Brisbane Convention Centre chef recognised as a champion for local produce
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) executive chef David Pugh has been recognised for a lifetime promoting local produce.
Pugh was selected as an #eatqld champion, with Queensland’s Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, Mark Furner describing him as “a world renowned chef”.
This latest accolade, along with The Courier Mail Food Awards 2019 Icon of the Year title, acknowledges Pugh’s continuing advocacy and passion for the state’s finest produce and driving the use of sustainable and ethical practices in the local food industry.
“As a former Queensland Ambassador Chef, David spent a number of years championing our local produce and developing a strong rapport with farmers and local growers and understanding the issues they faced getting their produce to market,” said Furner.
The announcement was made at the third International Tropical Agriculture Conference, TropAg 2019 dinner, held last week at BCEC for which Pugh and his team created an all Queensland menu.
The menu for the dinner featured the very best of Queensland produce including spanner crab from the Fraser Coast, Moreton Bay Bugs, prawns from Noosa, avocados from North Queensland, Wagyu Beef from the Darling Downs and vegetables from the Scenic Rim.
Pugh said being chosen as an #eatqld champion was a privilege and welcome recognition of the Centre’s strong focus on local produce.
“I’ve worked as a chef all over the world throughout my career, but nothing compares to Queensland produce. Queensland is the food bowl of Australia and I have always been proud to showcase it in my menus,” he said.
“Right now our primary producers are doing it tough; years of drought have been compounded by flooding rains and now devastating bushfires, so every single Queensland venue needs to support our producers and buy local.”
Sheridan Randall, 21st November 2019
