We sat down with the Tasting Australia 2023 Creative Team to discover what their go-to dish to serve at a party is, what drops they’re drinking right now, and what they’re most excited about for Tasting Australia in 2023.
Karena Armstrong
Co-Festival Director
What is your signature dish to make?
I am known for using ethical and local ingredients to make dishes that speak of providence and local producers. My Spencer Gulf prawn and carp dumplings are gobbled up regularly.
The most memorable meal you’ve had?
Food for me is about how you feel when you eat it. Food can taste awesome but when there is an experience attached to it, even better. A recent meal in Mallorca, Spain at Ca na Toneta Restaurant with Chef Maria was extraordinary as it spoke to where we were and gave a beautiful insight into local producers.
The first dish you learnt to make really well?
My mum's fish pie. She still makes it better than me. Flaky pastry and poached fish in bechamel sauce with parsley and lemon, so simple and full of love.
We’re ramping up for the party season. What’s your go-to dish to serve at a party & why?
I love a party! I am all about my massive BBQ at home and people gathering around. Recent travels to Spain have me making lots of paellas. You can really have a plethora of SA seafood, think Goolwa pipis, Boston Bay mussels, Ferguson crayfish, Two Gulfs crab, and Coorong wild carp. It looks pretty special and is such a great way to serve loads of people.
What makes Tasting Australia so special?
It’s different every year but you know it’s going to be amazing. A beautiful collective of people who value food, wine, culture and good times and there is always something to discover and leave you with such a sense of wonder. I am very privileged to be the Co-Festival Director.
Can you give us a taste of what’s to come in the 2023 program?
Fun!!! There is everything from hands-on sausage making to a beautiful intimate dinner for 20 people with stars of world cuisine. There truly is something for everyone. I couldn’t be prouder.
Darren Robertson
Co-Festival Director
What is your signature dish to make?
I’m a big fan of cooking with shellfish. We did an amazing lunch at Coffin Bay a few years back. I got to cook fresh marron over coals with spices and flatbreads, pretty special.
The most memorable meal you’ve had?
My first trip to Indonesia. It was simply grilled fish and samba, cooked over a fire on a beach with friends in the middle of the night.
The first dish you learnt to make really well?
My sister taught me to make poached eggs on toast when I was a kid which was a valuable lesson indeed.
We’re ramping up for the party season. What’s your go-to dish to serve at a party & why?
Bubbles and freshly shucked oysters is a tough one to beat.
What makes Tasting Australia so unique?
The combination of incredible chefs, delicious drinks, world-class produce and stunning locations make it a truly unique experience.
What do you love most about Tasting Australia?
The opening night of Town Square, when the doors open. The buzz around the festival with the backdrop of the city is always pretty special.
Can you give us a taste of what’s to come in the 2023 program?
We have a new dinner series in Town Square, pairing incredible chefs to cook in an intimate space for 20 lucky diners for one night only. The lineup for this alone is very exciting!
Emma McCaskill
Food Curator
What is your signature dish to make?
I enjoy making broths. It may seem simple but the process of getting multiple layers of complex rounded flavours, as well as viscosity using minimal premium ingredients, is a very technical process. My signature is a roasted chicken broth which has been described as tasting like a Sunday roast with trimmings and all.
The most memorable meal you’ve had?
I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Narisawa restaurant in Tokyo in 2013. I tried many different ingredients such as fugu (pufferfish), sea snake, turtle and sake lees, which were all very interesting.
The first dish you learnt to make really well?
Indian Paratha bread with my grandma. I was propped up on a stool to reach the top of the bench, so I must have been about 3 or 4 years old. We would make them from atta flour and eat them like pancakes with strawberry jam. They were absolutely delicious.
We’re ramping up for the party season. What’s your go-to dish to serve at a party & why?
My go-to party dish is usually something involving a BBQ. I’ve discovered that blending eggplant brinjal with butter and brushing it over skewered prawns on the BBQ is a real hit. Finish it with lime to add a bit of zing.
What do you love most about Tasting Australia?
I love connecting with producers and all the talent involved in the program. I love seeing how other chefs utilise our South Australian produce and how they interrupt their dishes with it. I love how the festival connects with local communities, including South Australian schools and gives our next generation of talent the opportunity to work with their industry idols.
Can you give us a taste of what’s to come in the 2023 program?
Lots of exciting brunches and dinners highlighting all forms of cooking techniques. New regions to explore, industry legends, new blood, and some international superstars. Exciting times ahead.
Meira Harel & Banjo Harris Plane
Drinks Curators
What are you drinking right now?
Meira: I'm loving the new Manon releases from the Adelaide Hills - incredible wines made by lovely people.
Banjo: I'm hoping the sun will show up soon so I can get into Vermouth, Berliner Weisse, Kabinett Riesling and other low-ish alcohol but high-in-flavour summer staples.
An unbeatable pairing?
Meira: Roast Chicken and Aligoté. A staple at our house
Banjo: Fruchocs and Big Shed Brewing 'BruChocs Original' Stout - 2 South Aussie Classics!
An unusual pairing that works really well?
Meira: Grüner Veltliner and Falafel
Banjo: Young white burgundy and buttered popcorn
We’re ramping up for the party season. What is your go-to drink to serve at a party?
Meira: I keep it classic and start people off with something sparkling - I've been loving the Aphelion 'Welkin' Sparkling Chenin Blanc lately
Banjo: In a water dispenser, mix 1 bottle Økar Bitter Amaro, 1 bottle Needle & Pin 'Riverland' Gin and 1 bottle 78 Degrees 'Dry' Vermouth, add plenty of ice and kick things off with a South Australian negroni.
What makes Tasting Australia so exciting?
Meira: The diversity and excellence of South Australian food and beverage are on show, and all are available right here!
Banjo: The fact that we've got a cross-section of the best in food and beverage from our own backyard and across the country, all in one place, for 10 days of pure magic.
Can you give us a taste of what’s to come in the 2023 program?
Meira: The drinks program is modern, diverse and inclusive, and spans the spectrum of drinks, from wine to beer to spirits and back again, with some great chat interspersed throughout it all.
Banjo: I can't wait to hear from some of the people we've got coming - international winemakers, award-winning bartenders, the very cream of the crop of South Australian wine....it's all here!
