Plate Up Ballarat | Festival

Plate Up Ballarat

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25.01.2022 Behind the scenes with Liam Downes, Growing up in a regional pub, Liam Downes recalls spending his days and nights helping his parents in the kitchen pub. My parents moved up to Greendale (near Ballan) when I was young and I grew up living in the Greendale Hotel, helping mum and dad in the kitchen, Liam said.... From a young age I had dreams of being a chef. Fast forward to today, and Liam is marking his 20th year in the hospitality industry. But I helped mum for years before that! he said. Liam is the executive chef at local favourites Moon & Mountain and Ragazzone The eateries are highly coveted in Ballarat, with Moon and Mountain acclaimed for its contemporary twist on Asian cuisine, and Ragazzone known for its Italian cuisine and fine wine. Liam said he came across the opportunity to work at Moon and Mountain through good friend and fellow Ballarat chef Shannon Easton. I was working at Craig’s Royal Hotel at the time and he had been talking to (Moon and Mountain owner) Teddy Powlett about a restaurant he was looking to open, Liam said. So we caught up for coffee and it felt great straight away. Our views of the industry and how we want to provide strong hospitality careers for people in Ballarat is what drives us. Teddy has an amazing knowledge of bar and hospitality and a great eye for designing and creating fantastic restaurants. Teddy Powlett and his partner in business Drew Harry opened Ballarat Ragazzone, with Liam as executive chef. I have cooked European or Italian food most of my career, so getting the chance to this sort of food for these boys is exciting, he said. We have positioned it to be the place to get handmade pasta and drink quality wines in Ballarat. The venue draws on all our experience and aims to provide good service, quality food and amazing wine and cocktails. Between Liam and head chef Paul Sing, the Ragazzone kitchen is led by a combined 40 years of experience. Liam said Ragazzone serves food that can't be experienced elsewhere in Ballarat. We hand make all of our pasta, using local cured meats and making some ourselves, we have a big focus on seafood and use as much local produce as possible, he said. Thank you Liam, for Plating Up beautiful Italian cuisine for all of us to enjoy. Image credit Ragazzone

19.01.2022 The Forge Pizzeria Sometimes you just want a really good wood fired pizza topped with great ingredients like prosciutto and rocket or even prawn and chorizo. Fast, fun and family friendly this is a great place for a quick bite or a longer multi-course meal with entrees and great salads. Do you have a favourite? ... Image credit: The Forge

19.01.2022 There are SO many delicious options to spoil your Mum this Mother's Day. Thank you for sharing this list Visit Ballarat. https://www.visitballarat.com.au//your-guide-to-mothers-/

17.01.2022 Behind the scenes with Damien Jones of MrJonesdining At 23 years of age, Damien Jones found himself a dream job at restaurant Darling Street Thai under the direction of owner and chef David Thompson. Cooking with David took me to London to open his restaurant Nahm, plus travelling through Asia and finally cooking in Hong Kong, Damien said.... Needless to say, his experience as a budding chef instilled a newfound passion and appreciation for Asian cuisine. There’s something magical about Asian food. The spices. The markets, he said. I have learnt to cook amazing Asian food in the past and still continue to enjoy cooking with the vibrant, aromatic and powerful flavours. Damien and his partner-in-business-and-life Danielle are known around Ballarat as culinary stalwarts. Their first restaurant Catfish affirmed Mr Jones’s ability to forge incredible Thai meals and was critically acclaimed, receiving Chef’s Hats from The Australian Good Food Guide. A few years into the venture, the Joneses decided to rebrand the restaurant, resulting in their next endeavour Mr Jones Dining. Catfish was pretty special, Damien said. It was the first restaurant where l could use what l’d learnt working with some of the best chefs. The menu was traditional Thai, as was the way we served the food in the restaurant. Mr Jones is less rigid, and the menu allows for more creativity, while keeping traditional cooking techniques. I’ve learnt to relax a lot more since the Catfish days and the menu is more fun, modern Asian. Mr Jones Dining boasts a sleek and elegant interior which helps round off the entire dining experience. Mr Jones said the restaurant focuses on fresh ingredients, interesting flavours, and great techniques, with lots of time dedicated to perfectly creating every dish. I always use Australian seafood, and local meats and vegetables when in season and there is no reason not to buy local meats and use a local supplier. The quality is excellent, reliable and affordable and the same has to be said for wine as well. It’s also a much healthier option for us as people and the planet. We want to provide interesting food that is great value and with professional attentive service. A place where you would want to come back to regularly and is always exciting and consistent, he said. Thank you for your time Damien, we absolutely love what you, Danielle and the team are plating up. Image credit Mr Jones Image of Damien Jones credit Vegas & Rose

06.01.2022 Our Ballarat cafe culture has stepped up yet another notch, and this is what happens when you marry excellent hospitality talent with a bang on renovation. The new Clothesline Cafe in Ballarat East hits the mark in every way. Add this one to your list. You won’t be disappointed.... 202 Humffray St South