FIRED UP Chefs gather in a blaze of glory to prepare a feast from the flames

Chow down in a blaze of glory at Dark Mofo’s Winter Feast where chefs will harness fire power to make food like our ancestors did Feast on primal cuts

Cooking on fire is again a big theme at Dark Mofo’s Winter Feast. And as usual food curator Jo Cook and the feast team are facing the logistic challenges of that head-on. This year, one of their jobs is to transport a whole beast for cooking on to the Princes Wharf 1 site on Hobart’s waterfront. Brazilian chef Paula Laki and Mona’s executive chef Vince Trim will be cooking with flame and coals all seven nights, barbecuing an entire cow from Big River Highland Beef in the Derwent Valley. The exercise will go beyond even nose-to-tail eating.

“The hide will be tanned on site by a grandfather and granddaughter team and its skull and horns used in biodynamic preparations for a local winery,” says Cook.

She is also “super-excited” about the Palawa Fire Pit, a special ticketed event that is already waitlisted. Guests will listen to indigenous Tasmanian storytellers and dine on a “cultural catch” cooked by Huon Valley chefs Asher Gilding and Franca Zingler, featuring abalone, wallaby, native vegetables and oysters and more. The menu will change nightly.

Melbourne-based Danish chef Bente Grysbaek will be cooking Huon salmon on a big campfire. Look out for fish nailed to planks and cooked over hot coals. “It’s winter Viking-style food,” says Cook. “Bente will be using the whole fish, including the carcasses to make a broth.”

Other guest chefs cooking in pairs over fire are hangi chef Monique Fiso and fermenter Adam James (see Page 17), Charles Carrington of Melbourne’s Atlas with Hobart’s Ima de Silva, Fico’s Oskar Rossi and Federica Andrisani with Andrew Papadakis of Tipo 00 in Melbourne, and Massimo Mele with Alejandro Saravia, of Pastuso, also in Melbourne.

As well as these pairings, there will be a multitude of other stalls including Mona’s Heavy Metal Kitchen. A huge range of dishes, from free-range duck and pork cassoulet to paella and pizza, and cuisines including Thai fusion, pan-Asian and French will be on offer. And local wine (swing past The Pinot Bar), beer, spirits and cider will be abundant.

Beyond Winter Feast itself, check out the Talisker Dark Bar and Black Diamond Ski Manor Bar, both at Dark Park at Macquarie Point. Warm snacks at these venues will include gourmet cheesy toasties and stout and venison pie.

Dark Mofo + City of Hobart’s Winter Feast is on from Friday, June 15 to Sunday, June 17 and Thursday, June 21 until Sunday, June 24. Doors open at 4pm daily for the evening. Season pass sevennight ticket with priority entry is $50 and under-16s are free with registration. Single-night door sales start at $10. Entry is free after 8pm nightly and on the last Sunday. Free admission for accompanied under-16s. darkmofo.net.au