A seasonal, farm-fresh philosophy serves this accomplished chef.

Jo Barrett’s star has been on the rise for years. On the way to becoming co-executive chef at the Yarra Valley’s Oakridge restaurant, she mastered her craft in the esteemed kitchens of Tivoli Road Bakery, MoVida and Long Short Café. She’s regularly featured on

Masterchef, a state judge for the delicious. Produce Awards, and has worked at Joost Bakker’s zero-waste café, Brothl, and the crowdfunded Stanley Street Merchants. Now, with the reins at Oakridge firmly in hand, she’s excelling at leading a kitchen that’s ruled by the seasons and the harvest of their on-site farm. “The first thing I do when putting together a recipe is think about the seasons,” Jo says. “This is where all cooking should start. If you begin with beautiful produce, half the work is already done for you.” One of Jo’s favourite producers to work with is King Valley Dairy. She selected its cultured butter for the pictured dish as it’s one of her go-to ingredients at work, and at home. “It’s consistent, they follow a similar ethos in production as I do in cooking, and, most importantly, it’s delicious,” she says. In the dish, the cultured butter highlights the citrus notes in the parfait and granita. “The flavours are bright and zingy, and the funk of the lacto-fermentation in the butter enhances the middles tones of citrus and coats your mouth so you taste everything.”

To effortlessly blend even the toughest ingredients, a powerful, highspeed blender is an essential appliance to have in your home.