Chef champions local produce in series

Season two of Peter Kuruvita’s Coastal Kitchen premiers on SBS on Thursday, featuring the Margaret River region across the six-part series.

The Noosa-based award-winning chef and restaurateur spent a month in the region, sampling food and wine, and meeting with farmers and producers.

He said his highlights were diving for abalone with Ocean Grown Abalone off the coast of Augusta, and meeting local Aboriginals to hear their stories.

“Everyone I bumped into was a great character and had an amazing story to tell,” he said.

“The thing that got me going was the passion and fire in everyone I met.”

Kuruvita said championing Margaret River’s produce was not only important for tourism, but for residents.

“A lot of TV shows feature dishes that people think ‘there’s no way I can make that’,” he said.

“I kept it in the back of my mind to make sure the dishes I created could be replicated at home.

“Hopefully, the audience finds it interesting and approachable.”

Kuruvita also met with Boyanup goat farmers Matt and Carina Telder, and travelled to Manjimup for its truffles.

“Being part of the show was a privilege, and great recognition for people doing something different, for example us goat milk and meat,” Ms Telder said.

“It is not just great wines and beautiful countryside, there is so much more the South West has to offer.”

Margaret River’s Vanya Cullen will attend a dinner at Kuruvita’s restaurant Noosa Beach House next week before the premiere, where he will cook with local truffles.

Season two of Coastal Kitchen premieres on Thursday, June 21, at 8pm on SBS.