Peppers Retreats and Resorts are treating guests to ‘A Taste of Peppers’ Degustation Menu that features signature dishes from five Peppers’ chefs showcasing the best NSW and Queensland regional produce and giving diners the chance to win a getaway for two.
The five course A Taste of Peppers degustation menu for AUD$95 per person, including matching wines from Australia and New Zealand’s best wine regions, reflects Peppers’ dedication to fine food and wine, drawing on the expertise of five of its chefs to provide guests with a gourmet treat.
A Taste of Peppers degustation menu is available at eight Peppers retreats and resorts including two Australian Good Food Guide hatted restaurants, including Season at Peppers Salt Resort and Spa Kingscliff and Katers at Peppers Manor House in the Southern Highlands. Other participating restaurants include Merretts at Peppers Anchorage Port Stephens, Montfort’s Dining Room at Peppers Craigieburn in Bowral, Sublime Bar and Grill at Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas, Lime and Pepper at Peppers Beach Club and Spa Palm Cove; Boardwalk Restaurant at Peppers Blue on Blue Resort Magnetic Island and Tides Restaurant at Peppers Coral Coast Resort, Airlie Beach.
The five featured chefs and signature dishes include:
First Course: Sesame crusted tuna, wakami, yuzu and mandarin jelly, pickled ginger, fried lotus root and bonito soy; paired with Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling from Clare Valley South Australia. Created by Exectuve Chef Reuben Radonich from Season Restaurant at Peppers Salt Resort and Spa Kingscliff, who featured in the MasterChef 2011 series.
Second Course: Quail roulade wrapped in prosciutto with charred melon, carrot vinaigrette; paired with Villa Maria Pinot Gris from Marlborough, New Zealand. Created by Executive Chef Twan Wyers from Katers restaurant at Peppers Manor House.
Third Course: Pan roasted barramundi fillet, tempura Moreton Bay bugs, Vietnamese salad, corn and chilli essence; paired with Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, and created by the appropriately named Executive Chef Greg Devine from Tides Restaurant Peppers Coral Coast.
Fourth Course: Citrus glazed duck breast with exotic mushroom, spinach and sweet potato rosti; paired with St Hallett Faith Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, South Australia and created by Executive Chef Rodney Smith from Boardwalk Restaurant at Peppers Blue on Blue Resort.
Fifth Course: Cinnamon spiced pannacotta with cherries and thyme sabayon; paired with Tattarni Brut Tache from the Pyrenees wine region in Victoria and created by Executive Chef Luke Carpenter of Peppers Anchorage Port Stephens’ Merretts restaurant.
Mantra Group Food and Beverage Director Scott Robertson said the development of the degustation menu fostered some healthy culinary competition amongst the Peppers chefs from all participating properties.
“We challenged a selection of our Peppers chefs to create a dish that would incorporate regional produce with outstanding wines and complement other courses within the degustation menu,” he said.
“The five courses selected for the ‘A Taste of Peppers’ menu will be the first of a series of degustation menus to be rolled out with future menus incorporating input from our Peppers chefs in Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand.”
Peppers retreats, resorts and hotels are located in 26 destinations across Australia. Many are situated near award winning wine regions and gourmet food precincts ensuring the finest produce is served at a Peppers table. Recent additions to the Peppers network include the award winning Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge in Tasmania and Peppers Parehua Lodge in New Zealand’s Martinborough wine region.