Australia can teach the world about food culture: Heston Blumenthal
Internationally acclaimed chef Heston Blumenthal says Australia has a lot to offer the world in terms of its unique food culture.
Blumenthal, who is here to receive a lifetime achievement gong at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards held in Melbourne this week, was effusive about Australia’s approach to food.
"Australia is a paradox," Blumenthal told ABC News Breakfast.
"There is something here in Australia that is a lesson for the rest of the world.”
This was the fifteenth year of World’s 50 Best Restaurant list.
Starting as an article in Restaurant Magazine in 2002, the awards have earned international prestige. Last year the awards were held away from London for the first time, in New York. And this year, the show has gone to Melbourne, regarded by many as Australia’s food capital.
The event saw 47 of the world’s top 50 restaurants sending representatives to attend the event held at the architecturally splendid Royal Exhibition Building.
Blumenthal said he was honoured to get the award.
But he stressed that the gong itself wasn't the final say in what makes good food.
"All those thousands of chefs who are working their socks off in all of those restaurants may be in a list one year and not in the other [and] they think they've failed,” he told the ABC.
"[So] it's a wonderful event, it really highlights areas that maybe the Michelin guide isn't, it is fantastic for that. But don't take it as reality."
Australia is a special space for Blumenthal, he has enjoyed nothing but success here.
Such is his name and reputation that there were more than 300,000 applications lodged for a seat when he brought his signature restaurant Fat Duck to Melbourne for a six-month stint in 2015.
His latest Australian restaurant, Dinner By Heston, which opened in late 2015 has received two chefs hats in The Age Good Food Guide.
by Leon Gettler, April 6th 2017
