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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
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.
