Food News

GT reader lunch: Oakridge, Victoria

Join us in celebrating the release of Matt Stone’s first cookbook with a special lunch at Oakridge.

By Emma Hutton
There's something to be said for doing things in situ. You're going to love cooking from Matt Stone's new book (see page 106), and the ways he makes minimising waste an exercise in generosity.
But you'll also love seeing how Stone does it back at his place, when "his place" in this case happens to be the stunning Oakridge estate in the Yarra Valley.
Here Stone has enviable resources at his disposal - stunning local produce and the occasional edible insect among them - and puts them to great use in one of the country's most progressive new restaurants.
See for yourself at a four-course lunch to celebrate his first book, The Natural Cook. It'll be an afternoon of great ideas framed in great food. (And the wine's no slouch, either.) "My ethos is not only what I cook but what I choose to cook with," says Stone. "Australian cuisine is all about embracing our native ingredients."
That translates on the day to the likes of whitebait seasoned with crushed ants, and foraged greens with kangaroo and indigenous spices.
"In the Yarra, you're surrounded by amazing produce, which helps in making ethical choices," says Stone. Add in splendid views, two stunning desserts, and estate wines selected by Oakridge winemaker David Bicknell, and we think you'll agree that a little green living is good for the soul.
Join us for lunch at noon on Sunday, 28 August at Oakridge, 864 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream, Vic. The cost of $120 includes four courses and a $10 donation to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. To book, call (03) 9738 9900. For more on the OCRF, call 1300 OVARIAN or visit ocrf.com.au