Truly, The World's Cleanest Island

The 80 influencers from 16 countries, invited as part of the "Australia: A Culinary Continent" campaign, were to visit their chosen destinations individually. In other words, the event was incredibly complex and demanding, requiring perfect arrangements for appointments, transfers, accommodation, and, at times, interpreters for 80 different itineraries. I was greatly impressed by the flawless execution and content of the arrangements, especially for my personal coverage, which was a collaborative effort between the Australian Tourism Board and the tourism boards of each state.

During their stay, the 80 influencers in this promotion generated approximately 900 posts, videos, and Instagram updates using social media and hashtags. The result was 290,000 "likes" and over 6,500 user comments. This led the Australian Tourism Board to win a silver award for Best Use of Influencers at the "PR Awards 2015" in the Asia region.

From my experience living in Sydney, I had anticipated that the relaxed and open Aussie spirit might sometimes lead to situations where schedules didn't go as planned. However, through this event, I realized that Australia has achieved a high level of performance in perfectly managing such a worldwide promotion. In other words, it demonstrates a high capacity for hospitality.

Indeed, the quality of service at the resorts, hotels, wineries, and restaurants I visited during my coverage was meticulous, yet it retained the genuine friendliness of Australians, allowing me to spend truly pleasant times. While the hospitality might have been influenced by my status as an invited journalist, Australia's fair spirit dictates treating everyone equally. Singling out individuals is something Australians dislike and are not good at.

Therefore, the highlight of this event, where all 80 influencers gathered, was "Invite the World to Dinner." The location was Tasmania, the only Australian state isolated from the mainland.

This unique environment yields excellent agricultural products and ingredients. Furthermore, approximately one-third of the state is surrounded by fertile, pristine nature, including World Natural Heritage sites – a truly miraculous place. Due to its natural beauty, it is called "the purest place in the world," a fact scientifically proven. It is, in essence, the cleanest island on Earth.

Counting from my twenties, I must have visited Tasmania about ten times. The state capital, Hobart, is a beautiful town with a cityscape that retains the charm of its pioneering days, particularly around the harbor. The harbor features popular seafood restaurantsMuresand design hotels utilizing former jam factories,The Henry Jones Art Hotelwhich stand there, offering a consistently serene and beautiful landscape no matter when I visit.

Every Saturday, there is also the famousSalamanca Marketwith around 300 stalls selling everything from produce to homemade sweets and arts and crafts. Among them are unique shops likeThe Dog House Bakery, specializing in dog cookies made with only fresh, high-quality ingredients such as Leatherwood honey, unique to Tasmania, local apples, and fresh peanut butter – a perfect souvenir for a beloved pet.

I learned cooking from Dunn here a few years ago. Seeing me leave the tap running to wash the mud off freshly dug potatoes, Dunn gently placed his hand on the faucet and adjusted the water flow without a word. Not turning it off completely, but just enough for a trickle. I still remember feeling Dunn's consideration for the natural environment and his thoughtfulness towards me, a city dweller.

Mures
http://mures.com.au


The Henry Jones Art Hotel
http://www.thehenryjones.com


Salamanca Market
http://www.salamanca.com.au/guide/


The Dog House Bakery
http://www.doghousebakery.com.au


Cradle Mountain Hotel
http://www.cradlemountainhotel.com.au


Saffire
http://www.saffire-freycinet.com.au


Agrarian Kitchen
http://www.theagrariankitchen.com


Tetsuya's
http://tetsuyas.com

A Stylish Aussie Touch That Brought a Smile

The 80 influencers gathered for just one day. Having arrived in Hobart the previous day, we headed to the event venue set up at Hobart's harbor at 11 AM the next day for "Restaurant Australia Marketplace."

The vast venue was already filled with booths, showcasing selected wines, cheeses, seafood, coffee, meats, and other ingredients from across Australia, along with their producers and winemakers, welcoming the influencers from around the world. Among the 80 attendees were renowned chefs, restaurant owners, food critics, and food bloggers such as Alice Waters, Eric Ripert, Adrian Anthony Gill, Sanjeev Kapoor, Charson Lian, and Andre Chiang, as well as genuine celebrities like TV presenters and actors.


This was the first time many of them had met. With some familiar chefs and journalists among them, the venue instantly became more vibrant.

On stage appeared Neil Perry, the representative Australian chef fromRockpool, Peter Gilmore fromQuay, and Ben Shewry fromAttica. They spoke passionately about the concept of Restaurant Australia, its background, and Australia's gastronomy and ingredients. The charismatic chefs, always engaging in conversation with a casual style, humor, and laughter, and posing for photos, embodied the Australian spirit of enjoying life with ease. Participants looked at them with respect and admiration.

