Produce Awards All the glamour and glorious food from the 2019 awards.
THEATRE LIGHTS WEREN’T THE only things that sparkled at the 2019 delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards, as top chefs, experts, guests and, of course, Australia’s best producers came together to celebrate.
The awards, hosted by QT Hotels & Resorts, were held in Sydney’s iconic State Theatre, where the Heritage-listed space echoed with the knowledge that now, more than ever, it is important to know your producer.
Past the Four Pillars Gin Bar, which took over the theatre bar for the evening, the foyer’s sweeping marble staircases encircled a Champagne tower, and abundant food stations celebrating the four main foundations of the awards: From the Earth, Dairy, Sea and Paddock dotted the space. Canapés made with award-winning produce circulated, and glasses were filled by Qantas Wine.
With drinks in hand, guests flooded the theatre where delicious. Editor-inChief Kerrie McCallum and Senior Editor Matt Preston took to the stage to announce the winners, including prizes sponsored by QT, Huon Salmon, Qantas Wine and the top prize, Producer of the Year, presented by Harvey Norman. Congratulations to all the 2019 winners!
THIS PAGE: 1. The Four Pillars Gin bar was a popular pit-stop. 2. Pouring the Champagne tower, provided by Qantas Wine. 3. Pecora Dairy’s Michael and Cressida McNamara won the From the Dairy prize for their raw milk feta. 4. Wines from Qantas Wine. 5. A DJ provided the tunes. 6. Suckling pig rolls at the From the Paddock station. 7. Willunga Farmers Market Manager Jenni Mitton with Jessica Galletly, Editor of delicious. South Australia at The Advertiser. 8. Hoegaarden was the beer of the night. 9. Gift bags were brimming, and included treats from Harvey Norman, QT Hotels, Qantas, Huon Salmon, Bourke Street Bakery, Pepe Saya Butter, Olsson’s Salt, Loco Love chocolate, Parlour Lane popcorn, Nespresso coffee pods and Crumpets by Merna. 10. Schultz Farming Co suckling pig. 11. Steve Leslie and Yvonne Young of The Oyster Province Tasmania, winner of the Alla Wolf-Tasker Good Food Matters Scholarship, with Alla. 12. Kerrie McCallum kicks off the ceremony.
AUSTRALIA’S TOP PRODUCE deserves special treatment, and the team at QT Hotels & Resorts went the extra mile. Under the guidance of Event Hospitality & Entertainment Group Director of Culinary Adam Petta, QT Executive chefs from around the country came to prepare the award-winning produce.
The canapés that circulated on the night were prepared by QT Sydney Executive Chef Michael Box. Featuring ingredients such as Fraser Isle spanner crab, Torello rosé veal, Meredith Dairy goat’s cheese and Tuerong Farm stoneground flour, the menu perfectly encapsulated the breadth of the produce nominated in this year’s awards.
Produce from the Dairy was expertly prepared by QT Melbourne Executive Chef Andy Harmer, who curated the nation’s top cheese and dairy, including Bruny Island Cheese Co. Raw Milk c2, Pecora Dairy Bloomy and Prom Country Cheese Venus Blue.
Celebrating the top produce From the Earth was QT Perth Executive Chef
Nic Wood, who featured Moonacres Farm potatoes and silverbeet alongside Apiaries 8 honeycomb and The Grain Family French green lentils at the station.
In charge of the showstopping From the Sea station was QT Gold Coast Executive Chef Adam Lane, who prepared The Oyster Province Native Wild Angasi Oysters with smoked cream and Bruce Collis Seasonal Wild Caught Fish whiting with lemon myrtle and paperbark, andh many more stand-outs.
Finally, QT Canberra Executive Chef Josh Smith-Thirkell prepared produce from the paddock. Crowd-pleasing Schultz Family Farms whole suckling pig rolls, and spit-roasted The Farm House Margaret River Arkady Lamb – which were roasted throughout the day on spits set up in the alleyways around the theatre. Talk about drama.