Melbourne Hospitality People’s Executive Chef Matt Dawson has recently been part of an exciting new project, engaging trainee chefs at TAFE colleges in both VIC and NSW. Matt Dawson has teamed up to help successfully shape the future of hospitality in Australia, through the creation of informative videos to improve knowledge around Australian EVOO (exciting stuff!) You don’t have to be a trainee chef to gain valuable new knowledge from Matt, be inspired by watching his video above.

In the videos, Matt demonstrates for us two of his personal favourite recipes. First up is Korean Fried Chicken, which currently features on Captain Baxter’s menu, followed by Apple and Rhubarb Crumble with EVOO Ice Cream – an old favourite at Republica.

If you’ve had Captain Baxter’s Korean Fried Chicken with kimchi spice and ssamjang spicy dipping sauce, you know this dish packs a punch. Juicy and crunchy, with the perfect amount of moreish burn, it’s a crowd-pleaser for sure. The secret to the unique flavour? You guessed it, it’s deep frying the chicken in EVOO. This makes the flavour a little lighter and adds a floral element.

Up next Matt shows us how to create his beautiful Apple and Rhubarb Crumble with EVOO Ice Cream. This was a staple on Republica’s menu during the venue’s earlier years. The contrast of apple with rhubarb is classic, but by adding the EVOO ice cream you get an extra textural dimension.

Worried about cooking with EVOO on a high heat? Turns out this oil being unfit for use in high temperatures is a myth. In fact, using the smoke point as an indicator may not the most sound method. Leonardo Ravetti – EVOO expert and oil maker, tells us that the reason EVOO reaches its smoke point faster is due to the free fatty acids it contains, which only make up around 0.2-0.3 percent of the oil. This is in comparison to a refined oils such as regular olive oil, light olive oil, and most seed oils. When these oils reach their smoke point, the entire mass of the oil is breaking down.

So, don’t be scared of reaching for a bottle of Australian EVOO next time you’re cooking up a storm. Support your local businesses, and reap the health benefits at the same time!

Until next time,

MHP.