The offerings that day included finger foods made with ingredients from each state, and a variety of premium wines. For example, from New South Wales, venison from Mandagery Creek with seasonal fruits and cheese. From the Northern Territory, barramundi served with native Australian wattleseed – a dish that Takuro Tatsumi highly praised.

From Queensland, Moreton Bay bugs; from South Australia, aged sirloin carpaccio; and from Tasmania, cheese from Bruny Island paired with Tasmania's prized sparkling wine. From Victoria, a melt-in-your-mouth dessert by Scott Pickett, hailed as a rising star chef.

The ACT offered kangaroo prosciutto and smoked chicken breast pairing. Western Australia, reflecting the vastness of one-third of the Australian continent, presented carefully selected ingredients from the southwestern region, paired with the state's exquisite premium wines.

The wine selection was also astonishing. Listed below are some of the exceptional wines, including a 2005 Grange, which guests could freely taste alongside the finger foods – a true luxury that had even the most seasoned influencers buzzing with excitement.

Jacob’s Creek 2005, Steingarten Riesling, Barossa, SA
Audrey Wilkinson 2011, ‘The Ridge’ Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW
Fowles Wine 2013, Ladies Who Shoot their Lunch Riesling,
Strathbogie Ranges, VIC
Moorilla Estate 2012, Cloth Label White, Tasmania, TAS
Leeuwin Estate 2010, Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River, WA
Montalto 2013, Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
The Lane 2010, Reunion Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, VIC
Penfolds 2005, Grange, Barossa Valley, SA
d’Arenberg 2005, The Ironstone Pressings GSM, McLaren Vale, SA
Voyager Estate 2009, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River, WA
De Bortoli 2010, Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Yarra Valley, VIC
Seppeltsfield 1985, Para Liquer Tawny, Barossa, SA
Josef Chromy 2008, Vintage Sparkling, Tasmania, TAS

Then, in the evening, "Invite The World to Dinner" finally began. However, to live up to its billing as a "once-in-a-lifetime unforgettable dinner," the organizers had prepared various surprises. The meal wouldn't start immediately.

Along the way, the speedboats stopped at an open-air pontoon floating on the sea, where a bonfire blazed. Amidst the didgeridoo performance by Aboriginal musicians, welcome drinks of Tasmania's prized sparkling wine, "House of Arras 2004 vintage Blanc de Blanc," were served. In reality, the dinner had already begun here.

The prologue, conceptualized around "Earth," "Fire," and "Water" – the elements that nurture Australian ingredients – by chefs Ben Shewry, Peter Gilmore, and Neil Perry, was truly wild and sensational.

First, fresh oysters, the perfect accompaniment to sparkling wine. Natural Angasi oysters (flat oysters) hand-caught off Bruny Island, Tasmania; Pacific oysters (Pacific cupped oysters) from Freycinet Marine Farm, also in Tasmania; and Sydney Rock Oysters from Albany, Western Australia. These succulent, milky oysters paired with vintage sparkling wine, acclaimed as the best of the best, captured the hearts of the guests.

Next, cooking began around the bonfire. First, Ben Shewry's baked fish wrapped in leaves, served with grilled baby corn and finished with forest anise for aroma. Peter Gilmore presented charcoal-grilled marron (crustacean) from Western Australia with roasted wallaby tail broth. Neil Perry showcased Japanese culinary techniques with charcoal-grilled Tasmanian abalone, seasoned with abalone liver, sake, and mirin, and wood-roasted Tasmanian lobster glazed with kombu butter. These were paired with the following wines:

Dal Zotto l’immigrante 2013 Prosecco, King Valley, VIC
Stefano Lubiana 2005 Vintage Brut, TAS
Ashton Hills 2010 Salmon Brut, Adelaide Hills, SA
Grosset Polish Hill 2014 Riesling, Clare Valley, SA
Tyrrell’s Vat 1 2005 Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW
Cullen Kevin John 2012 Chardonnay, Margaret River, WA

These were not mere finger foods but exquisite dishes, paired with superb wines. Yet, the enjoyment of conversing with everyone while holding a glass and sharing time was the essence of the Australian lifestyle. It's akin to having a BBQ with beer on the beach or in the backyard on a weekend. The casually Australian-style presentation made me smile.

Rockpool
http://www.rockpool.com


Quay
http://www.quay.com.au


Attica
http://www.attica.com.au

A Dream Dinner for a Lifetime Begins

Here, unique and precious artworks, ranging from ancient Egyptian mummies to works by contemporary art pioneer Damien Hirst, are displayed, bridging the past and future. The prospect of a one-night-only world dinner unfolding within such a super-unique museum was thrilling. As dusk settled and the boats arrived at the museum, the guests' excitement visibly heightened.

