Gourmet Escape is officially underway after opening night kicked off at Fraser Gallop Estate in Wilyabrup.
Wadandi custodians Wayne and Zac Webb conducted a welcome to country, explaining the significance of place names and sharing traditional stories of the South West.
The event was opened by the evening’s MC Alice Zaslavsky, who led the guests in applauding the venue, the Gourmet Escape event, and the Margaret River region.
Guests were treated to indigenous foods prepared by Busselton based chef Paul Iskov from Fervor which is a roaming pop-up restaurant focusing on native Australian ingredients.
The menu included crispy saltbush, marron bloodroot paper bark, sandlewood nut cracker and a gin from the aptly named ‘Ginversity’ made especially for this year’s event by the Margaret River Distilling Company.
For many of the VIPs it was a chance to mingle with locals, producers and fellow chefs, with many noting the ‘back to school camp’ vibe of the gathering.