Marieke's Art of Living

Sorrento Lunch with Andrew McConnell at Karkalla

Marieke has been blessed to have shared many collaborations with Andrew McConell this last decade. A gentleman amongst chefs, often renowned for their explosive egos, working with Andrew always brings calm and creative joy. In the late summer of 2008 in a friend's wondrous garden, Andrew then still at 312 agreed to create a special lunch in a celebrated water-wise garden, "Karkalla", owned and designed by renowned landscape designer Fi Brockhoff and David Swann in Sorrento.

The theme for the lunch was truly cuisine spontanée, where the inspiration for dishes came from the produce freshly harvested that morning from Fi’s organic garden, from local fisherman, from neighboring Italian’s gardens, from the Bay and the sea. 36 privileged and blissed diners enjoyed a sun drenched courtyard washed in gentle sea breezes and feasted on heritage tomatoes, seaweeds, bay scallops, squid and whiting, barnyard eggs, warrigal greens……We partnered with an outstanding innovative young new duo of Mornington Peninsula Winemakers, David Chapman and Barney Flanders from Allies, whose Pinot and Chardonnay are wowing the critics. What really impressed on the day was the quiet intelligence that Andrew and his gifted team applied to evolving dishes on the day born of their years of experience and passion for flavour.
Many guests remarked that this was palpably food cooked with love and the locals declared it one of the most exciting eating events on the Peninsula, ever!

To read Media Article by Tricia Welsh

Andrew McConnell, a humble wunderkind, has had an illustrious and diverse cooking career and we continue to consider him one of Australia’s most refreshing and leading exponents of great cooking. Andrew’s persona, motivation and cuisine are seamlessly matched in a philosophy dedicated to striving for perfection, cooking exceptional food, and enjoying his chosen career that he practises with consummate excellence.
Nearly 20 years in the industry sees an impeccable pedigree starting with an apprenticeship at Marchetti's Latin, progressing on to tutelage under Melbourne's culinary heroes that included Walter Bourke, Greg Malouf, Tansy Goode and Andrew Blake.
Overseas experience took him to London and Chicago and then three years with Michelle Garnaut at M at the Fringe in Hong Kong, and M on the Bund in Shanghai. At both these restaurants he gained huge acclaim and awards that included one of the best 50 restaurants in the world.
At diningroom211, Andrew created his own jewel. Dining there was described by one food journalist as: "being one of those meals that touches all the pleasure buttons and leaves you as dreamily sated as after a massage....one of the most enjoyable meals in very many months. At Mrs Jones in Carlton,- Andrew created an equitably priced, casual, snappy service, clever wine list and most impressively a weekly changing, limited menu that focused seasonality and lesser know ingredients like cardoons. At Circa he shone and raised the bar. At 312 he continued to be showered with praise and in 2008 he embarked on some exciting new developments in the city that are now flourishing and all of discerning Melbourne adores. A recent meal at Cutler + Co was simply thrilling, from the seductive pimientos padrones, the foie cigar that accompanied the succulent quail to the enthusiastic and passionate service of the quirkily tintin waiter. And Cumulus enchants any time of day with its lovely ambient room and morish dishes.

Andrew's food is distinguished by its sparkling simplicity, immense refinement, purity of flavour, integrity, and culinary intelligence and notable for his unparalleled interest in lesser known and used ingredients. He is well on the road to becoming a Melbourne institution of great distinction and it was a pleasure to work with him again in this private setting.

Next up, Andrew is being persudaed to lend me his young chef from Cumulus for a Special Event. To register your interest

Tea Rooms at Yarck Pizza Workshop + Degustation

On a perfect early Autumn Staurday in the north-east, Marieke finally persuaded Pietro Porcu to offer a workshop to reveal the secrets and skills of making perfect, delectable, authentic, brilliant pizza and variations using the same dough in a wood-fired oven. Pizza comes in many abominations and awful guises- soggy bottoms, thick crusts, commercial toppings, processed cheeses- a world away from the original, traditional, authentic crisp fragrant bread based meal that Pietro’s kitchen has mastered- wafer-thin crispest bases with restrained full flavored toppings that linger.

Forty enthusiastic guests were introduced to all the subtleties of wood-fired ovens, and the finer points of pizza and pasta making before enjoying an exceptional Degustation Lunch conceived according to available produce and the season. Wines from an unusual and tempting list of Italian and regional offerings matched dishes such as succulent baby pork, kid, exquisite vegetables from Pietro's nearby Farm...

A dinner at Da Noi some two years was galvinising and exciting for the sheer passion and seasonal spontaneity on the plate. A subsequent conversation with the delightfully effusive and heartfelt Pietro Porcu engendered further excitement when he spoke of his new farm project in Yarck and the world of possibility that would open with the production of his own goats, sheep, fruit and vegetable gardens. Then a more recent dinner at the Tea Rooms at Yarck- sensational, eclectic, rustic simplicity of great depth served by this native Sardinian as though you were a guest in his home redolent of the best osteria , - cemented those instincts and this new project coming to fruition has personally rallied him back to his stoves on weekends supported by a crack and devoted front of house team from Melbourne, lead by partner Bianca.

Guests are relieved of having to make any choices as they entrust Pietro to proffer well-sized dishes hallmarked by excellent produce and unpretentious surprises that culminate in a balanced and soul satisfying whole expereince. There is too a wonderful well annotated and unusual selection of Italian wines.

Pietro Porcu was born in the south of Sardinia one of 6 children in a family who were totally self sufficient, producing everything they needed including their own pasta and cheeses.
Pietro came to Australia via Germany and Holland, where he first started working in restaurants. He began experimenting and reproducing many traditional Sardinian dishes. After a couple of years he then opened the Da Noi Restaurant in Amsterdam. ("Da Noi" means "at our place".) It is here he adopted the style/philosophy that he has replicated in his Melbourne restaurant, now celebrating 10 years – no menu as such but a selection of dishes based on what is fresh at the time.

After coming to Australia, Pietro worked in various Melbourne restaurants for a while, then
Since opening at Da Noi, Pietro has developed several signature dishes - including lamb with lemon sauce, his suckling pig cooked over myrtle branches and a number of seafood dishes. He also loves making pasta. Many of his recipes are inspired by his mother and grandmother.

Next up, we plan to persuade Pietro to lead a Charcuterie Workshop. To register your interest