Mark Best brings Pei to Sydney
Chef Mark Best is opening Pei Modern in Sydney.
Mark Best from Sydney's Marque restaurant has announced his next project: Best is set to replicate the success he has enjoyed in Melbourne with his modern bistro Pei Modern back in his home town, when Pei Modern Sydney opens next month at the Four Seasons Hotel. Founding chef from Pei Modern Melbourne, Matt Germanchis, has relocated to run the new kitchen up north, and the talented Ainslie Lubbock (Pei Modern Melbourne's maitre d') will also oversee the opening.
Pinot Palooza in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane
Just over a month to go until the return of Pinot Palooza, the touring festival showcasing 150 curated wines for Pinot Noir lovers. The team behind it, Bottle Shop Concepts, also runs the Game of Rhones wine events and ensures the wine tasting is matched to great food and tunes. Pinot Palooza will be held at Melbourne’s St Kilda Town Hall on October 4, Sydney’s Carriage Works on 6 October and Brisbane’s Light Space on October 12.
Ottolenghi’s return to Oz
Israeli chef, author and former journalist Yotam Ottolenghi is returning to Australia as the special international guest of the Fairfax Good Food Month festivals, attending the closing of the Sydney October festival and opening of the Melbourne November festival. In addition to his festival events, Ottolenghi will be speaking at the Sydney Opera House and at Melbourne’s Wheeler Centre (which has unfortunately already sold out).
Tonics for the soul
The range of Blood Moon tonic syrups. Photo by Kristoffer Paulsen.
Attention, G&T lovers: innovation is afoot in the world of Victorian tonics. The good folks at Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Springs Co have launched what they believe to be the world’s first certified organic tonic water, made with carbonated natural mineral water from their spring. And in Melbourne, Blood Moon Tonic has launched a successful Pozible crowd-funding campaign for Australia’s first range of cinchona tonic syrups (which can be diluted with carbonated or still water to individual taste). Made from whole cinchona bark, the tonic syrups come in three varieties: traditional recipe, Australian native botanicals and unsweetened. The syrups can be purchased through the Blood Moon Pozible campaign, which runs until September 26.
Claire Davie writes the blog Melbourne Gastronome. She tweets @melbgastronome and her favourite thing to cook right now is Luke Nguyen’s Pork ribs braised in young coconut juice.