Tassie on the menu: Super chef checks out local grub
WORLD-renowned chef Rene Redzepi has been in Tasmania searching for its best produce ahead of opening a temporary restaurant in Sydney.
Noma in Copenhagen — named the best restaurant in the world four times — will set up on Sydney Harbour for 10 weeks from January.
Redzepi and his head research chefs travelled around Tasmania last week. They met sea urchin diver Dave Allen at Bay of Fires and James Ashmore of Hobart’s Ashmore Foods Tasmania, and visited Flinders Island and MONA.
“I have always been attracted to the incredible diversity you find in Australia’s landscapes and ingredients, because they are like no other place I’ve seen before,” Redzepi said.
The news of Noma’s Sydney opening has Australian gourmets abuzz — and the Tasmanian trip brings high expectations the state’s food and drink will feature heavily.
It comes as Tasmania’s reputation on the world food stage is cemented.
Last week, a sommelier from Heston Blumenthal’s London restaurant Fat Duck toured Tasmania and sampled its wines.
“It will be fantastic because Noma will identify where the food and beverages are from so people will know they’re eating the best that Tasmania can produce,” Brand Tasmania executive director Robert Heazlewood said.
He said the landmark Restaurant Australia event, in which top international chefs dined at MONA in November, came on top of years of hard work in Tasmania.
Premier and Minister for Tourism Will Hodgman said if Redzepi chose Tasmanian produce it would provide “exposure that no amount of money can buy”.
“There’s little wonder why our island is captivating the attention and the tastebuds of renowned chef Rene Redzepi,” Mr Hodgman said.
“To see Rene marvelling at our landscape and foraging in our waters is amazing.”
The Noma residency will focus on producers with “respectful and passionate engagement with the sea and the land”.
Redzepi said: “Australia combines strong influences from its indigenous people with new communities from around the world. When you mix it all together, the result is something truly inspiring.
“It really is the perfect place to come and learn”.
Noma will be in the Anadar building in Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct.
Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said it was a natural extension of the Restaurant Australia campaign.
“A big part of Restaurant Australia has been about improving Australia’s perception as a food and wine destination,’’ Mr O’Sullivan said.
“And with one of the world’s top-ranked restaurants about to open in Sydney, I’d say our country’s culinary standing has never been higher.”
Source: Perth Now - Mercury, Michelle Paine, July 28th 2015
Originally published as: Tassie on the menu: Super chef checks out local grub
