I‘m excited to finally visit the Agrarian Kitchen, a farm-based cooking school located 45 minutes from Hobart in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley – I’ve heard so much about it.
Softly spoken Rodney Dunn and his wife, Séverine, moved to Lachlan from Sydney in 2007, transforming a 19th century schoolhouse to accommodate both their home and the school.
Rodney began his cooking classes in 2009, and the Agrarian Kitchen has established a reputation throughout Australia for its innovative, yet practical approach to cooking, specialising in what Kiwis would call paddock-to-plate food.
I guess it’s a bit like the River Cottage of Australia, however, instead of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, my host is this wonderfully knowledgeable former Sydney-sider.
His career history includes working for well-known Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda and being food editor on one of my favourite magazines, Gourmet Traveller. I know immediately that I’m in good hands.
Rodney and Séverine have converted the historic weatherboard schoolhouse into a state-of-the-art cooking school, without sacrificing any of its charm.
The two-hectare working farm has Wessex saddleback pigs, milking goats, rare breeds of chickens and big, fat geese – but they’re not just there to look pretty.
Their destiny is to become the main ingredients in many of his classes, with courses ranging from making sourdough bread, through to butchering whole animals.
I’m thinking about enrolling in Rodney’s From Head to Hoof class, which involves cooking every type of cut that exists on his prized pigs. He even posts you the salami you make a few weeks later, once it has finished hanging.
Mike was inspired by The Agrarian Kitchen’s extensive organic vegetable gardens, featuring heirloom varieties.
Rodney is passionate about his ventures and two hours in his company passes in what seems like minutes. I’m given a tour of the hothouses, the extensive vegetable gardens, row after row of every type of berry you could hope for, cold smoke rooms, chillers full of game birds and meats curing.
As we walk and talk, a delivery of freshly shot pheasants arrives, to be hung in anticipation of another class: Birds of a Feather.
In the cooking demo area, I’m greeted with a large fire in the corner, a table that seats 10, and one wall is devoted to all the recipe books he’s collected over the years – at least 500.
Rodney’s classes attract beginner cooks through to experts. One third of the time is spent in the garden, one third in demos and cooking, and one third eating your food.
Rodney is providing people with all levels of cooking prowess an amazing experience.
Brought up on a farm in New South Wales, Rodney left to work in the city, and has returned to a rural lifestyle. Now, his kids are in their little gummies, mucking around, loving this wonderful setting.
Taste of Southern Tasmania
DAY 1: Hobart & Surrounds
Start your culinary pilgrimage just two minutes from Hobart Airport at Barilla Bay Oysters, before tasting wines at the Frogmore Creek Vineyard in Coal River Valley. Enjoy lunch at Wicked Cheese, then move on to Richmond Tasting House for Tasmanian produce, wines and whiskies. Check out the Sweets and Treats Lolly Shop, but don’t spoil your appetite, because tonight brings tapas at Ethos Eat Drink in Hobart.
DAY 2: Inner-city Hobart
Join the Gourmania Food Tour to sample local culture and great food and wine. Next up, visit the Salamanca Arts Centre and walk to Battery Point along Kelly’s Steps. Then swing by the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG), then catch a ferry to MONA to see its great exhibitions, where you will also find Moorilla Winery, before Crumb Street
Kitchen fires up for dinner.
DAY 3: Hobart to Huon Valley
Find out why Tasmania is called the Apple Isle at Australia’s first organic cidery, Willie Smith’s Cider. Relax for lunch at Red Velvet Lounge and finish with something sweet at Cygneture Chocolates. Returning to Hobart, stop at Grandvewe Cheese to learn how organic sheep cheese is made. Smolt Restaurant offers a fusion of Spanish and Italian dishes.Plan your gourmet getaway at discovertasmania.com
If you would like to try a recipe from The Agrarian Kitchen for Quinoa with veges and tahini yoghurt Click here.
Fact File:
Getting there Michael Van de Elzen travelled to Tasmania with the assistance of Tourism Australia, Tourism Tasmania and Air New Zealand. For more information, visit: myaustraliapassion.co.nz/passions/food-wine/
Fly there with Air New Zealandbook now.
Find out more at Australia.com and DiscoverTasmania.com
