the middle of winter is fantastic.”

Hancey said it was the biggest contingent of Perth chefs to attend the Festival since its inception.

“The hope is that these chefs become ambassadors for the Gascoyne produce,” he said.

Tickets are still available for Gascoyne Food Festival Events.

Gascoyne Food Festival-bound chefs

Don Hancey – Panorama Catering

Jesse Blake – Petition

Nathan Tulip – Henry on Eighth

Greg Farnan – The Old Brewery

Peter Manifis – Passion Meets Purveyor

Shannon Whitmore – Kent St Deli

Stuart Laws – Don Tapa

Ben Jacob – Henry on Eighth

Kenny McHardy – Manuka Woodfired Kitchen

Daniel Hansen – Clancy’s