In this week’s column: The future of the KI FEASTival, Asian food and culture aplenty, SA hotels that rate Australia-wide, a new laneway festival for Adelaide, and apprentice chefs cooking to win.

Gone but not forgotten

Kangaroo Island’s major tourism event – KI FEASTival – has gone on ice for 12 months due to lack of funding, leaving the islanders to work out how they can keep the show rolling on.

FEASTival was started by Kangaroo Island local Nick Hannaford in 2011 as an annual event to attract national visitors to enjoy the island’s unique experiences, particularly its pristine food and wine and natural settings.

“It is an award-winning production that directly assists in converting awareness to visitation, attracting visitors from around the world – in 2015 it contributed $1.8 million in marketing value to South Australia,” says Hannaford, an events manager.

A past KI FEASTival event with celebrity chef George Calombaris. Photo: Peter Nash

In 2016, FEASTival and its key industry partners (Tourism Kangaroo Island, the Kangaroo Brand Alliance and Kangaroo Island Food and Wine Association) will work on developing a strategic events plan that builds on the success and key elements of past festivals.

“We’re taking those four years of FEASTival experience and bringing it to the table, to leverage from and build for the future something that’s not so dependent on government funding,” says Hannaford.

“We realise our island has the potential to deliver an exceptional all-year-round events program for the future, but we need to take a sustainable approach to events with concepts that bring together all the elements that were really special about FEASTival and run them more regularly over the year.

“Events that push the boundaries, such as the ‘table surfing’ events, where the locals opened their homes and visitors had lunch or dinner with the family, and the James Bond event, where ‘James Bond’ came out of the water to serve everyone local Kis gin and tonic with Kangaroo Island oysters.

“We want to change the boundaries of the food and wine formula, bringing in theatre, environment and the elements to make something really impressive and new.

“A big difference between FEASTival and other South Australian festivals is that body of water – you can’t just say, ‘let’s shoot across to KI for the day’, because the cost is prohibitive.

“We’re a small island; we’ve got a small economy and we want to build something that’s bigger and stronger and better.”

In the meantime, if you want to experience some FEASTival-style hospitality, Hannaford is managing the island’s on-ground events for visiting cruise ships.

From November to March, the Pacific Eden, Pacific Jewel and Queen Victoria cruise ships will stop on the island to taste Kangaroo Island food and wine, meet the producers and watch local chefs – including Kate Sumner from Kangaroo Island Source cooking school – work with the produce as part of an interactive lunch concept called “A Taste of Kangaroo Island” on the Penneshaw Oval.

Contact Nick Hannaford for FEASTival inquiries.

Asian culture you can taste

Photo: Good Food Month

The Night Noodle Markets being held as part of the OzAsia Festival this month will draw performers outdoors for the first time to offer visitors free entertainment while enjoying Asian cuisine.

For 11 nights from September 24 to October 4, Adelaide’s Riverbank Precinct will be transformed with a fun festival atmosphere.

Madame Hanoi have just announced they are joining the group of 19 Night Noodle Markets stallholders who will serve a variety of Asian cuisines around the Plaza Stage, the Coopers Bar and the Hajek Plaza, creating a fully immersive entertainment and dining experience.

While you’re there, visit the InDaily lounge next to the main stage to relax and watch the fun unfold. We are sharing our space with food rescue group OzHarvest; you can write a fortune for Adelaide and leave it on our Fortune Wall (the best fortunes will be published on InDaily) or pick up a fortune cookie for a gold coin donation from the bright yellow OzHarvest Fortune Cookie Cart. Every $1 donated to OzHarvest represents more meals for people in need.

The Night Noodle Markets will be open from 5pm until late on week days and from 12pm until late on weekends. Entry is free.

With Indonesia as this year’s OzAsia focus region, The Spice of Life at the Migration Museum on October 4 will explore some of the social and cultural traditions surrounding the use of spices in South-East Asian cuisine, offering a variety of activities including cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops.

Organised by members of South Australia’s Asian community in collaboration with the museum, The Spice of Life will run from 11am to 4pm and promises to be a great festival finale.

