Prosecco, Extra Dry NV Region: Italy. Note: Light, refreshing and unpretentious, with delicate notes ofpear, apple and citrus. Delicious! Food: Fresh prawns with lemon wedges. $15.99 per bottle Basa 2007 Blanco Rueda 2007 Region: Spain. Note: Clean and vibrant, with exceptional purity of fruit. Fresh tropical fruit flavours dominate this Spanish Verdelho, with a zesty acid finish. Food: An aromatic curry or stir-fry. $24.99 per bottle Western Range Wines Julimar Tempranillo 2004 Region: Western Australia. Note: Dense black cherries and dark fruits with soft, fleshy tannins. Food: Spicy pepperoni pizza. $19.99 per bottle
Archive for the 'Feature Articles' Category
Matt Moran – Restaurant Aria, TV Shows, My Restaurant Rules, The Chopping Block, Heat in the Kitchen
Matt Moran of award-winning Sydney restaurant Aria has certainly made his way around the city’s food scene.
One of Moran’s early ventures was working in the kitchen of La Belle Helene on Sydney’s North Shore. Here, he befriended his colleague Peter Sullivan, and in 1991 the duo opened Paddington Inn Bistro. This partnership proved years of fun for the food-loving pair.
Next on Moran’s agenda was the 1999 opening of Aria in Sydney’s Circular Quay. The renowned restaurant has experienced great success by winning many Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide’s Chef’s Hats over the years. It is certainly well earned due to Aria’s revolutionary menu, spectacular venue and indulgent but discreet service. And of course, Moran’s commitment to the industry and overriding love of food!
Moran’s title as a Celebrity Chef is definitely fitting; writing several cookbooks and appearing on television shows My Restaurant Rules as well as The Chopping Block. With more culinary-based projects surely up his sleeve, the sky’s the limit for talented Moran.
Curtis Stone - Surfing the Menu, Take Home Chef
Curtis Stone is a masterchef, best selling author, TV hostand entrepreneur. His food philosophy is to buy locally produced seasonal andorganic ingredients, keep recipes simple and allow the food to speak foritself. After studying at Victoria University in Melbourne, where Stone wasborn, he decided to pursue his culinary career by working in top Europeanrestaurants. Then, in 2003 Stone began filming his first TV show Surfing theMenu, which ran for four seasons in 26countries. He has also featured on TLC’s hit show Take Home Chef. In Autumn 2008, Stone launched his line of sleekand eco-friendly kitchen solutions at Williams Sonoma, where he was the firstchef to have an eponymous product line sold at the prestigious retailer. On topof all that, Stone’s fourth book Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone:Recipes to Put You in My Favorite Mood willbe available in stores on April 7 2009.
Armundo Percuoco – Buon Ricordo
Armundo’s love affair with food begain at age 14, when he began working in his family’s restaurant in Naples. Living in Australia since 1972, his first foray was at Arriverderci in East Sydney. He went on to open Buon Ricordo in 1987, is an author and founder of the ‘Five Chefs Dinner’ for the Starlight Foundation. He spends his weekends escaping to his Hunter Valley farm.
Stewart White - President of the Food Media Club
Stewart White is the President of the Food Media Club with a background in advertising, marketing and 30years in public relations. He also has a food blog called DigestiveTract on Business Spectator, Gottliebsen and Kholer’s website which receives6.6. million impressions a month. A member of both the WineCommunicators Australia and the AustralianSociety of Viticulture and Oenology, Whiteacquires wine marketing qualifications with viticulture and oenology skillsfrom Roseworthy (Adelaide University). Additionally, he successfully completedthe first stage of the international Court of Master Sommeliers program. Whitewas a judge in the inaugural FOOD Magazine Challenge Awards, a former judge of the Australian FoodMedia Awards and a reviewer for thepublication Sydney Eats. Amongstall his ventures, White still finds the time to eat between meals and drinkbetween drinks.
John Lanzafame- Lanzafame Trattoria
Born in Australia to Sicilian parents, John Lanzafame hashad a passion for food since birth. He began his training at an early agealongside his mother, and today at age 35 Lanzafame is still inspired by herand her cooking. Before joining Hugo’s Group as Head Chef in 2004, Lanzafametravelled extensively where he cooked in the Pyrenees Mountains in Andorra,Barcelona and throughout Italy and Sicily. His culinary talents have beenrecognised through winning many awards, including ‘Best Pizza’ at WorldAmerican Plate in 2005, ‘Best Pizza’ at Australia’s Best of the Best in 2005and Winner of the One World Competition in Iceland in 2006. In 2002 he openedhis own restaurant ‘Lanzafame’ in Haberfield, which went on to win a place inthe ‘Top 3 Best Italian Restaurant and Wine List Awards’. Also, 2005 sawLanzafame joining the Australian Olympic Culinary Team. Most recently he openedhis new restaurant in Sydney’s Star City Casino, ‘Lanzafame Trattoria’, andpublished his first book Pizza Modo Mio(Pizza My Way).
