Even when he is still catching his breath after spending the previous 10 days in the South West filming a new food show for TV, appropriately entitled The Catch.
“We meet producers and find out their story and see what they’re growing or catching, as well as where it comes from,” he says. “We have these beautiful oceans, rich pastures and clean air and I think, for a chef, it’s very easy just to open a packet and not have that relationship with where food actually comes from.”
This relationship is also why Scott has taken time out of another busy day at Bib & Tucker – the popular beachside restaurant he and Eamon Sullivan ran for 13 years before announcing this week they had handed over to new owners – to encourage other like-minded chefs and hospitality professionals to get along to this year’s Meet the Buyer™, Western Australia’s only trade show devoted to local food and beverage businesses.
“The event brings chefs and other buyers together with producers in such a natural way and it’s great to make that personal connection with the people growing, supplying or making products,” he says.
“Speaking as a chef, one of the most beautiful parts of a relationship with food is understanding where it comes from and the passion that people put in to get their product to you.”
New sensations
With more than a few years in the industry under his belt, Scott already has good relationships with many of the suppliers exhibiting at the fifth annual Meet the Buyer™ on Tuesday 21 October, but he always finds something interesting to try.
Last year it was the family-owned Black Garlic & Co, which uses certified organic garlic from Margaret River to make its award-winning products.“We make our own black garlic at Bib & Tucker, but they had a couple of condiments, such as their black garlic balsamic, we loved,” Scott says. “Our menu is really seasonal so it’s not something we always use but it’s great.”
The chef appreciates the opportunity to sample potential new suppliers, such as beef producers in the North West, even if they don’t end up on the menu straight away. “Chefs become aware of them, and we chat with each other about new products we see coming through,” he says. “So even if you don’t get something direct on to a menu from Meet the Buyer™ that exposure helps get the product out there.”
Like fellow chef Russell Blaikie, Scott believes producers appreciate honest feedback about their product that can help them take it to the next level.
“It’s the smaller things I find really interesting; I like chatting with the farmers and producers and hearing their stories,” he says. “And the beautiful thing about WA is everyone tries to help each other out, from chefs to producers and suppliers.”
Scott also makes the most of the forum to catch up with existing suppliers and find out what they have coming through and if he can work anything new onto the menu.
“Finding out the story behind the food or the product gives you a little bit more love to put on the plate.”
Those connections can help you out in a jam, too, such as when Scott was preparing for a corporate dinner highlighting local avocadoes and at the last minute the organisers decided they wanted to add a protein. Luckily, he caught up with Amelia Park at Meet the Buyer™ and managed to secure enough luscious lamb to keep everyone happy.
While Scott understands why fellow chefs might hesitate to sacrifice precious time in the kitchen to attend a trade show, he firmly believes it is worth the effort, not just for the networking opportunities but to help spark ideas for those all-important summer menus.
“A lot of chefs are quite introverted people so they might think it sounds too corporate or too hard, and it’s easier to pick up a phone or look at an email or a picture and say ‘yes, I’ll have that’,” he says.
“But once you’re there it’s such a nice feeling in the room. And finding out the story behind the food or the product gives you a little bit more love to put on the plate.”
Meet the Buyer™ is at Crown Perth on Tuesday 21 October. The exhibition floor has sold out, but chefs (and other buyers such as retail outlets and sommeliers) can still book tickets to the trade show.
Note: Meet the Buyer™ is a trade and industry event only but you can support local by dining at the restaurants mentioned and looking out for local produce wherever you shop.
The Catch is due to air on Channel Nine early next year.