We’re spoilt for choice in Australia when it comes to both eating, and watching food on our screens. Luckily, SBS On Demand is sorting out your choice paralysis by curating a collection of one dozen food-centric series’ to binge the day away with, and we’ve got the matching meals in hand so you can eat what you see on-screen! It's basically a dream scenario.
1. Destination Flavour
Destination Flavour takes to the road with a clear aim and a firm promise: to meet the people behind Australia’s finest food. From top-line chefs and providores to primary producers, hosts Adam Liaw, Lily Serna and Renee Lim mustered the best of the best to find out how they do it, why they do it, and what inspires them.
2. Destination Flavour Down Under
Different to the original Destination Flavour, the Down Under series takes Adam Liaw across Australia and New Zealand to visit locations unfamiliar to most city-dwelling folk. It’s a culinary road trip of a lifetime and he takes in the untouched beauty of the Western Australian coastline, the baking heat of the red centre, the tree-changers' paradise of northern New South Wales, New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery – and plenty of delicious food.
Pici is the simplest pasta you could ever make. It doesn’t need a pasta machine or any special ingredients – just a bit of flour, semolina and water. It has a lovely chewy texture, and in this recipe the pici cooks in wine and the juices released from the mussels, so it’s full of flavour.
“Maqlouba” in Arabic translates to “upside down” and this dish can be found throughout the Levant. A big pot is layered with grilled vegetables, meats and fragrant, coloured rice, then flipped over and scattered with nuts and herbs, and served with plenty of thick yoghurt. There’s a lot that goes into this recipe, but a spectacular dish like this can be an occasion in itself.
3. Four seasons of Gourmet Farmer
If you want to truly get stuck into a series, follow the journey of Matthew Evans from his life as a former editor at the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide to successful Tasmanian farmer and restaurateur at Fat Pig Farm, complete with an onsite restaurant. Watch and learn alongside Evans as he battles everything from cheesemaking to moving an entire farm.
4. Jimmy Shu’s Taste Of The Territory
Hosted by renowned Chinese-Sri Lankan Territorian chef, Jimmy Shu, this 8-part series takes you on a culinary journey to the multicultural melting pot that is Darwin and its surrounds. Explore an incredibly diverse food scene, unlike any other in Australia, through the sights, smells, breathtaking landscapes and stories of the Top End's most celebrated and hidden talent.
5. The Great Australian Cookbook
Come on a mouth-watering adventure around Australia to meet the country's most celebrated culinary names in a beautiful series, The Great Australian Cookbook. Featuring an extraordinary lineup of 22 of Australia's greatest cooks, from top restaurateurs to local unsung heroes, the 11-part series is a beautifully affectionate snapshot of the food Australians love to cook, eat and enjoy with family and friends.
Get to know your favourite chefs like Matt Moran, Maggie Beer, Paul West and Darren Robertson (among others) who invite you into their homes and workplaces as they cook for their loved ones. Find out their most treasured recipes and philosophies that lead them to success.
6. River Cottage Australia
Follow chef Paul West as he cooks delicious food, lends a helping hand to the community and works to create a sustainable farm. Set in the stunning NSW costal region of Tilba Tilba (meaning place of many waters), the series gives a uniquely Australian twist to the British hit show, as a rundown property is transformed into a functioning farm.
7. On Country Kitchen
Celebrity Indigenous chef Mark Olive (aka 'The Black Olive') and comedian Derek Nannup fuse native bush ingredients with contemporary cooking, to create mouth-watering dishes and simple cooking tips from our own backyard.
8. Kriol Kitchen
Sisters and self-confessed food-lovers Ali and Mitch Torres delve into local Kriol cuisine, bringing together culture, family and eclectic influences to a spectacular backdrop of saltwater, river and desert country.
9. The Beach
Filmmaker Warwick Thornton's international success has come at a personal cost. He has reached a crossroad in his life and something has to change. He has chosen to try giving up life in the fast lane for a while, to go it alone, on an isolated beach in one of the most beautiful yet brutal environments in the world, to see if he can transform and heal his life.
10. Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
Having bid farewell to city life and moved to the tropical seaside town of Noosa, chef and restaurateur Peter Kuruvita is on a journey to uncover the fresh and local produce that has made the region one of the foodie destinations of Australia. Watch as Peter explores his new surroundings and meets the local producers, artisans and farmers peppered across the Sunshine Coast. Heading into his kitchen, Peter then transforms rich, local ingredients like spanner crabs, Mooloolaba prawns, macadamia nuts, tropical fruits, heirloom vegetables and more into a delightful array of dishes for any occasion. Find out more about camel milk, beekeeping 101 and how you can't adopt your own hive. the story behind the Kuruvita family pho and more.
"When we filmed this show, everyone’s garden in the hinterland was full of ripe sweet mandarins, add macadamias and some nomadic chicken eggs and I was reminded of this classic flourless citrus cake." Peter Kuruvita, Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
"This is a curry that my Grandmother used to love. It’s full of goodness and really tasty. Deep frying peeled eggs gives it a tofu like exterior that absorbs the gravy." Peter Kuruvita, Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
"This is the first soufflé I learnt back in 1979 and it’s still the best. The most important part of this recipe is to ensure the bananas are super ripe, if not the soufflé will shrink instead of rising. Strawberry coulis makes this dish even more luxurious; add some double cream and you’ll be in heaven. Also forget the gentle, gentle attitude that people talk about when making soufflés, this will resist the banging of the oven door and stand upright for at least 5 minutes. Just remember to make sure the bananas are very, very ripe!" Peter Kuruvita, Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
"Every element of this dish is so uniquely Australian and the use of bush food adds an authenticity to it. Hervey bay scallops are famous for their sweet, white flesh. Davidson plum is acidic and bright purple, while Warrigal greens have a nearly meaty thickness to them and a wonderful flavour. Sea celery looks great and tastes like a mix between celery and parsley." Peter Kuruvita, Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
11. Freddie Fries Down Under
Cricketing legend and all-round food fanatic Freddie Flintoff is embarking on an epic new adventure. Leaving the world of fish and chips behind, he is travelling over 10,000 miles to his favourite place in the entire world - Australia. Freddie ticks of a handful of iconic Australian experiences to get your mouth watering for the next domestic trip.
Juicy, lean and packed with flavour, this is a BBQ sandwich that will have everyone back for seconds.
"This is a great campfire oldie but a goodie, and possibly the only thing I remember from being a terrible Girl Guide." Poh Ling Yeow, Poh & Co. 2
12. Jimmy's Australian Food Adventure
Food expert Jimmy Doherty explores the unexpected and inspirational tastes and foods of Australia. Jimmy's action-packed journey takes him out of the kitchen and into a wide variety of landscapes from tropical wetlands to the desert heart of the continent; whether he is crocodile wrangling, mustering cattle, mud-crabbing, turning beekeeper for the day or camel trekking through the outback. Along the way, Jimmy is joined by Australia's top chefs, brewers, vintners and farmer.
You can make these biscuits really thin like brandy snaps, or a bit thicker. I like somewhere in between so they’re firm, but not entirely crisp.
Coconut laksa is a favourite around Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as here in Australia. The Asian influences within the cuisine of Australia’s Top End make for some fascinating foods. I made this laksa with a fillet of Australian saltwater crocodile. Don’t cut the crocodile meat too thick or overcook it, as it can be very tough.
Watch all of these great series’ and dive into the Flavours of Australia shelf located at SBS On Demand.