Anna Lee – The Wine Society
Anna has always had a passion for good food and wine, whichexplains why she has been part of The Wine Society for almost four years. As awine advisor for The Wine Society, she hosts ongoing wine education and weeklytastings. These involve introducing a number of wines to a group of people fortasting, which may be chosen on a theme of region, by which foods they match orwines from a particular time period. Sometimes … will host a theme dinner whereeight or more wines are presented over an evening alongside a particularcuisine style. She explains that the highlight of a wine advising session is acombination of exploring a range of fine wines, the food that accompanies themand the pleasure of sharing the experience with others.
Justin Walters – Moet Hennessy
Justin Walters has spent his entire working life in the wineand spirit industry and currently represents the distinctive and unique familyof sparkling and still wines distributed by Moet Hennessy Australia. Hegraduated from the prestigious Roseworthy College Wine Marketing course in 1991and has also studied at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London and withthe German Wine Academy in the Rhinegau, where he received a Certificate inGerman Wines and Regional Styles in 1993. Walters has also worked across almostevery aspect of the Australian wine and hospitality industries. In 2001, he wasthe national employee Winner of the Negociants Australia ‘Working with Wine’Scholarship, which enabled him at 23 to visit and study the leading wineproducers in Italy, France and Germany. As the ‘face’ for two thirds of MoetHennessy Australia’s extensive portfolio, Walters plays a significant role inthe communication efforts of the business, where he travels extensively acrossAustralia and often internationally.
Philippe Million – Guylian Chocolates
Million is the Guylian Retail Manager for both GuylianBelgian Chocolate Cafes in Sydney. He migrated to Australia in 1990 and drawson his European experience across France and Switzerland. Million previouslyworked as a chef and chef patissier and owned a catering company. Later, duringthe 1990’s, he progressed to retail management where he has worked forprestigious companies including David Jones and Myer.
Adam Humphrey – Restaurant Arras
Born in Beverley Yorkshire, Humphrey’s love of fooddeveloped from an early age. Whilst growing up he loved to cook and he extendedhis food knowledge by travelling extensively with his family. After school heenrolled in Beverley College of Further Education, taking a GNVQ Advanced inHospitality Management and NVQ II in Cookery. After graduating college withdistinctions, Humphrey gained valuable experience by working alongside topLondon chefs such as Marco-Pierre White and Tom Aikens. Following hisemployment at many eating establishments, Humphrey decided to immigrate toAustralia in 2003. In Sydney he gained a role as Sous Chef at Park Hyatt Sydney,where he learned the value of managing a large team and large budgets. Thislaid the foundation for him to achieve his dream of owning his own restaurant,which occurred in December 2007. In partnership with Louvaine Allen, whom hemet when working at The Castle at Taunton, Humphrey opened ‘Restaurant Arras’in the heart of Walsh Bay in Sydney, which serves British food with Europeannuances.
Peter Conistis – Civic Dining
Since the closure of the much-loved Omega, Conistis hasresurfaced at The Civic Hotel in Sydney City. The food served at The Civic isGreek influenced, which Conistis is so well-known for. Yet, the menu hasrelaxed to include more influences from Greece’s Meditteranean neighbours, suchas Asia. Located in the heritage listed Deco Pitt Street hotel, this firstfloor dining room has proven a hit for lovers of Conistis’ Greek-inspired fare.
Gina, Vicky and Aileen Young – Vellutto Nero
Velluto Nero, the only in-store roaster coffee shop in Sydney’s CDB, is the brainchild of owner/operators – and three sisters – Gina, Vicky and Aileen Young. Awarded accolades by everyone from the SMH to the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show’s top gong – the Champion Espresso Award – these three feisty, savvy and funny loving girls have traveled the world together in search of the world’s finest coffee blends. The taste of success goes better with three.
Opel Khan – Beluga
Opulent wine-bar and favourite chic haunt, Beluga wine bar in Sydney’ Surry Hills, is the home of award winning chef, food stylist – and “Sex in the Kitchen” author – Opel Kahn. “Sex in the Kitchen” is sold in more than 8 countries worldwide, making Opel a household name. He brings his considerable expertise (having owned 11 restaurants in Australia over the last 18 years) and inimitable style to Beluga’s signature 10-course degustation menu.