Iron Chef in town

Takoyaki will produce Japanese food from their stall at AsiaFest. Photo: supplied

Think of the Night Noodle Markets as a warm-up for AsiaFest in Rymill Park (October 2-11) and the Sakai in SA degustation event at Adelaide Casino (October 13 and 14).

Now in its second year, AsiaFest offers patrons a culinary journey of Asian countries – including China, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Japan – and this year these experiences are provided by 22 Adelaide eateries such as Hanuman, Kalye Filipino BBQ, Ginza Miyako and Naya Modern Indian.

New on board is the Melting Pot, which will take festival-goers to the back streets of Hong Kong.

And later this month Adelaide Japanese restaurant Ginza Miyako will bring Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai, known for his French-style cuisine and celebrity appearances on the Japanese cooking show.

Sakai will be joined by fellow Iron Chefs Ikuei Arakane (The Glass House, Melbourne) and Mark Normoyle (RACV Club, Melbourne), as well as pastry chef Pierrick Boyer (Le Petit Gateau, Melbourne) and Ginza Miyako chef Kazuki Ushiro to present a seven-course dinner using local produce with each dish matched to Australian wines.

Two dinner events will be held and will incorporate Japanese cultural performances. Tickets are $330 per person (standard) and $500 (VIP). Further information can be found here.

Beer and bubbles

Adelaide looks set to embrace another new festival this year – a boutique beer and sparkling laneway event in the East End.

On Saturday, November 7 between 2pm and 8pm, Vardon Avenue will present Beer and Bubbles, a “soiree” to showcase more than 50 local craft beers, South Australian sparklings and a selection of international champagnes with tastings, street food and entertainment.

“We have some of the best brewers in the world based in SA and our home-grown sparkling wines are nothing short of impressive,” says event director and East End Cellars owner Michael Andrewartha. “We want to showcase this world of talent at a special tasting event.”

Tickets are $35 per person. Bookings can be made here.

SA hotels best in Australia

Best pub outdoor area in Australia: The Gully Public House & Garden. Photo: supplied

South Australian hotels were recognised among the best in Australia at this week’s National AHA Awards for Excellence.

The Stirling Hotel was crowned Best Restaurant (Metropolitan) and the recently renovated The Moseley Bar & Kitchen was awarded Best Bistro (Metropolitan). The Gully Public House & Garden was awarded Best Outdoor/Non-Enclosed Area and The Port Lincoln Hotel was recognised for Best Bar Presentation & Service (Regional). The full list of results can be found here.

Another hotel that looks set to give Australia’s best a run after renovations are complete next month is the Hilton Adelaide, with its new Coal Cellar and Grill. You can check the progress on Instagram.

Apprentice Chef Cook Off

Winning apprentice chef Luke Brown. Photo: supplied

A group of apprentice chefs gathered at Sprout cooking school for the inaugural Saturno Apprentice Chef Cook Off, the first of a planned annual event to develop and mentor young chefs in Adelaide.

Ten chefs competed in two activities to showcase their skills in front of judges Callum Hann and Saturno Group and Mile End Hotel chefs David White and Hannah Oliver.

“In the first activity the apprentice chefs were given a set amount of ingredients from which they could make whatever they wanted,” said Hann, who runs the Sprout cooking school.

“For the second activity, the apprentice chefs had to reinvent and re-create the classic chicken kiev, deconstructing it, taking the ingredients and finding ways to present them in a modern way – the overall quality was fantastic.”

The winner was Luke Brown, a first-year apprentice at The Duck Inn, Coromandel Valley. Second equal were Hannah Franz from The Unley Rooftop Bar and Kitchen and Adam Dennis from The Mile End Hotel, while third was Thomas Bennett from Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub at Hackam.

“Apprentice chefs spend most of their time hard at work in a kitchen, working off a menu,” said Hann. “The Cook Off was a great opportunity to have complete control and show what they’ve learnt.”

Losing the plot

Losing the Plot: food gardening in South Australia is a new exhibition opening at the Migration Museum on Saturday which explores food growing across time and across South Australia.

