Insight: Kagome chief executive officer Jason Fritsch (left) with Glenn Austin, John Sloane, Adrian Richardson, and Adriano Zumbo.
Four celebrity chefs wowed the crowd at the Kagome and Echuca Regional Health’s Celebrating Culinary Careers fundraising event on Friday, May 17.
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The star-studded line-up consisted of Echuca-born and raised chef and global hospitality consultant Glenn Austin; television presenter, chef and author Adrian Richardson; Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands’ food and beverage vice-president John Sloane; and patissier and television host Adriano Zumbo.
The event raised $180,000 for Echuca Regional Health’s mental health and wellbeing initiatives.
Each of the culinary icons presented a select few of their specialities, delivering spectacular canapés with fresh ingredients, many produced by sponsor Kagome.
Spectacular: The 'Sweet Assassin' Adriano Zumbo served up salted caramel, raspberry and chocolate tarts. Photo: Melissa Thomas
The night began with dishes by Mr Austin, the culinary force behind the event who brought the chefs together.
Hailing from Echuca, Mr Austin drove the first Celebrating Culinary Careers in 2022, and is passionate about bringing top quality hospitality to the regions and supporting local producers.
“(The chefs are) all good mates, they’re quite different, quite diverse, so they meet the requirements of a crowd like this,” he said.
“It’s for the hospital, it’s for the region. I’m from this region, I’m a local kid, so it’s worth it.
Mr Austin served up pulled beef brisket croquettes with a mustard pickle mayonnaise, followed by a Greek lamb and potato pie and finished with a roasted lobster shooter.
“I found something that I love, which is celebrating Australian produce,” he said.
“If we do one good thing for a farmer, then you’re doing something good for your country, and I enjoy to do that. Looking after farmers is an absolute motivation to me.”
Learning from the experts: Apprentice chefs (in black, from left) Ashley Singian and Taila Martin with chefs Adrian Richardson and John Sloane.
Internationally-acclaimed chef Mr Sloane flew in from Singapore, where he manages 29,000 meals for paying customers and almost 40,000 staff meals a day.
He stressed the importance of working hard to succeed.
“It’s what you have in your own willpower,” he said.
“There’s two young ladies here who helped us today. They’re just starting in their career and were totally nervous to be with us tonight.
“I said ‘we all started in the same place. What you put into it is what you get out of it’.”
Mr Sloane made cauliflower fritters with green pea and sriracha pesto, sweet potato muffins with fetta whip and salmon caviar, and quail, petit salad and brioche.
Next was Mr Richardson, owner of five renowned Australian restaurants and known for his extensive television work, particularly as the ‘bad chef’ in program Good Chef, Bad Chef. His determination and wit have contributed to his success in the industry.
“If I’m going to do something, I do it and I get it right,” he said.
“If I don’t get it right, I keep pushing at it until I do get it.
“I started doing TV and that was fun, so I started producing my own shows ... I really enjoy that side of it.
“But to get in the kitchen with these salty old dogs and re-use some of the old techniques and skills I haven’t seen for generations, it’s been amazing.”
His menu featured spicy tuna tartare and sesame crisp, four-cheese arancini with aioli and Thai prawn pastry puffs.
All smiles: Celebrity chefs Adrian Richardson (left) and Adriano Zumbo.
The cherry-on-top was Mr Zumbo, recognisable for his Masterchef Australia challenges and host of shows, Zumbo’s Just Desserts and Sugar Rush.
He said the connection with Mr Austin and the cause made him decide to give up his time for the event.
“Sometimes (you choose) the ones you have the most connection to, whether it’s through people I know or something that is close to you, like mental health,” Mr Zumbo said.
“You try to do as many as you can. Obviously you want to help as many as you can. It’s impossible to do everything.”
Mr Zumbo was grateful for Moama Bowling Club apprentice chefs Ashley Singian and Taila Martin, who helped out on the night.
“We had the help of a few TAFE students, which was awesome. They’re all passionate,” he said.
“That kind of made it for me, to have people that really want to be there.”
Signature: Adriano Zumbo's passionfruit, macadamia and coconut, macarons; salted caramel, raspberry and chocolate tarts; and coffee and caramel macarons. Photo: Melissa Thomas
On the dessert menu were salted caramel, raspberry and chocolate tarts, as well as Zumbo’s signature dish, macarons. He chose coffee and caramel macarons and passionfruit, macadamia and coconut macarons.
“I think it went awesome. Everyone seems pretty happy and pretty pumped,” Mr Zumbo said.
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