Joanna Dark- The Low GI Diet
Joanna Dark is a one-woman food media juggernaut. Armed with a PhD in nutrition from Sydney University, she appears regularly on Channel 9’s Today show, is a health writer for Life Etc, co-author of Gut Reactions (ABC Books) and co-author of The Low GI Diet. Joanna was awarded the Australian Fitness Network’s presenter of the year award in 2006 in recognition of her work developing the BodyRevolution: a 12 week weight loss program incorporating personal training and good nutrition.
Eliza Brown – Brown Brothers Wines and Rutherglen
Wife, mother and the first female Director of the renowned Brown Brothers Wines, all by the age of 34, Eliza Brown is a CEO to be reckoned with. 2007 finalist in the prestigious Telstra Business Awards and named as one of the Future Leaders of the Australian wine industry. After pursuing successful careers in photography and advertising, the tragic passing of her father was the impetuous for Eliza, along with her two siblings, Angela and Nicholas, to continue the family business with a single-minded commitment that could only ever result as it has, in yet more success.
Ben Davidson - Ambassador for Pernod Ricard Australia
Three times crowned Australian Bartender of the Year, Ben Davidson is one of Australia’s most respected and accomplished. 20 years behind the bar has garnered Ben a reputation for being one of the most knowledgeable professionals in his field, now sharing that knowledge as the Spirit Brands Ambassador for Pernod Ricard Australia. Ben is also co-creator of the elixir group bar consultancy, in operation since 2005.
Anjali Patak- Patak’s
The grand daughter of L.G Pathak, (who founded Patak’s in 1957), and daughter of Meena, (Britain’s leading Indian cuisine authority) Anjali’s spice credentials couldn’t be hotter! Drawing on her experiences in India for inspiration, Anjali has developed Coat & Cook, a range of quick and easy, fresh and light coating sauces for authentic Indian in minutes. At 26, Anjali spends most of her time in the new product development line, experimenting with different flavours.
Raymond Ang – Zushi
Award winning Darlinghurst sushi bar Zushi was voted Australia’s favourite Japanese restaurant in the Lifestyle Food Awards, 2007. Hailing from a family of restaurateurs, Raymond Ang is the owner/operator, and the man who has made this Victoria St eatery a popular stop for both the ravished workaday crowd and the after-hours diners hankering for an authentic Japanese meal handcrafted by a master sushi chef.
Chris Cranswick-Smith - Emmilou
Having spent time working for the likes of Aria, Assiette, est. and Michelin-starred European restaurants, Chris Cranswick-Smith now turns his attention to Emmilou, a late-night tapas and cocktail bar on the resurrected site of Moog’s on Bourke St, Surry Hills. Bringing his sense of European style to a local locale, Chris has created a stylish late night eatery on par with those found in Paris, New York and Barcelona.
Visit the Eastside Radio Website for more!
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Natascha Moy, Editor In Chief Food in Focus
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Yasmin Newman,Editor
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Corby Neumann
Daughter of a classically-trained Cordon Bleu Chef, Corby Neumann is a veteran of over 20 years experience both front-of-house and the kitchen. With a young family in tow, Corby runs her own, unique catering business as a personal chef. Having taught cooking classes for both children and adults, she specialises in a uniquely personal cooking style: “I am your chef, in your home, catering to the needs of you, your family, friends or business associates.” |
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Camilla grew up in Mauritius and South Africa. Her first culinary stop was a popular bistro in Cape Town. With no formal experience, she became head chef within weeks of starting. She went on to study at the exclusive Warrick Chef School where she was selected to train under Roger Verger, one of France’s most acclaimed chefs. From then on the only way was up: from head chef of a boutique 5-star hotel, to running a prestigious catering company, she has cooked exclusively for some of the world’s most famous people, including Nelson Mandela, Princess Anne, and the Prince of Saudi Arabia. |
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Patrick Haddock Patrick Haddock has been writing about food and wine for the last decade and has contributed to Gourmet Traveler and Selector magazine as well as having a regular wine column with Food in Focus. A keen amateur chef with a healthy passion for indulgence, his glass is always half full and rarely empty.
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| Nick Ryan
Nick Ryan is a sought after and widely published wine critic, whose work can be read in Men’s Style Magazine, Gourmet Traveler Wine, Selector Magazine, Australian Table – just to name a few. Passionate about wines that are just as good by the fourth glass as they are on the first, he has judged many Australian and International wine shows, but would give it all up to play one game for the Port Adelaide Football Club.
