Matt Moran and Courtney Roulston are looking for Clubs NSW’s perfect plate

Celebrity chef Matt Moran is teaming with fellow chef Courtney Roulston to find the best dishes in NSW’s Clubs scene.

The pair will travel across the state to sample Clubs NSW’s wares in search of the perfect dish for the Perfect Plate awards.

Moran began his career as a kitchen hand at Parramatta RSL. Now he heads up Aria, Chiswick and North Bondi Fish.

These days he expects more from the clubs than just “a schnitty, a beer and a pokie”.

Roulston also began her career working in and then running a club.

The pair will visit more than 130 clubs which will be vying for the highest score on 160 dishes entered into the Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards.

Moran and Roulston want to see tasty dishes that showcase local ingredients and will sampling things like the Salmon Cracker at Panania Diggers and Braised Cowra lamb shank at the Orange Ex-Services Club.

“Hospitality is very important for any venue and they have to raise the bar,” Moran told the Daily Telegraph.

“I’m quite excited about it,” he said. “Courtney is great and we have worked together before (when she was) on MasterChef. It will also be great to get into regional places and see what they are doing.”

Roulston is looking forward to seeing how these venues have pulled themselves up post pandemic.

“A lot of bowling clubs have converted (space) into kitchen gardens,” Roulston said. “They are growing their own produce. It will be interesting to see how things have changed from when I worked (in a club).”

Diners are encouraged to taste as many Perfect Plate Dishes as they can, but can only render one vote.

Prizes on offer for diners include a $100 eftpos gift card or a ‘foodie getaway’ for two valued at over $3,000 each.

The Perfect Plate Awards run until July 9.

For more information go to: perfectplate.com.au.

Jonathan Jackson, 30^th May 2023