"Wow!"

The moment guests entered the dinner venue, exclamations of awe erupted. The sheer scale of the long tables, seating, cutlery, and wine glasses, all arranged against the backdrop of Sydney Nolan's monumental "Snake," was breathtaking. Guests streamed in. Approximately 200 people, including the 80 influencers and other stakeholders, were about to partake in this once-in-a-lifetime dream dinner.

The Japanese team was also shown to their assigned seats. To my right was Takuro Tatsumi. To my left was Vicky, the wife of the chef Martin fromSepia, currently the most talked-about restaurant in Sydney. The organizers had meticulously arranged seating at all tables, placing the Japanese team next to Martin and Vicky, who had previously worked at Tetsuya's.

The concept for the dishes from this point onwards was "Art & Produce." First, cured South Australian red kangaroo by Ben Shewry, paired with quandong, a native Australian fruit. Kangaroo is eaten in Australia, and its lean meat is gaining attention for being healthy. While previous kangaroo dishes I had tasted were somewhat tough, Ben's preparation that night was tender and juicy. The wines served were "Castagna Allegro 2013 Rose, Beechworth, VIC" as an aperitif, followed by "Bobar 2014 Syrah, Yarra Valley, VIC," both from Victoria.

Next came Peter Gilmore's creation: smoked and confit pork jowl, black abalone, shiitake mushrooms, and seaweed, seasoned with koji and fermented barley, i.e., miso, in a fusion style. Although I expected it to be quite unconventional, the taste was surprisingly rich and the balance of ingredients was impeccable – a testament to Peter Gilmore's skill. This was paired with white and red wines: "Lake’s Folly 2011 Chardonnay, Hunter Valley, NSW" and "Moorilla Muse 2010 Pinot Noir, TAS." Incidentally, Moorilla is also the winery owned by MONA's proprietor, David Walsh.

It was truly a magnificent sight. The conversations between the over 200 guests and the serving staff, along with the sounds of cutlery and glasses, filled the museum space, creating an indescribable sense of exhilaration. The synchronized timing of dish service and the swift pouring of wine further highlighted the maturity of Australian food culture and the hospitality business.

Guests savored the moment, immersed in the afterglow. I, too, engaged in conversations with Mr. Tatsumi, Martin and Vicky from Sepia, and others, driven by our shared interest in the food and wine. "What's it like in Japan?" "Australia is like this right now." We enjoyed common topics and discovered new information. Mr. Tatsumi's passion and knowledge about wine were particularly impressive. He actively engaged with the serving staff, asking questions and taking photos of the labels, clearly enjoying himself.

The paired wines were "Woodlands 2012 Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Margaret River, WA" and "Henschke Mount Edelstone 2012 Shiraz, Eden Valley, SA."

As the meal and the guests' enjoyment reached their peak, the chefs appeared to thunderous applause. They expressed their gratitude for the event, and all three spoke sincerely about their respect for the ingredients and producers born from Australia's unique environment, encapsulating the essence of Restaurant Australia. Special guest Heston Blumenthal, chef of the world's number one restaurantThe Fat Duck, made an appearance. He has been in the news recently for temporarily closing The Fat Duck for renovations and relocating to the Crown casino hotel in Melbourne during that period. He is poised to lead the future of Australian gastronomy.

As the dinner course concluded and dessert was about to be served, an announcement was made: "Dessert will be served in a different location, so please proceed there." Dancers began their performance, and the event moved towards its finale.

In the bar area, an ice cream parlor manned by Ben Shewry himself, scooping ice cream into cones, was set up. Additionally, dessert wines, and an increasing variety of Australian spirits such as Scotch whisky, gin, and vodka, along with craft beers, were available. By this point, I was quite full, pleasantly tipsy, and my memory was becoming hazy. "Feel free to enjoy yourselves as much as you like, as long as you don't miss your flight tomorrow," a representative from the tourism board whispered in my ear.

Now, how much energy do I have left? The surrounding area was buzzing with guests and chefs mingling, creating an incredibly lively atmosphere. Even David Walsh, MONA's owner, who is said to be reclusive, was present. Surely, a night like this would never come again. Undeniably, this night was a "world's best" moment, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Although the culinary journey through Australia was nearing its end, "Invite the World to Dinner" continued, its depths and duration seeming endless.



MONA
http://www.mona.net.au


Sepia
http://www.sepiarestaurant.com.au


The Fat Duck
http://www.thefatduck.co.uk

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