Beyond Vegemite, Modern Australian Cuisine On The Rise

An increased interest in Australian ingredients by American chefs sets the stage for modern Australian cuisine to become the next international gastronomic trend.

In Australia, the fabulous fusion of Asian, Mediterranean and local foods has as emerged as Modern Australian Cuisine. Shrimp on the Barbie is only a first course. Menus bursting with flavors of the rainforest and outback are taking its national cuisine to the next level of flavor and taste sensation

Australia is rapidly becoming a food adventurer’s destination. Unusual and friendly, the native ingredients such as bush spices, artesian cheeses and tropical fruit pastes are starting to stand out and gain culinary status in other parts of the world. Clean and green, Australian meat and seafood will be a major contender in the years to come on the global foods market. With Australian wines comfortably nestled on our restaurant’s wine lists, it opens the door to introduce more exports like bush spices, cheeses, olive and truffle oils that are likely flavor partners to Australian wine.

Because Australia’s waters are brimming with sustainable seafood such as the popular Barramundi, a plentiful ocean white fish and the livestock remains free from the major diseases, these items are rapidly being noticed by cooks looking for new flavor and texture profiles. Vic Cherikoff, previously a chef in Australia who is committed to the Australian native food industry has developed a line of native bush products such as spices, herbs, fruits, seeds and nuts for the international market. His products  not only complement lamb, kangaroo and Morton Bay Bugs that are being exported to the United States for foodservice and consumer customers but  also American icons such as Angus Beef and Salmon fillet. “I have several lines of products in different markets and am pleased to report that they are all performing extremely well, Cherikoff explains, “My Vic Cherikoff Down Under range of sauces and splashes is going beyond Whole Foods Markets and out into the wider retail outlets from specialty supermarkets such as Andronicos and Farmers Market to Wegmans, Vonns, Kroger and more”

The movement of incorporating Australian foods on America’s table is weaving in through the restaurant scene. This ingredient trend is most obvious every year at the National Restaurant Association’s annual trade show in Chicago where Australia hosts a sixteen booth pavilion to introduce new Australian products to American chefs and buyers.

In San Diego, Bondi, the first authentic modern Australian cuisine restaurant has opened in the flashy Gas Lamp district. Serving up dishes like Wagyu sliders (Wagyu is Australia’s version of Kobe Beef with the typical Australian burger garnish, sliced roasted beet), and Australia’s darling of the sea, Barramundi fish. Barramundi minnows are imported into the US to a sustainable aquaculture farm in Massachusetts where they are raised and   harvested. They are then shipped fresh by air to seafood distributors across the country for next day delivery.

If you want to try some bush tucker of your own, they are just a click away on the internet. Here are a few websites that will ship direct. Keep in mind that bush spices are more concentrated and intense than spices we have here, so a little bit goes a long way. Keep your bush spices in the refrigerator to maintain maximum freshness.

www.cherikoff.net Cherikoff Australian Ingredients- full range of native products. History and information menus for foodservice customers.

www.australianbushspices.com.au Tins of bush spices and sprinkles of various flavor. Great recipe site for products.

http://www.ausbushfoods.com An e-zine that has the latest information about bush foods and links to bush food producers. Has searchable data bases of links, books, articles and products.

www.dining-downunder.com Companion website to cooking show of the same name that can be watched by downloading joost internet television services. www.joost.com Stars Vic Cherikoff, Benjamin Christie and Mark Mc Cluskey