The Chefs
*Alla Wolf-Tasker, chef/owner, Lake House, Daylesford
*Andrew McConnell, chef, Three, One, Two, Melbourne
* Peter Gilmore, chef, Quay, Sydney
* Bruno Loubet, chef, Baguette, Brisbane
*Nick Holloway, chef/co-owner, Nu Nu, Palm Cove
* David Coomer, chef, Star Anise, Perth
*Chui Lee Luk, chef/owner, Claude’s, Sydney
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
My favourite food shop is Rusty’s Market (between Sheridan & Grafton sts, Qld), a sprawling food market that runs Fridays through Sundays. The produce is predominantly local and is spankingly fresh. Early Friday is the time to go. My favourite café is The Junction Café (5 Front St, Mossman, Qld, 07 4098 3398), an outfit run by an awesome husband and wife team, Bryce and Charlie. My favourite winery? It would have to be the divine rosés of Bandol, with Domaine Tempier the champ and Domaine du Gros Nore a whisker behind. My favourite place for a drink is the beach with a bottle of the above. And my fave restaurant? Café China (Rydges Plaza, cnr Spence and Grafton sts, Cairns, 07 4041 2828) for their yum cha and banquets.
**ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Kitchenware supplier** Asian Foods (101-105 Grafton St, Cairns, Qld, 07 4052 1510) is great for cheap tools and small crockery. Serious equipment is best bought online.
Bottle shop I’m going to have to say go online to Ultimo Wine Centre out of Sydney or East End Cellars in Adelaide for the best there is.
Cheese The region produces two fantastic cheeses of note. The Mungalli Dairy (07 4097 2232) makes quite simply the best ricotta in the universe from its organic and biodynamic cow’s milk, and Vannella Cheese Factory, a local father and son team, use buffalo milk from the tablelands to make fetta and mozzarella of exceptional quality.
Australian food productWholegrain Milling Company for the silkiest, freshest, sweetest, stoneground organic flour. Unbeatable.
Nu Nu, 123 Williams Esp, Palm Cove, Qld, (07) 4059 1880, www.nunu.com.au.