VMC chairperson Helen Kapalos joined The Project’s Waleed Aly, food writer and editor Tania Cammarano and John Cleary from ABC Radio’s Sunday Nights to judge the exciting fusions of four culturally-diverse chefs from Melbourne’s multicultural museums.
The four chefs brought their credentials to the chopping board, representing the Hellenic Museum, Museo Italiano, the Islamic Museum of Australia and the Jewish Museum, in a challenge to cook up the culinary delights of cultures other than their own.
Hosted by Jon Faine and Libbi Gore, the Cook Off also featured Samira El Khafir, another 2013 MasterChef finalist who published her own cookbook Eat With Love, and the proud owner of Modern Middle Eastern Cafe at the Islamic Museum of Australia, alongside Harrison Lockett, a chef with a passion for Italian cuisine stewed through early experience at the iconic University Cafe in Carlton.
“A culinary exchange is a great opportunity to experience the rich identity of Victoria’s diverse cultures, deepening our cultural understanding and promoting social harmony,” said Ms Kapalos.
Philip Vakos, representing the Hellenic Museum, won the main course round with a Greek spin on the Italian artichoke dish carciofi alla romana.