Latest news with #GreatAustralianBite
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Climate
- Sky News AU
‘Exceptionally heavy rain': Queensland and Western Australia set to face colossal showers as nail biting temperatures blanket south-east
Millions residing in Queensland and WA have been warned to expect colossal showers and potential flash flooding, whilst those in the south-east are set to experience the coldest temperatures seen all year. Mammoth downpours are expected to thrash vast swathes of Queensland, as a lingering trough that decimated the Northern Territory earlier in the week pushes into the Sunshine State. Sky News meteorologist Wendy John said tropical moisture over the Indian Ocean is fuelling a massive northwest cloud band across the country, producing 'exceptionally heavy rain' for the first time this year. The destructive trough is set to push into Mackay in the early hours of Friday morning and will likely stall once it reaches the coast. 'Widespread cloud cover will be happening across much of Queensland and the top part of NSW with the trough that has moved from the northwest right across the country in the last few days bringing record braking dry season rainfall," she said. Leading into Friday afternoon, John said, "moisture will target the coastline' and will 'allow for some heavy downpours all the way from Mackay down to Rockhampton'. The system will travel south on Friday evening, and will bring intense downpours for Rockhampton, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast. John stated the gloomy weather would entrench on Saturday and 'unfortunately won't clear up until at least Sunday'. 'That leaves behind some very high rainfall totals, with potential to see 100mm of showers from Mackay all the way down to Bundaberg,' John stated. Emerald and the Sunshine Coast are likely to see in excess of 50mm by Sunday afternoon. Shifting southwards, Sky News meteorologist Marina Neuman said it was 'just the beginning of wintry conditions' with millions likely to be waking up to dense frost for the next several days. A large high-pressure system sitting in the Great Australian Bite is the culprit, bringing cold air up from the south to the southeast, with a lack of cloud cover meaning the cool conditions have the ability to hang around and keep things 'quite cool, particularly in the morning'. Canberra woke up to a -1C morning on Thursday, its coldest recorded all year, with Neuman stating 'a repeat does look to be on the cards on Friday for the ACT and towns along the NSW-Victorian border". 'It's starting to feel like winter in the south, time to bring out the extra doona,' Neuman said. Widespread morning frost is also forecast for parts of South Australia, southern NSW, the ACT, northern and central Victoria and the entirety of Tasmania on the weekend. A significant shake-up in conditions is also expected for WA, after the state emerges from an unseasonably warm and dry autumn. An incoming low-pressure system is set to clip the south of the state, bringing in substantial rainfall for the southwest for the next couple of days. Neuman said for Friday 'pretty much all of the WA south coast will see rainfall, stretching all the way from Karratha down to Albany thanks to an approaching cold front as well as a trough that is targeting the northern half of the state'. The cold front is likely to bring widespread rainfall, periods of heavy rainfall and much colder temperatures. Heading into Friday evening the cold front will gradually move out, yet the trough is set to push inward with Neuman stating this would allow for 'continued rainfall across Perth as well as the centre of the state, as the dual cold fronts pump air in from the east'. 'Rainfall is expected to stick around well into Saturday with things finally clearing out by Sunday morning,' Neuman said.
Los Angeles Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A Taste of Australia: Curtis Stone Welcomes Fellow Chefs to Malibu for a Culinary Celebration
The Great Australian Bite is set to bring the diversity of Australia's home-grown ingredients, cosmopolitan cuisine and world-class hospitality to L.A. on May 31, when this evocative dining event returns to Malibu for its second edition. The food-focused event is both an enlightening introduction to Australia's hospitality and an appetizer for a trip across the Pacific to experience its dining, wine and spirits – and mingling with their creators – all set against spectacular scenery. Evolving from last year's sold-out debut on Malibu Pier, the Great Australian Bite 2025 is helmed by Aussie chefs Curtis Stone (of L.A.'s Gwen and The Pie Room) and Clare Falzon (of South Australia's staġuni) and hosted al fresco by Stone at his picturesque Four Stones Farm. A partnership between the Los Angeles Times and Tourism Australia, the Great Australian Bite – its name a play on The Great Australian Bight, the vast bay that spans much of the country's southern coastline – offered Angeleno foodies, in its first year, an immersion in the innovative contemporary cuisine emanating from Australia, with a focus on seafood. This year, land-based proteins will be at the fore as the event once again presents a farm-to-table menu reflecting the country's fresh produce and award-winning wines born of its nuanced terroirs – all served with a side of signature warm Aussie hospitality. Get tickets now for this year's Great Australian Bite. Australian cuisine today embodies a melting pot of influences and ingredients evolved over generations of immigration and cultural cross-pollination to create a rare breadth of sophisticated yet robustly flavorful dishes and drinks. 'Here in Australia, we're so spoiled for choice,' said Melbourne-raised, L.A.-based Stone. 'What I love about the ingredients in Australia is they're so unique, so different.' From ingredients like Kakadu plum, which has been utilized as both a food and medicine for centuries by Indigenous cultures, to the sensuous herb lemon myrtle, native Aussie ingredients offer a unique flavor set that chefs like Stone love to work with. Among his favorite native Australian foods is marron, a freshwater crayfish that is widely known for its delicious taste and perfect texture. The Great Australian Bite conveys the multicultural backdrop and ethos behind Australian cooking: a tapestry of influences including artful unions of Indigenous Australian, South Asian, and European cuisines seldom experienced outside of Down Under itself. And every region of Australia – a country nearly 19 times larger than California – brings its own geography, ecosystems, characteristics and cultures, quite literally, to the table. For example, Falzon's native Barossa Valley is a revered wine region draped in rich soil and abundant produce, known for world-class reds including the prized Shiraz. 