GEORGE
CALOMBARIS TALKS GEELONG GOOD FOOD & WINE SHOW
Lauded local chefs Matt Dempsey from Gladioli restaurant in
Inverleigh and Leonie Mills from Jack & Jill Restaurant in
Geelong have been confirmed as highlights of the inaugural Geelong
Food & Wine Show as part of theMelbourne Food & Wine
Festival in March 2012.
Bringing a wealth of talent, innovation and regional expertise,
Matt and Leonie will be working closely with Stephane McGlynn from
Queenscliff's Q Provedore, a seafood specialist whose use of French
techniques with local seafood has brought a new depth of culinary
experience to the Bellarine Peninsula.
Matt, Leonie and Stephane will be shining alongside celebrity
chefs George Calombaris, Ben O'Donoghue and patissier Adriano Zumbo
to create a Master Class program that will put the spotlight firmly
on Geelong and surrounding regions, focussing their rising
reputations as major food & wine hubs.
Matt Dempsey is the owner/chef of Gladioli and a local star on
the rise. Raised in Penshurst, Western Victoria, Matt's rural
upbringing brings an understanding of the true meaning of local
produce. Highly awarded, Matt was the 2009 Winner of the
Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Young Chef award, arguably
Australia's leading hospitality award program that recognises and
develops young talent.
Matt served his apprenticeship in Port Douglas before returning
to the Geelong area to take up a position at Pettavel Winery.
In 2010 Matt was a key player in the relaunch of the Pier and Gold
Diggers Arms in Geelong, creating a broad range of themed
restaurant and café dining experiences.
Work experience in the UK with the internationally renowned
Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck) and Australian wunderkind Brett
Graham (The Ledbury) has cemented Matt's reputation as a highly
skilled and innovative chef with a fine appreciation of modern food
crafted from the best local, seasonal ingredients. He
continues to do the region proud and will bring a wealth of
experience and insight to the show.
Leonie Mills is the chef and co-owner, with husband Damien, of
Geelong's Jack & Jill Restaurant. Housed in an historic
building and perched high on the hill in the centre of town, Jack
& Jill'soffers a unique dining approach, driven by Leonie's
vision. Leonie creates 'miniature meals' and encourages
diners to savour the flavours of her tapas-style tastes.
Using cutting edge trends and the best possible ingredients,
Leonie's approach has attracted kudos with a great review in The
Age 2012 Good Food Guide, a win in the National Golden Plate
Awardsand numerous other accolades. Jack and Jill's also has a
comprehensive wine list and one of the best boutique beer lists
around, giving Leonie a well rounded appreciation of food, wine and
beer and how flavours work together. Her expertise will bring
another dimension to the Geelong Food & Wine Show.
The inaugural Geelong Food & Wine Show will take place on
the Labour Day Weekend, 10-11 March 2012, at the historic Deakin
Waterfront Campus. Transformed into a buzzing marketplace of
chefs, local providores and winemakers with over 80 exhibitors, the
show by the bay features a comprehensive program of Master Class
sessions featuring guest chefs George Calombaris, Ben O'Donoghue,
Adriano Zumbo, Matt Dempsey, Leonie Mills and Stephane
McGlynn. Artisan cheese making, local wines and regional
produce will all feature in the program and a dedicated wine
program will be announced shortly.
A website with all details of the sessions, exhibitors and
events will be live on 27 January. Head to www.geelongfws.com.au.
The event is supported by the City of Greater Geelong; Geelong
Otway Tourism and the Geelong Football Club.