“I’m passionate about using local ingredients not just because of their quality, but because they tell a story about our land, our growers and our evolving food culture,” he says.
“WA produce is world-class, fresh, diverse and full of character. It gives us chefs the freedom to be creative while staying rooted in local flavour.”
It’s why the chef at the city’s popular Southeast Asian restaurant, Miss Mi Perth, is delighted to be taking part in Plating Up WA again in June, this time with two dishes – a tomahawk steak for two, and a truffle cassava cake.
“We chose South West black angus (sourced from McLoughlin Butchers) for its exceptional quality and flavour – it’s the perfect match for our bold, modern Asian flavours, which are a big part of our identity,” Alex says.
Manjimup truffles are also worthy characters in this rich story. “Southeast Asian desserts are usually quite simple yet delicious, like the cassava cake, which makes them the ideal canvas to showcase the earthy, delicate flavour of truffles,” Alex says.
Sharing the bounty
Just like a good story, the venues for Plating Up WA are as varied as the dishes they are sharing – from casual cafés and cosy bars to high-end restaurants and wineries.
With its grand 1905 facade and modern interior, Young George is the kind of bar and restaurant everyone wishes was their local. The East Fremantle favourite is led by award-winning chef Melissa Palinkas, who has long been a champion of Western Australian produce.
“I am so blessed to live in a state that provides us with a bounty of incredible ingredients year round,” Melissa says. “We can get summer produce from the Gascoyne in winter, for example, which means I can still put tomatoes on my menu then. And our beautiful South West provides us with so much. From the land to the oceans, we have everything.”
Melissa also counts herself lucky to be one of the few chefs in Perth each year to be offered Rottnest Island Scallops, which are exclusive to Endeavour Foods.
“They are a beautiful product and very special as they have a short season. They are big and plump and they come to the restaurant live, that’s how fresh they are,” she says.
“My dish is served crudo style – in my opinion, the only way to eat scallops – with some smoked apple and lime dressing. It also has a second dressing of buttermilk with some Block 275 canola seed caviar and a few drops of the oil.”
With the apples from Newton Orchards, Melissa is really putting WA on a plate. “Plating Up WA is wonderful because it lets our customers know we are committed to buying local and fresh ingredients, instead of having imported, out-of-season produce,” she says. “If it’s not in season it’s not on my menus.”
Showing our support
Stephan Andrews may be a relative newcomer to Western Australia but he’s already an enthusiastic advocate for all things local.
The executive chef at Heyder & Shears has chosen Pezzano’s Cranbrook Saltbush Lamb for the hero dish at Epoch Museum Café, where the catering and events specialists keep visitors to WA Boola Bardip Museum well fed.
“The dish is simplistic but bursting with flavour – the mild, herbaceous lamb matching well with the sweetness of the carrots and the earthiness of the potatoes, and then the salt hit from the saltbush salsa verde,” he says.
With the lamb raised on nutrient-rich saltbush and pristine pastures near the Stirling Ranges, Stephan says it’s always exciting for chefs to use native ingredients in dishes.
That enthusiasm extends to the producers, too. “They are passionate about their produce – not only do they have great stories to tell, but they also genuinely want to produce the best,” he says.
This makes Plating Up WA even more special, providing venues with a platform to show just how proud they are to use local. “These campaigns are very important to the catering industry, not only to share ingredients and recipes but hopefully to help promote sustainability in WA,” Stephan says.
See the full range of venues, and their delightful dishes, at Plating Up WA this June – and book your table sooner rather than later!
