G is for gourmet
It may be the culinary capital's understudy, but Geelong is keen to prove it can still dish it out.
The Victorian town - located about an hour and a half's drive from Melbourne - has secured two notable names for the upcoming Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
Local chefs Matt Dempsey from Gladioli restaurant and Leonie Mills from Jack & Jill Restaurant will highlight the inaugural Geelong Food & Wine Show which happens as part of the broader festival in March.
Matt and Leonie will be working closely with Stephane McGlynn from nearby 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 MasterClass program aiming to put the spotlight on Geelong and its surrounding regions.
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.
Matt was the 2009 Winner of the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Young Chef award, a 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.
More work experience in the UK with the 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.
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’s offers 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 Awards and numerous other accolades.
The inaugural Geelong Food & Wine Show will take place on the Labour Day Weekend, March 10 and 11, at the Deakin Waterfront Campus.
Transformed into a buzzing marketplace of chefs, local providores and winemakers with over 80 exhibitors, the show by the bay features artisan cheese making, local wines and regional produce.
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