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Looking for a special place to eat? Well look no further as FoodinFocus, in conjunction with some of Sydney’s best restaurants and food venues, brings you these ‘Special Place, Special Offer’ promotions. Enjoy a free glass of wine, a discount on your meal, or a specially created menu…
Velluto Nero
Exclusive to FoodinFocus readers, spend just $10 or more at Velluto Nero (café/retail store) and receive a FREE award-winning coffee*. All you have to do is print off this and bring it in-store.
Velluto Nero is the recipient of this year’s Sydney Royal Fine Foods Show "Champion Espresso" title and was awarded the only Gold Medal for coffee. It was also voted as "Sydney’s Best Coffee" by The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Living, gaining first place in both black and milk-based coffees. Visit their store for coffee roasted in-store, right in their front window!
Velluto Nero, Shop 3/259 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000 (between Market & Druitt Streets), 02 9268 0755. www.vellutonero.com.au
* FREE coffee is ‘regular size’ off the hot coffees menu. Offer available until 30/05/2008. One free coffee per customer, per printed voucher, for a limited time.
Beluga Wine Bar and Restaurant
Take advantage of Beluga’s incredible offer for a complimentary bottle of wine each Thursday and Friday during lunch, it’s a Not Guilty Lunch as Beluga aptly likes to call it! All you have to do is mention FoodinFocus when you book.
Situated in the hip, up-coming St Margaret’s complex on Bourke Street Surry Hills, Beluga is the beautiful new restaurant by award-winning chef and cookbook author Opel Khan. For a special occasion or taste sensation, make sure to visit Beluga and experience Khan’s exquiste menu for yourself.
Beluga Winebar and Restaurant, 15/425 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, 02 8356 9003 . For booking and enquiries contact belugawinebar@bigpond.com or visit their website www.belugawinebar.com
*Offer of one bottle of wine (white – Imogen Pinot Gris or Henschke Sauvignon blanc; red – Penfold 67 Shiraz cabertnet or Te Karanga Pinot Noir) per table. Offer valid until 30/05/2008. Free security parking voucher also available.
Emmilou Tapas Bar & Lounge
During the month of May, head to Emmilou for a free cocktail or glass of wine with every tapas ordered*, as an exclusive offer to FoodinFocus readers. All you have to do is mention FoodinFocus and this offer.
Emmilou is a unique, late-night venue with great food, attentive service and a relaxed atmosphere. Stop by for dinner, or tapas and a drink at the bar, and enjoy a vibrancy and style found in the world-class cities of Barcelona, New York, Paris (and Melbourne) but rarely in Sydney.
Emmilou, 413 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, 02 9360 6991. For enquiries and booking, please email enquiries@emmilou.com.au or visit www.emmilou.com.au
*Offer valid until 30/05/2008
Corby’s Catering and Personal Chef Services
In an exclusive deal for FoodinFocus readers, Corby’s Catering is offering one-and-a-half hours of service for free, valued at $75, for all new clients*. When making your booking, simply mention FoodinFocus and this offer and you’ll receive the discounted price.
As a caterer and personal chef, Corby is somewhat of a one-stop shop for all your food needs. From special occasions at home and corporate lunches to weekly family meals, Corby will create a personalised menu, including a special ingredients list. She can even save you precious time by doing your shopping, buying your flowers and even setting your table! Consultation is free of charge, and you only pay for Corby’s time, with no hidden costs added to your food.
Contact Corby on 0433 198 390 or at corbyscatering@optusnet.com.au
*Minimum of four hours per cooking/shopping session. Offer valid until 30/05/2008
Gazebo Wine Garden
Head to the Gazebo Wine Garden for their 2 for 1 special on mussels on Mondays. Simply mention FoodinFocus and you’ll receive 2 winter-warming servings of mussels for just $22.50.
Gazebo Wine Garden is funky and eclectic award-wining wine bar, with over 50 wines by the glass and hundreds by the bottle. Relax in their outdoor courtyard for a lazy lunch or a weekend sundowner and enjoy something (such as their mussels!) from their delicious gastropub menu.
Gazebo Wine Garden, 2 Elizabeth Road, Elizabeth Bay, 02 9357 5333
Lishas Catering
In an exclusive offer for FoodinFocus readerds, Lishas Catering is offering 10% off the food for any functions booked by the end of May*. All you have to do is mention FoodinFocus when making your booking.
Apart from creating sensational food for all occasions, Lishas Catering is a Gold Licensed caterer and provided unique events that venture outside of the typical catering square.
Lishas Catering, 02 9552 1005. www.lishas.com.au
* Functions must take place between 30/05/2008 and 31/08/2008. Subject to availability.
