Gold Rush Entertainment Presents World on a Plate
Gold Rush Entertainment announces the launch of the very first edition of their International Food Festival ‘World on a Plate’, with celebrated chef’s from Australia; George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan. The nouvelle cuisine extravaganza at the JW Marriott and UB City will acquaint Bangaloreans with the most influential authorities of global cuisine. The weekend of June 4th and 5th will see these Masterchefs connect with food enthusiasts over a bevy of activities and a masterclass!
Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston and George Calombaris
Speaking on the occasion CEO of Gold Rush Entertainment, Kiran Soans shared with his guests, “At Gold Rush Entertainment we believe in bringing quality experiences to our consumers. Our preceding association with George Calombaris was a raging success; this brought forth the idea of ‘World on a Plate’ to include all the three faces of the MasterChef Australia show ~ George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan, and Matt Preston. The weekend guarantees an exciting experience as they take enthusiasts in our city on a motivating and inspiring culinary journey.”
Bangalore’s most loved Australian Chef, George Calombaris then pitched in with, “I’m thrilled to be back in India; I love the food here, and I am exceptionally eager to explore new flavours and cuisine, as well as indulge in my favourite dishes ~ Jalebis and Vadas! I love Bangalore and have a soft spot for this city. During my last visit, I was completely impressed and inspired by the creativity of the dishes on offer, and cannot wait to share my experience with food lovers once again!”
“To me, food is a common language that we speak in our world, and everywhere I go it’s a memory that is created. This is the first time that all three of us {George, Matt, and Gary} are together in India, and it’s exciting! The other day Gary had me riding pillion on a motorcycle in Delhi, and these are memories I will never forget for the rest of my life!” George continued, “I am really excited about ‘World On A Plate’, and what I find lovely is that this event brings together a lot of the city’s local chefs thereby supporting and providing a platform for local talent. So, it’s not just about us, but the community around us.”
Tanya Fontes with George Calombaris
Gary Mehigan added “I am completely intrigued and fascinated by the diversity of India’s food palate. It’s fireworks ~ this place! From the colours to the flavours of the food; that is the thing that keeps me coming back. I am a massive fan of this country, and I look forward to cooking for our patrons here, and obviously gorging on flavoursome dishes!”
“Indians are exposed to such a variety of flavours; Matt and I went to Russel Market here in Bengaluru, and I was just taking it all in, thinking how authentic and at the same time hypnotic all of this is… I am absolutely captivated by the use of the many dhals, spices like asafoetida, things that we really don’t use a lot of in Australia. I will believe my job is done when I see smiles across the faces of guests at the ‘World on a Plate’ Food Festival.”
Tanya Fontes with Gary Mehigan
Wearing a pink suit, Matt Preston made an entrance announcing that he had incorporated the corporate colours {Gold Rush} in his attire. Known for his adoration of Indian cuisine he said, “I cherish an assortment of textures and flavours. I am a firm adherent that wonderful recipes and culinary techniques are held as much by home cooks as gourmet specialists in restaurants. Inspired by the Indian home-style technique, I will be preparing Coorgi style chicken, and I can’t wait to hear the remarks and feedback that I can take home with me.”
Talking about Indian food going international he continued, “Indian food is available in every suburb across Australia, every suburb across London… Now the question that arises is: Is India ready to become a destination for top-end dining? My answer is a resounding ~ Yes! Regional cuisines in India are so incredibly delicious! Obviously for us, when we travel we love to eat, and with ‘World on a Plate’ we get to taste dishes from 15 of the top restaurants in Bengaluru city, and that’s really exciting!”
When asked to give us his understanding of the term ‘Gourmet’ he said, “Whenever you are in a restaurant, you should shut your eyes… and just by what you taste and what you hear, you should know exactly where in the world you are. That sense of place is what real food is all about, and it’s not industry produced but responsibly sourced from the local markets. That to me is what defines ‘Gourmet’.”
Tanya Fontes with Matt Preston
The event saw the ‘Three Musketeers’ of global cuisine present to us, three original gourmet creations. Soft Shell Crab Souvlaki {a Kerala paratha roll} by George Calombaris, Chicken with Roast Pumpkin by Matt Preston, and White Chocolate Mousse by Gary Mehigan.
“I’m a huge fan of dishes that are easy to make, and I love using the oven because it imparts intense flavour to the dishes I create. I’ve taken a Middle Eastern {Turkish} spice recipe for Pumpkin from my last book, and have given it an Indian spin. This dish is really a combination of different things… I’ve used pumpkin, beetroot, cardamom, and cold vinegar,” Matt concluded.
With ‘World on a Plate’, Gold Rush Entertainment brings a truly global experience to India, expanding on our population’s affection for all things food & international. George, Matt, and Gary being synonymous with gastronomic brilliance, were the ideal choices to convey an essence of global flavours to India.
Tanya Fontes with South Asia correspondent, Greg Bearup and his wife, Lisa Upton.
Schedule for the festival:
Day 1 ~ June 4th will see the MasterChef’s take 1 hour exclusive Master Classes where they’ll walk guests through the preparations of their signature creations. This will be followed by an exclusive tete-a-tete with George, Matt, and Gary where they’ll answer culinary queries posed by visitors at the festival.
Day 2 ~ June 5th promises to be action-packed with two prestigious competitions scheduled for the day. Gourmet specialists from restaurants across the city will compete in a cook-off, with the winning dish being chosen by George, Matt, and Gary in a blind tasting. The winning restaurant will be awarded the title of “Restaurant of the Year”. Alongside this, a “People’s Choice” competition is also scheduled to take place, with restaurants wooing their patrons to win the prestigious moniker of being the “People’s Choice of the Year”.
So, what are you waiting for? Gear up for the culinary experience of a lifetime with World on a Plate!