These chefs will be cooking up a storm at Tastes at the Bay on November 3 and 4.
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Each chef, hailing from Port Stephens, Newcastle and Hunter Valley, will demonstrate how to cook some of their signature and favourite dishes, share some tips, tricks and answer questions in the Tastes Kitchen, which will be set up at the Yacaaba Street extension.
Demonstrations will kick off at 10.30am each day.
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Alesha Thompson
Madam Cocoa
After many trial and error recipes in the home kitchen and inspired by her grandmother, Alesha Thompson took her passion for food and feeding the masses to the commercial world.
Departing the world of business administration, Alesha studied pastry cooking under local Newcastle talents and 12 months later emerged with a polished and transformed passion for chocolate.
Alesha established Madam Cocoa in 2016. It combines her love of chocolate, artistic flare and drive for perfection. Alesha works with local top shelf products and Callebaut couverture chocolate to bring unique handcrafted products to Newcastle and surrounds.
Every morsel of goodness is artistically created with love and perfection.
- See Madam Cocoa in action making chocolate at 3.15pm on Saturday and 11.15am on Sunday.
Ben Way
Owner Little Beach Boathouse
Trained in the UK, Ben Way has held the role of head chef in venues such as Restaurant Deux and Muse Restaurant before starting his own venture, Little Beach Boathouse, in 2013. Chef Ben's passion is to source fresh and local produce to showcase our pristine location.
- See Ben cook some of the produce pulled from the seas at 1pm on Saturday and 1.15pm on Sunday.
Connie Griffiths
Tranquil Vale Vineyard
Tranquil Vale Vineyard was started by my parents, Phil and Lucy Griffiths, in 1996.
We are a very small vineyard in the Hunter Valley – we in a place called Luskintyre, right on the Hunter River itself. We grow Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz and make the wine on site. Dad is still the head winemaker and I am his apprentice.
My husband Randeep and I have recently taken over the day to day running the vineyard and our guest accommodation. We are a true family business and we all do everything – from picking to pruning to wine making to cleaning and more.
Our sourdough came to be through my love of cooking and delicious bread. I grew the starter myself – it was my project when I was on maternity leave, so I can tell you that it is 2 and a half years old (a month younger than my son).
The sourdough starter, or “mother dough” as it is sometimes know, is a living thing that needs to be “fed” so I often joke that it is my second child.
- Learn the art of making sourdough with Connie from 11.45am on Saturday and 2.30pm on Sunday.
Ludovic Poyer
Owner The Poyer’s
Born in Normandy France. Trained in traditional French food in Paris. Moved around Europe before discovering Australia 20 years ago.
Started as an apprentice at Hôtel du Havre in Rouen with Jean Carbonnier. Former maître d'hôtel at Maxim's of Paris. Went to La Grande Cascade in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. Did a few seasons in Savoy ski resort and in Frontignan, south of France.
From there I went to Belgium where I start working for The Hilton.
In 1997 I was 25 years old and wanted to learn English so I was transferred from The Hilton in Brussels to The Hilton Sydney where I ended up running The San Francisco grill until the hotel closed for renovations in 2002.
In 2002 I moved to the Central Coast to open a new restaurant in Gosford. In 2005 I moved to the Blue Mountains where I ran the fine dining restaurant Eucalypt at Peppers Fairmont.
In 2007 I ran the kitchen in the main house of Lillianfels. The in 2008 moved to Port Stephens to run the Anchorage at Corlette. In 2011 my wife and I decide to open our own restaurant and took the contract catering at the Lemon Tree Passage Bowling Club. In 2015 we opened The Poyer's at Lemon Tree Passage.
- See Ludovic cook at 10.30am on Saturday.
Stephen Daley
Head chef at The Home Interior, owner and operator of Bay Cooking School
After 23 years in the industry, my speciality is teaching people tips, tricks and techniques to help them cook well.
I got into cooking with direction from my mother as I spent a lot of time with her in the kitchen, later starting my apprenticeship with an old school Frenchman. He gave me the passion I have for the industry and kick started my training which has taken me over the world.
I started Bay Cooking School to pass on what I have learnt over the years and give people the knowledge to advance their own skills.
The foodie movement has grown and grown over the last few years, with all of these celebrity chefs putting their own ideas and dishes on television. This is fine, but what this lack’s is a personal touch and really getting your hands dirty.
What I offer is an opportunity for the people who love food and want to learn, a chance to do as little or as much as they want in a small setting, using the best local ingredients to create some foods that are common and some which are not often seen outside the industry.
I source all the ingredients myself, whether I’m catching my own seafood or growing my own produce, with the help of my garden and chickens, most of what I use is fresh that lesson.
- Learn how to make marinade and spices with Stephen at 2.15pm on Saturday.
Anna-Maria Lauricella
Siennas Pizzeria Bar & Restaurant
Join Anna-Maria for a demonstration of authentic but robust home cooking inspired by memories from where she grew up on the islands just south of Sicily.
In 2010 Anna-Maria opened Siennas Pizzeria Bar & Restaurant in Nelson Bay with her children Andrea, Marcella and Angelica, where she tries to instil that traditional Italian welcome to everyone.
- Watch as this nonna makes meatballs at 10.30am on Sunday.
Michael Jenkins
Executive chef The Anchorage
I have had the good fortune to have lived and worked in the Port Stephens region several times throughout my career and what continues to draw me back here is the ability to source some of the world’s most incredible fresh ingredients.
From the estuary that is Port Stephens to the surrounding rivers and valleys Hunter, Grose and Manning, exceptional produce is in abundance. Much of it is conducive to Asian cooking so our style has a slight Asian influence.
The way I tell my story is to embrace and maintain the integrity of the quality seafood and produce sourced from our surrounds and create a simple, flavourful and satisfying menu and recognise that Australian food is a salute to all the nations that have greatly influenced our cuisine and culture.
I look to wines from our neighbouring Hunter Valley first and foremost, then to the icons of Australia and the world to complement the experience here at The Anchorage.
- See Michael in action at 12.30pm on Sunday.