Local cook battles two-hat chef in Festival’s first gluten and grain free cook-off

Sunshine Coast gluten and grain free food expert and cookbook author, Tania Hubbard will go head to head in a cooking showdown with two-hat chef, Cameron Matthews at the Real Food Festival on Sunday, 8th September.

The two notable locals will do battle in the kitchen, showcasing two different interpretations of the same dish, each hoping their personal touches will be enough to win votes from the audience.

Gluten Free Grain Free Company Co-Founder, Tania said she was looking forward to a bit of friendly competition and creating something amazing from local ingredients.

“We will both be attempting to make a gluten and grain free dish – Macadamia and Almond Tart topped with Raw Chocolate Citrus Mousse, strawberry and chia seed jam and cream,” Tania said.

“Keeping in theme with the Real Food Festival, most of the ingredients used will be local including macadamias, avocados, butter, cream, strawberries, herbs, finger limes and ginger,” she said.

Tania’s gluten and grain free journey began several years ago when she was diagnosed intolerant to the proteins found in cereal grains. It was this diagnosis that saw her go on to develop her own recipes and write a leading cookbook, gluten free grain free – food we love. 

Cameron Matthews, chef at The Long Apron Restaurant at Spicers Clovelly Estate in Montville, has been cooking for over two decades and is passionate about using fresh local produce to create the perfect marriage of different foods and natural flavours on one plate.

“I am really looking forward to cooking off against Tania. She is a great cook and good friend, but I plan on teaching her a thing or two,” Cameron said with a laugh.

“The competition is really just a bit of fun. What we really want is to show that it’s all about great food, it doesn’t matter if what you do with it is simple or complex, it’s about cooking with passion.

“I really believe if you are cooking with passion you will always get amazing results.”

The cook and the chef challenge will be held at the Kunara Real Food Kitchen Venue on Sunday, 8 September at 10.30am, followed by a solo cooking demonstration by Tania at 1.30pm on how to create a range of dishes using one delicious and versatile gluten and grain free bread recipe. Cameron Matthews will also be hosting a solo demonstration on Saturday, 7th called ‘Local foods, Long Apron style’.

Proudly supported by event partner IGA Sunshine Coast, The Real Food Festival will be held at the Maleny Showgrounds, 13 Stanley River Road, Maleny on 7th – 8th September from 9am to 4pm daily. The two-day festival will host more than 120 exhibits showcasing an abundance of local food from Sunshine Coast producers, manufacturers and restaurants, as well as food-related products and services. Entry is $15 for a daily adult pass and children under 16 are free.

For more information on the Real Food Festival, visit the Festival website at www.realfoodfestival.com.au.

Tania’s cookbook gluten free grain free – food we love, is packed with over 150 pages of mouth-watering recipes, information about stocking a gluten and grain free pantry, label reading and much more, as well as her bake@home range will be available for sale at the Real Food Festival and can also be purchased online at www.glutenfreegrainfree.com.au.

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