The amazing locally-grown produce of the Northern Valleys region was the star performer of an exclusive ‘secret’ supper event held on Saturday 17 August at the beautiful Nesci Estate.
Collaboratively hosted by the Shire of Chittering and the Secret Suppers team as a prelude to the Taste of Chittering held the following week, the sumptuous three-course meal was made entirely from produce sourced within 100km of the event.
Secret Suppers creator, Deneil Fernandez, says, “Our dining events are for lovers of food, adventure and ideas. Each event is curated to celebrate the splendor of a unique location with the local and seasonal produce that illuminates the menu.”
Beyond the theatrical appeal of their events, the intent of Secret Suppers is also to engage diners in the real story behind the produce.
“Our mission is always to ask the bigger questions; How was this made? How far did it travel? What is the impact of it’s production? Who was the person who helped get this on my plate?” says Deneil.
Most guests arrived at the destination by private coach from Perth, unaware of the ‘secret’ location. They were treated to delicious Nesci Estate wines and brews from local 14K Brewery while they mingled by the open, outdoor fire pit.
Stargazing was also on the menu, and local ‘Galaxy Girl’ Carol Redford was on hand with an impressively large telescope pointing out Saturn and other secrets of the night sky to enthralled city dwellers.
“Our world-class dark sky is a unique tourism advantage which goes hand in hand with our amazing regional produce,” says Carol.
Once inside the wine shed, the supper commenced, along with yarns from the local producers about what they had brought to the table.
Julie Drummond from Local Goat explained the story behind her handcrafted goats cheese which was a feature of the entree and main course in the form of goats curd and her new halloumi.
Elizma Joubert also had the chance to introduce her unique black garlic, which complemented the slow roasted beef shank in the main course.
Asparagus growers Colleen and Peter Osborn also engaged the crowd with the trials and tribulations of asparagus production.
A selection of ‘nose to tail’ cuts from organic producers Gingin Beef were cooked to sublime perfection for the hearty main course. These were flanked with locally grown vegetables from organic growers M&M Trovato and Sandgroper Potatoes from Dandaragan and artisan-made condiments from Temple of the Vegetable, Westways Wildflowers and Marvick Farms – all sourced via the Northern Valleys Locavore Store.
“We are passionate about reconnecting people with the origins of their food and so working with Deneil and her team to help create a menu filled with our locally produced foods was a wonderful opportunity,” said Tamieka Preston from the Northern Valleys Locavore Store.
“If you are interested in reducing your carbon footprint, and supporting our amazingly creative local producers, you can buy much of this local produce from our store in Bindoon,” said Tamieka.
The Secret Suppers team was amazed at the abundant range and great stories behind the produce of the region – as were the 70 or so guests, many of them social media influencers, chefs and foodie journalists.
“The true heroes of the food industry are the producers. Be it a local grower, winemaker, artisan or farmer,”said Deneil. “Each Secret Supper is a platform to connect guests with the story behind what is on their plate.”
You can follow @secretsuppers on Facebook and Instagram if you’d like to attend one of their upcoming events – you wont be disappointed!
