Bait to Plate Experience Set to Delight Foodies
ENJOY THE BAIT TO PLATE DINING EXPERIENCE
Seafood lovers are in for a real treat this August with well-known chef, restaurateur, and blogger Kevin Collins delivering his famous Bait to Plate dining experience at the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival.
The passionate fisherman, who is also the co-owner of Fish D’Vine at Airlie Beach, will take 150 lucky guests on a culinary journey that celebrates Queensland’s fresh seafood.
The two-hour gastronomic experience lets diners feast on six delectable fish dishes and one dessert, with Kevin explaining where each fish was caught and how best to prepare it.
A fun, interactive dining event
“Bait to Plate is about me highlighting the amazing fish species and different seafood options we have access to which sadly, seldom make it onto the menu in many restaurants,” Kevin says.
“I will have a variety of local seafood for people to taste, and while an amazing team of talented chefs cook each dish out the back, I will be at the front telling people about the fish they are about to eat.
“It’s a real fun, interactive, and educational way for people to be introduced to new species. They can come up and ask questions, see what I am doing, learn how to fillet the fish, and even taste as I am going.”
A fresh taste of the sea
Kevin’s menu will feature local produce as well as fish from tropical North Queensland.
“I am really excited about the menu I have created for the festival. I will be including Moreton Bay Bugs which have been sourced from a farm in Lismore, some beautiful coral trout which I will bring down from the Whitsundays with me, and threadfish salmon, which can be found in the mouth of the Brisbane River.
“I will also have tailor, which is a common catch in Moreton Bay. It’s a very underrated fish – it has a beautiful distinctiveness to it, but it smokes like nothing else!
“I will also have pearl perch because I think it’s a beautiful fish people don’t know enough about.
“There will also red scorpion cod – it looks like a red stone fish, but it has a very beautiful texture.
A life-long love of seafood
Kevin’s life-long love of seafood began as a child on the Pumicestone Passage, on the doorstep of Moreton Bay.
“My dad was a small business operator in the Pumicestone Passage, and he would hire boats out to people,” Kevin explains.
“He also used to take mud crabs into Brisbane and sell them, so I had a great understanding of seafood from an early age.
“I can remember fishermen used to throw away the Moreton Bay Bugs because they didn’t know what they were, but now they are $48 a kilo.
A unique dining experience in Moreton Bay
Kevin’s lifelong love for fish saw him start the Bait to Plate blog after he moved to the Whitsundays more than two decades ago.
The blog is full of recipes, photos, fishing tips, “secret fishing spots” and more.
After launching his Bait to Plate experiences at Fish D’Vine, the cruise ship industry saw how popular Kevin’s degustation dinners were and partnered with him to offer the experience as an onshore day trip for guests.
The Bait to Plate seafood dining experience will be held at the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival on all three days from 1.30-3.30pm at The Lodge.
FESTIVAL TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Queenslanders can indulge in exquisite food, tasty drinks, and stunning seaside views at the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival, returning to Apex Park at Woody Point from August 23-25. The festival offers the chance to meet celebrity chefs, learn new recipes, enjoy an array of cuisine, stock up on local produce, enjoy live music, and spend quality time with family and friends.
The lineup of celebrity chefs includes Matt Golinski, Dominique Rizzo, and Alastair McLeod, among others. MasterChef Australia favorites such as Adam Liaw, Georgia Barnes, and Brent Draper will also make appearances. Additional cooking demonstrations will feature talents like Kim McCosker, Jo Whitton, Fiona Anchal, Aunty Dale Chapman, Kara Urbanska, and Ada Daher.
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