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30.08.10
Bushfoods Masterclass & Brunch at Charcoal Lane
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a unique event
Cooking and culture will come together in this special hands-on bush food Masterclass and brunch on Sunday 3 October 2010 at Charcoal Lane in Fitzroy. Charcoal Lane is a unique social enterprise restaurant, run by Mission Australia and supported by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and the Victorian Government, which provides Aboriginal and disengaged youth with meaningful work experiences and hospitality training.
This special occasion will see Head Chef Damien Styles joining forces with the Prom Country Bushfoods Association and Slow Food Melbourne to present a cultural journey, interactive demonstration and four-course shared brunch banquet. Working in teams, guests will try their hand at cooking simple but tantalising dishes using bush food ingredients which will form part of the banquet later on.
From mountain pepper berry in South Gippsland to smoked eel from Lake Condah, Damien Styles embraces the best of bush ingredients through his subtle fusion of modern Australian food using Victorian bush flavours. ‘Bush foods are rich in culinary, cultural and medicinal value, but many people are unsure how to approach them. This event is a great way for the growing number of curious cooks, consumers and diners to learn about their unique flavours and, most importantly, their culinary and cultural significance to the traditional owners of the land,’ explains Damien. Damien is committed to sourcing bush foods from commercial operations in which Aboriginal people benefit. ‘Partnerships are key,’ he says, ‘We can’t have a mature Australian cuisine using bush ingredients without partnerships and respect.’
join us
The morning will begin with an interactive ‘taste, touch and sniff’ workshop during which Damien shares his passion for the culinary qualities of Victorian bush food ingredients and their potential usage in modern Australian cuisine, and home cooking. Bush food producers, distributors and Aboriginal elders will also share their knowledge of the cultural, culinary and botanical richness of bush foods and provide tips on how to grow, cook and source them in Melbourne. The Masterclass provides guests with recipes, samples to experiment with at home and even seeds or seedlings to plant in their own gardens!
The event concludes with a four-course brunch, served with bubbles, in which diners will taste and share the fruits of the morning’s collective labour at a convivial long table. During brunch, a Gunditj Mirring elder will be welcomed to tell the story of smoked eel production in western Victoria, one of the oldest aquaculture systems in the world, and how his people are keeping this food tradition alive. Brunch will be beautifully accompanied by music from Aboriginal musicians.
when
9:30am-1.00pm on Sunday 3 October 2010
bookings
Space is limited, bookings essential. Tickets are $70 per person, including Masterclass, take- home packs and brunch with bubbles.
Call Charcoal Lane 9418 3400 or email eat@charcoallane.com.au
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