'What I enjoy the most about being able to create a menu in the place where I live is I can see the produce and get inspired by that,' said Falzon, whose Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, staġuni references her Maltese heritage. 'You get all these smells and flavors and textures, and you can already start thinking about the plate.' This year's Great Australian Bite menu has just been released. Michelin-starred restaurateur Stone recently took a trip to Melbourne to seek ingredients and inspiration from the city's influential dining scene. These include contemporary Australian butchery concepts that he will bring to Southern California at a time when dedicated butcher shops are becoming rarer across the region. 'Let's just say we Aussies love our lamb, but we also have incredible beef,' Stone teased. 'I've been importing Blackmore Wagyu to the butcher counter at Gwen since we opened.' As perfect pairings to the sunset Great Australian Bite meal, world-class wine, beer and cocktail selections will be curated by Australian drinks expert Mike Bennie of P&V Merchants. Additionally, culinary entrepreneur Daniel Motlop of Seven Seasons will serve his signature vodka made from native yams grown in Australia's Northern Territory, while event partners Four Pillars Gin and Starward Whisky will pour their celebrated libations. The Great Australian Bite will also feature Australian DJ Oliver Blank, and insightful discussions on just what makes Aussie hospitality so special, including an appearance by innovative vintner Kim Chalmers from Victoria's Chalmers winery. It's as close as you'll come to elevated Aussie eats this side of the Pacific. 'The culinary community in Australia is a vibrant group of creators and thinkers but we don't take ourselves too seriously,' said Stone. 'I hope that showcasing our history and deep reverence for ingredients, with Clare cooking by my side, will spark guests to fall in love with the culture and pay Australia a visit.'
Los Angeles Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Curtis Stone gives a tour of Four Stones Farm
With a vineyard, a customized barbecue station and 55 acres to plant, produce and roam, celebrity chef Curtis Stone's Agoura Hills farm is giving the Australian entrepreneur new ways to grow his culinary reach. In advance of The Los Angeles Times' 2nd annual Great Australian Bite event, to be held at Four Stones Farm on May 31, the L.A. Times toured the facilities to see just how the production studio and fledgling winery works.
Los Angeles Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times and Tourism Australia to Present 2nd Annual Great Australian Bite
Presented by the Los Angeles Times and Tourism Australia, the second annual Great Australian Bite, an exclusive farm-to-table dining event, will take place May 31 at Four Stones Farm in Malibu. Tickets are on sale now. In celebration of Australia's vibrant food scene and world-renowned produce, acclaimed Australian chef and television personality Curtis Stone (Gwen, The Pie Room) will invite guests to his private Malibu farm for a one-night-only dinner experience. Stone will partner with emerging Australian talent Clare Falzon (staġuni) to craft a menu that showcases the evolution of Australia's exciting dining scene for Los Angeles food and drink aficionados. 'People are always asking me, 'What is Australian cuisine?' so I'm really looking forward to the chance to show everyone here in L.A. just how special it is,' said Stone. 'Expect beautiful fresh ingredients, top-notch wine and spirits, and proper Aussie hospitality. It's going to be a whole lot of fun!' The multicourse menu, inspired by the best of Australia's local produce and culinary heritage, will be paired with world-class wine and beer selections curated by Australian wine and drinks journalist Mike Bennie (P&V Merchants). Additionally, winemakers Kim and Tennille Chalmers (Chalmers) will showcase wines produced from their family's vineyards in Victoria: Heathcote and Merbein. Indigenous culinary entrepreneur Daniel Motlop (Seven Seasons) will serve his vodka made from native yams harvested from the Northern Territory. Building on the success of last year's soldout event on the Malibu Pier, the second iteration of the Great Australian Bite will feature a family-style meal prepared by Stone and Falzon in the heart of Malibu's wine country. A pre-dinner reception will include entertainment, appetizers and craft cocktails. 'After last year's unforgettable collaboration with the Los Angeles Times, we're excited to showcase the diversity and excellence of Australia's culinary offerings once again,' said Susan Coghill, chief marketing officer at Tourism Australia. 'In 2025, Curtis and Clare will take Los Angeles food lovers on a journey to explore how our chefs, producers, winemakers and distillers work in harmony to create dining experiences that truly set Australia apart on the world stage.' Known for his appearances on Netflix's 'Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend' and Fox's 'Crime Scene Kitchen,' Stone will draw inspiration for his menu from his time at Michelin-starred restaurants and his collaborations with iconic Australian chefs. Falzon, transporting the taste and tones of South Australia's Barossa Valley to Malibu, will showcase the ethos of her new eatery, staġuni, which incorporates her Maltese heritage. Great Australian Bite sponsors include Qantas, Four Pillars Gin, Starward Whisky, Brash Higgins, Jansz Tasmania, Yalumba and Heaps Normal. Last year's inaugural event took place on the Malibu Pier with over 300 attendees. The event, which featured chefs Josh Niland, Jo Barrett and Monty Koludrovic, provided guests with a unique experience and a taste of Australia. Tickets and additional information are available here.