It examines the stories behind the food on our plates by looking at the history of Aboriginal food production, school and community gardens, the home garden and market gardens in SA, and is accompanied by a program of workshops and talks focussing on food gardening and the use of garden produce in preserving and cooking. The exhibition runs until June 26, 2016.

This week at the Adelaide Farmers’ Market – asparagus

New-season asparagus at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market. Photo: supplied

Asparagus is usually available in South Australia from September, as it thrives in warm weather with sufficient rainfall.

Extremely nutritional, it is rich in vitamin C, a wide range of B vitamins, folate and iron, as well as potassium and sodium, while being low kilojoules and providing fibre without fat or cholesterol.

There are three different types of asparagus: green, white and purple. The only difference between green and white asparagus is that green asparagus gets its colour from the process of photosynthesis as the spear emerges from the earth into the sunlight, while white asparagus is grown in the dark. The best asparagus spears are long, thick and dark green with tightly closed heads.

Purple asparagus is a different variety to the green and white. It has a lower fibre content and the purple colour comes from the high levels of potential antioxidants in the spears.

Asparagus can be steamed, stir-fried, baked, pureed, added to salads or barbecued.

Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market stallholder Darling Street Asparagus currently has green asparagus which is grown on its Renmark farm. The market re-opens on Sunday with an outside-only market from 9am to 1pm following the recent two-week break during the Royal Show.

What’s on?

Sweet Tooth Market – September 19 and 20
Flinders Street Market will be packed to the rafters this weekend with 85 local chefs, foodies and dessert makers presenting the Sweet Tooth Market. There will be chocolate, toffee, truffles, fudge, cakes, pastries, slices, cupcakes, raw food, sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan options, as well as cake decorating demonstrations and the Bickfords airstream cordial bar.

Fork on the Road – September 20
This weekend the Fork on the Road food trucks return to Bonython Park for lunch between 12pm and 4pm. Food vendors will include Burger Theory, Sneaky Pickle, Chimichurri Grill, Little Cake Tin, Delectaballs, Skwish, Taste of Spain, Low and Slow American BBQ and La Chiva, with drinks from Big Shed Brewing, Hills Cider, Three Dark Horses, Bickfords and Pirate Life Brewing. BYO rugs, chairs, friends and family.

Champagne dinner at The Apothecary – September 24
Champagne specialist The Apothcary 1878 is holding a special dinner event to celebrate Champagne Billecart-Salmon on September 24. Hosted by Vin de Champagne Award winner James Smith, the seven-course menu, including Coffin Bay oysters, escargot parfait, kingfish ceviche and roasted duck, is matched to seven Billecart-Salmon Champagnes. Tickets are $175 per person. More information can be found here.

2015 Vale Brewing CheeseFest – October 23 to 25
Now in its 10th year, CheeseFest has grown from a grassroots fair celebrating cheese to a three-day festival with a national following where visitors immerse themselves in SA’s cheese culture with tastings, talks, cooking sessions and picnic trails. The full program and tickets are available here.

The Great Food Rescue Race – November 6
OzHarvest has teamed up with Santos to launch The Great Food Rescue Race – a new way to get behind the work of OzHarvest, reducing food waste and feeding the hungry and homeless in Adelaide. The event is a fun food and food-rescue themed foot race, with registered teams competing in a series of challenges across the CBD. Registration is $50 per person and teams are encouraged to enter soon to avoid missing out. For every team of f five registering, OzHarvest can deliver an additional 500 meals.

Picnic at Marble Hill – November 22
Tickets are now on sale for this one-day festival of artisan wine, food and music from the cool heart of the Adelaide Hills. At Picnic at Marble Hill, a select group of Adelaide Hills wineries and cider makers will showcase their drops alongside a range of local food producers against the stunning backdrop of the historic Marble Hill ruins. Proceeds go to the Cora Barclay Centre for deaf and hearing-impaired children, the Basket Range Primary School and the Cherryville CFS. Tickets are $15 for adults. More information here.

News, tips and information?

The Forager would love to hear about your news, events and suggestions. Please contact us at [email protected].