Queensland fishermen will be scouring the oceans and inland waterways to bring the best product to you for this session. Bet you haven’t thought of preparing barramundi the way Nick Holloway does. Nor considered trying Russell Armstrong’s modern makeover of mullet. See and taste what these two Queensland chefs cook up using the abundant catch. Put aside any preconceptions of what drinks best with seafood as Nick Ryan leads you through a blind beverage tasting.

Nick Holloway

After stints at Stella, Blake’s and Pearl in Melbourne Nick Holloway moved to north Queensland and opened Nu Nu in picturesque Palm Cove with Jason Rowbottom. Nick’s innovative approach with seafood and quality local produce has earned Nu Nu national acclaim.

Russell Armstrong

One of Brisbane’s leading chefs classically trained in some of Europe’s finest kitchens, Russell Armstrong has owned and operated several restaurants, most recently Seasalt at Armstrong’s at the Inchcolm Hotel and Barolo in the CBD.

Nick Ryan

The delights of his Dad’s cellar and a job with a leading wine merchant in Sydney led Nick Ryan to a career as a wine scribe. He contributes to various publications including Gourmet Traveller Wine, Selector Magazine and Australian Table.

Take three core ingredients – duck, crab and citrus – and hand them over to two of our finest exponents of Asian cuisine to work their magic. The nuances of Thai and Vietnamese will soon become apparent as Martin Boetz applies his modern Thai sensibilities to the ingredients while Luke Nguyen takes an authentic Vietnamese approach. Enjoy the dishes they devise with some of the aromatic Granite Belt Wine Country wines that so suit this style of food, presented by leading consultant and Master of Wine Peter Scudamore-Smith.

Martin Boetz

After beginning his career in Brisbane, he moved to Sydney and was trained by Thai master David Thompson. Now Martin Boetz showcases his unique style of Thai and Southern Chinese influenced food at Longrain in Sydney and Melbourne. He has also developed a range of Longrain sauces for the home cook.

Luke Nguyen

Luke Nguyen learnt the art and fundamentals of Vietnamese cooking from his parents, honed his skills at various Sydney restaurants and now owns Red Lantern, a temple of authentic Vietnamese food. Luke hosts culinary discovery tours to Vietnam, has a successful television program on SBS and has authored two books, the latest The Songs of Sapa.

Peter Scudamore-Smith

Brisbane-based, internationally recognised wine professional Peter Scudamore-Smith MW is founder and director of consulting firm Uncorked & Cultivated. He consults widely on viticulture and vinification.

The Virgilius Viognier is the pre-eminent and much awarded white from Yalumba in the Barossa. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley’s TarraWarra Estate and New Zealand’s Ata Rangi are equally praised and prized. What do these benchmark wineries at the top of their game have in common? At the helm of each is a talented winemaker and all three are women. Join Louisa Rose, Helen Masters and Clare Halloran as they discuss technique, terroir and making a mark in what is historically a male-dominated field and enjoy the fruits of their labours.

Louisa Rose

Louisa Rose helped establish and run her family’s vineyard in the Yarra Valley before formal winemaking studies. She joined Yalumba in the Barossa in 1993 and became chief winemaker in 2006. She has won several awards, including in 2008 the Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine’s Winemaker of the Year.

Helen Masters

A gifted winemaker with a finely tuned palate, Helen Masters started her career as a cellar hand at New Zealand’s Ata Rangi in 1990. After study and travel she returned in 2003, and has been senior winemaker for the past five years.

Clare Halloran

Clare Halloran has been at TarraWarra Estate since 1996, first as assistant winemaker then taking over the head role from the ’98 vintage. She spent time in Burgundy learning traditional methods of dealing with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and in Oregon, discovering its famed New World approach.

He hails from Venice, but it’s New Zealand’s quality produce that Cristiano De Martin now champions. At Hilton Auckland’s White restaurant he has pioneered a “homegrown” food philosophy, forging partnerships with local farmers, growers and providores. Hawkes Bay lamb, Marlborough clams, Northland kingfish, saffron from Central Otago and more … it all finds its way onto Cristiano’s menus and his elegant touch showcases it to its best advantage. Enjoy some of his signature dishes with some of New Zealand’s finest wines.

Cristiano De Martin

Cristiano De Martin’s career began in small restaurants in his Italian homeland and has taken him to five-star hotels around the globe, including London, the Middle East and Australia. As executive chef at Hilton Auckland he re-launched its restaurant White in 2008.

David Cross