The annual Cooking in the Park events will be moved from the John Hart Conservatory into City Park to allow for the activity’s growth. 

On Saturday, Cataract on Paterson’s head chef Chris Williams will open the series before Hazelbrae House chef Nathan Johnston cooks at 5pm.

Stillwater and Black Cow executive chef Craig Will continues the series on Sunday, with celebrity chef Karen Martini to whip up a storm in the afternoon. The Terrace Restaurant’s head chef Christopher Wright is set to finish the series later that day. 

RELATED STORIES: 

Cataract on Paterson owner Karen Burbury said it was an honour to have someone recognise the chefs in Launceston. 

“What Festivale is doing is showcasing how good we all are,” Mrs Burbury said.  

“I was really honoured to think that Chris had been identified in the calibre of Will from Stillwater and Chris from the casino and even Nath from Hazelbrae. 

“They’re really talented chefs. Chris himself has travelled worldwide and has worked at Michelin star restaurants.”

Mrs Burbury said Cooking in the Park provided locals with a chance to interact with the region’s chefs. 

“It gives us the opportunity for people to engage with our chefs because everybody only ever sees out front of house team,” She said.  

“It will also give people an opportunity to try and replicate at home the dishes that the chefs are producing.”

Cooking in the park will be a series of five chefs conducting an hour-long demonstration. The chefs will share secrets to inspire people to try something new at home and will provide recipes at each session.

The event is included in the ticket price.

Chris Williams – Cataract on Paterson – 3pm Saturday

Williams will use ingredients sourced from Harvest Launceston to make a dish full of simple, natural flavours. 

Using chorizo from Mount Gnomon pork and Robur goat’s fetta from Tasmanian Food Co, Williams will make a Spanish-style feast.

He has chosen Spanish inspired because he has travelled throughout his career and the food in Spain was some of his favourites. 

Williams believes Tasmania is known for its seafood and loves cooking with fresh scallops. 

Nathan Johnston – Hazelbrae House – 5pm Saturday

Johnston will show off fresh seasonal vegetables to make an Italian creation. 

The Hazelbrae chef spent his twenties working in French, Italian and Nordic Michelin-starred kitchens in London.

His vegetable creation will use cheese from both Meander Valley and Pyndana dairies. He will also source his vegetables from Harvest Launceston and plans to use his own home-grown tomatoes, as well as hazelnuts.

Craig Will – Stillwater and Black Cow – 10.45am Sunday

Will is a natural ambassador for Tasmanian produce after being brought up in the state, but will use Japanese inspiration for his meal. 

He plans to cook Japanese-style chicken using local  Nichols chicken, Shima wasabi and Meander Valley Dairy to create barbecued chicken. The dish will be served with  warm potato noodle salad, Shima wasabi creme fraiche, Japanese pepper and Katsuobushi. 

Will is an advocate for “less is more”, and has the philosophy of letting quality ingredients speak for themselves.  

He said classic training, Australian influences and some of the best produce in the country allows him to create dishes of “uncompromising quality”.  

Karen Martini – guest chef – 12.30pm Sunday 

Martini said she was excited to peruse Harvest Launceston for the freshest and best ingredients the region has to offer. 

Martini will use Nichol’s chicken to elevate the “everyday” chicken salad to a centre-piece dish that is full of flavour, from fresh seasonal produce of the day. 

She will also create a seafood dish “in a synch” that can be recreated at home. 

“I’m all about bringing people together with food,” she said. 

Christoper Wright – Terrace Restaurant – 2.15pm Sunday

Wright will cook a dish that moves to create “modern Australian cuisine” as he cooks Summer scallops with vanilla tomatoes.

He believes Australia hasn’t discovered its traditional cuisine and that Tasmania is the best place to source great produce. 

Wright has chosen some local ingredients from Tasmanian Food Co, which includes the Robur Farm goat’s milk and shima wasabi, to enhance his “delicate” Tasmanian scallop dish.