TASMANIAN farmers are featuring in a national cooking show that will feature some of the state’s premium produce.
Rabobank is highlighting leading Tasmanian food producers through a partnership with cooking show Farm to Fork.
The bank has joined with Network 10 and Farm to Fork’s producers Dual Entertainment as a partner in season five of the television program, which launches next week.
The cooking show, which airs nationally and aims to help inform Australians how to eat and live well, inspires viewers to not only cook at home but also have a better appreciation of where and how their food is grown.
In the latest series, the show comes to Tasmania for the first time to visit a number of state’s leading food producers.
Local Tasmanian food producers featured include vegetable grower Caitlin Radford from RADCO Agriculture, based at Moriarty in the state’s North-West, where the program will showcase the operation’s brussels spouts
Elizabeth Town dairy farmer Paul Bennett, director of Ashgrove Cheese, a family business which has been operating since 1908, will also be included along with Harvest Moon managing director Mark Kable.
Miss Radford said the time spent filming with the Farm to Fork team was an exciting opportunity for the industry and the region.
“To not only have a nationally acclaimed television program in Tasmania, but to be showcasing a plant that people don’t really know a lot about was such a thrill,” she said.
“I’m very passionate about vegetables and educating consumers. Many people are ‘scarred’ from the over-boiled brussels sprouts of their childhood, and this episode proves that brussels sprouts recipes are quick, delicious and healthy – and there is no longer any need to fear the brussels sprout.”
Rabobank Head of Marketing Kate Holden said Australians have a strongly-growing interest in the source and provenance of their food and a television program like Farm to Fork is a perfect vehicle to showcase the outstanding produce that the local farm sector grows.
“As an agribusiness bank, we are committed to promoting the importance of the agricultural industry and growing Australians’ understanding of where their food comes from,” she said.
“We want to be involved in telling farmers’ stories in both rural and urban areas and raising awareness of the farm to fork journey.”
Celebrity chef Louis Tikaram hosts the Tasmanian episodes.
Mr Tikaram said as a chef nothing beats getting out of the kitchen, meeting farmers and seeing where our produce is grown.
“Tasmania is an incredible part of Australia that without doubt produces some of the best produce in the world. It was such a rewarding experience to film in Tasmania and get a deeper understanding of what this amazing place has to offer,” he said.
Farm to Fork executive producer Darren Anderson said they were really excited to have taken the show to Tasmania this year and learn more about the amazing produce on offer.
“So, to be able to reinforce this to our viewers was a real privilege,” he said.
Farm to Fork airs Monday to Thursday at 3.30pm and Friday at 4pm on Network 10.
The episode from the day prior will also then encore the following morning at 8am and is also available on demand via 10play.com.au