Paddocks Of Promise
Gourmet Traveller|March 2021
Across Australia, paddock-to-plate dining is on the rise as diners experience the joy of eating produce mere moments after it has been harvested, writes Michael Harden.
Michael Harden
Paddocks Of Promise

It’s become almost mandatory for restaurants to have a mission statement about their produce. Mantras like “seasonal-regional” and “paddock to plate” get repeated so often they sound more like marketing than philosophy. But for the true paddock-to-plate practitioners, chefs and restaurateurs who embrace the time-consuming, expensive and often difficult task of growing as much of their own produce as they can while sourcing the rest from nearby producers, marketing is a distant consideration. Most are concerned with quality and the negative impact food production can have on the environment, but all have the same central reason for doing what they do: flavour.

“To serve a plate of mulberries to someone when they’re still warm from the sun, that have never been chilled or packaged or transported, that is why we do this,” says Dan Hunter, owner and chef of award-winning Brae in regional Victoria. “That food experience, that level of flavour, those textures, most people never experience because the produce you get in a shop is never picked when it’s ripe. To be able to experience this is a true luxury – the opportunity to offer just picked, perfectly ripe fruit and vegetables is why we’re here.”

There’s romance to the paddock-to-plate idea, all soft-focused chefs in pristine white drifting about gathering broad beans and strawberries in wicker baskets. The truth is sweatier and more expensive.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2021-Ausgabe von Gourmet Traveller.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2021-Ausgabe von Gourmet Traveller.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS GOURMET TRAVELLERAlle anzeigen
From personal experience
Gourmet Traveller

From personal experience

Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
September 2024
Kimberley Moulton
Gourmet Traveller

Kimberley Moulton

Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
September 2024
Tom Wallace
Gourmet Traveller

Tom Wallace

We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024
Best in class
Gourmet Traveller

Best in class

The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)

time-read
3 Minuten  |
September 2024
A taste of refuge
Gourmet Traveller

A taste of refuge

Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
September 2024
BE OUR GUEST
Gourmet Traveller

BE OUR GUEST

Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation

time-read
6 Minuten  |
September 2024
Barcelona BUZZ
Gourmet Traveller

Barcelona BUZZ

A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
September 2024
HEATHCOTE BOUND
Gourmet Traveller

HEATHCOTE BOUND

MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
September 2024
The art of...relishing restaurants
Gourmet Traveller

The art of...relishing restaurants

Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner

time-read
3 Minuten  |
September 2024
HEART AND SOUL
Gourmet Traveller

HEART AND SOUL

Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
September 2024