Gourmet growth on the Tweed Coast
Northern New South Wales operators are preparing to put food at the fore, writes Ann Wason Moore
SEASON restaurant at Peppers Resort in Salt Village is certain to add some spice to Taste of Kingscliff and the Tweed Coast.
Resort food and beverage manager Jim Logan says the signature restaurant is gearing up for the 10-day festival, which kicks off this Friday.
Staff are busily preparing their cellar’s bottles for battle as this weekend’s Wine Wars dinner looms.
“It’s a great event for Season, we have 80 guests, amazing food and, of course, some really fantastic wine,” says Jim.
“The Taste festival has really stepped up a notch this year, our bookings have been great and I think people are really starting to recognise how much this region has to offer.”
Showcasing two heavyweights of the wine industry, Saturday night’s Wine Wars will be a battle of the barrels for wine buffs, wine enthusiasts and foodies.
Hosted by Gourmet Traveller Wine’s Nick Stock, winemakers from Brokenwood and Rymill will go head to head with two masked wines poured to accompany three featured dishes on a five course degustation menu.
Peppers executive chef Craig Robertson will prepare the feast and at the end of the night, the winning winemaker will be revealed.
Jim says Peppers Resort will also be involved in the Taster@Salt two-day market festival on the village green.
“We’ll be hosting some stalls and we’ve also got some packages for people who want to stay the weekend in Kingscliff and really enjoy the whole festival,” says Jim.
“We really support not just our own restaurants but all of the outlets in the northern New South Wales area, anything that draws visitors to our region is good for us.
“I think this area is really coming of age. We have some five-star destinations and so many repeat visitors. We’ve even got Pete Evans moving in down the road at his Cabarita farm. This land is so rich for growing produce, which I think is part of the reason we have such a thriving foodie culture.”
Jim says Season Restaurant has also been changing along with the region.
He says the eatery now offers more family-friendly and share options, while still catering to the more traditional conference crowd.
“I think we’ve really narrowed in on who our market – or markets – are, and our menu really caters to that.
“We have more options for more budgets, but we still keep fresh, local and fine meals as our focus – and our clientele has really responded.”
Taste of Kingscliff and the Tweed Coast runs until July 19, featuring a series of foodinspired, family-friendly beachside events throughout the Tweed and Tweed Coast.