Dinner and a show (Chef tour of the Limestone Coast)

As a chef, the kitchen can be a small place, a place that consumes all of our time and energy and sometimes, it also consumes our passion, creativity and motivation. Long, hot, busy days where your main contact with new and inspiring techniques and products is through food sales representatives who show you glossy brochures that give you a brief insight into the magical place that your produce comes from.

 Sometimes, we need to realise that those magical places aren't actually all that far away. You can go and visit them and speak to the producer or grower about the products that you use and new ways to use them. Rebuild the passion and creativity and be inspired by the amazing produce on our doorstep.

 With this in mind, The Hospitality Mentor Program gathered a group of 25 chefs and apprentice chefs from around South Australia, ripped them from their kitchens and took them out on the open road; Destination - The Limestone Coast.

 The Limestone Coast has a great reputation for amazing produce, from Coonawarra Wines, padthaway olive oils, limestone coast lamb, cheese, the largest fresh herb producer in Australia and one of Australias only full blood Wagyu Beef farms. This amazing regional food bowl was our destination and wow did it deliver!

 The morning of the trip was taken up with driving, we left the morning fog and traffic of the city behind us and broke into the rich green fields and tall trees of the agricultural region. Cows, sheep and endless rows of vines gave us a tantalising insight into the produce that we were about to see and taste. We arrived at our accomodation for the night, everyone freshened up and we embarked on the first visit in the tour, it was Wagyu time!

 Mayura Station is one of the only full blood Wagyu farms in Australia and it is located at Millicent, a small town about 30 minutes drive from Mount Gambier.
Wagyu beef has long been heralded as the king of beef, stories abound of the rock star lifestyles of these cattle, massages, beer drinking and comfortable beds are all indicators of the lengths that some farmers will go to to ensure they are producing some of the best beef on the planet. Wagyu steaks can cost upwards of $200 per kg on the wholesale market.
 Experts from the station explained to the chefs and apprentices how the cattle was bred, fed and raised. 500
days of grain feeding and rigorous quality checks and scrutiny of procedures, ensure that the wagyu produced at Mayura is amongst the finest beef in the world.

 Next was a real treat, Mayura Station not only produces some amazing beef, they also have a restaurant and chef on the actual farm. Meat and Livestock Australia had organised for our chefs and apprentices to partake in one of their famous Rare - Medium paddock to plate dinners at Mayura's restaurant to see the link from the paddock to the
 First the chef Mark Wright from Mayura demonstrated how to seam a full Wagyu D-rump out and segment all of the muscles. The participants then were all seated and dinner unfolded.

  First Course:Mayura Wagyu Carpaccio with ash salt, shaved reggiano and a nettle, wild rocket and nasturtium salad.

The Wagyu carpaccio was tender and flavoursome, the heavy marbling gave the meat a texture of butter and the depth of flavour was mindblowing. The nettle and rocket salad added a great spice to the carpaccio and the reggiano and ash salt rounded out the flavours with a sharp and salty kick. This was accompanied with a Serafino, Goose Island Rose. It perfectly accentuated the dish and kept the palate light and fresh.

  Second Course: Hay Smoked, Milk Fed Suffolk Lamb Rillette on a parsnip puree with burnt

leek, herb oil and borage flowers.
Chef Mark Wright had taken the Milk Fed Lamb Shoulders (supplied by Feast fine foods) out into the paddock and smoked them over some fresh hay, then braised them and shredded them to form a tightly packed rillette. He then crumbed them with a light panko crumb and shallow fried them in clarified butter. The result was a slightly smoky and sweet lamb rillette that nourished the soul in the way that only french inspired food can. The parsnip puree imparted an earthy base to the dish that married well with the lamb. 2010 Katnook Estate Merlot was paired with the dish and its complex pepper and oaky hues served to further highlight and confirm the amazing reputation of the region.


 Third Course: Mayura Wagyu Rost Biff on pumpkin puree with Bernaise Sauce and a medley of local winter vegetables.

The rost biff is an individual muscle within the rump. The chef had formed it and rolled it tightly so that it fomed tight medallions. A rich bernaise covered the top of the steak and paired with the sweetness of the pumpkin and the winter root vegetables, the dish was near faultless. It keenly highlighted how underutilised this portion of the rump is. The simplicity yet perfect execution of the final dish was a true testament of the skill that Mayura's chef has, he did not feel the need to over complicate it and let the products send the final message.. Wagyu is king!



 The night was finished off with more amazing wines from Serafino and Katnook Estate and Cheeses from The Limestone Coast Cheese Company and Alexandrina Cheese.

 Heads full of ideas and hearts filled with inspiration, the chefs went back to their kitchens. Memories from the night before conjuring dreams of new dishes and recipes to try and the amazing produce to go into their next menus.