TWO teams of top chefs are ready to go head to head at the seventh annual Food Fight on June 6. And this year, the gloves are off.
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Organised and hosted by the Hunter Culinary Association, the Food Fight attracts chefs from across Australia, who compete in a high stakes cook-off. The association, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, has confirmed an all-star line-up and chairman Ben Neil is confident the two teams will go toe-to-toe in the best battle yet.
A charity auction on the day will raise money for the Brett Graham Scholarship Fund, which offers talented up-and-coming chefs the opportunity to work with Graham at his acclaimed London Michelin-starred restaurant, The Ledbury.
“The competition will be tough as some of Australia’s best chefs create unique dishes made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients,” Mr Neil said.
“Guests will enjoy an entree, main and dessert, matched with premium Hunter wines.
“The two teams prepare six dishes in total, which equates to more than 1800 plates. Diners are then asked to vote on each dish and the team with the most votes is crowned the 2016 Food Fight Champion.”
Sydney’s former three-hatted Banc restaurant is being brought back to life for the occasion, with four of its renowned chefs reuniting: Colin Fassnidge, of 4Fourteen; Matt Kemp,of Q Station; Warren Turnbull, of Chur Burger; and Justin North, of Hotel Centennial.
As for team Brett Graham, there’s Troy Rhoades-Brown, of Muse Restaurant and Muse Kitchen; Chris Thornton, of Restaurant Mason; Garreth Robbs, of Bistro Molines; and Josh Gregory, of EXP. Restaurant.
Outspoken My Kitchen Rules judge Colin Fassnidge was brimming with confidence when he spoke to the Newcastle Herald about the event.
“Am I competitive? What do you think?” he laughed.
“I’m the most confident I’ve been in years. I love the coming together of so many chefs and even though it’s a competition we still help each other out.”
Fassnidge cut his teeth as a young chef in Dublin (where he quickly learned “don’t be cheeky or you’ll get hurt”) before moving to London where there were “plenty of horror stories and sequels and none of them are printable”.
Still, he persevered and is now considered one of Australia’s top celebrity chefs.