A new TV series set in the South West and starring internationally-renowned chef Antonio Carluccio and respected Indigenous elder and performer Richard Walley is set to showcase local bush cuisine to a worldwide audience.
In Antonio Carluccio’s 6 Seasons, Dr Walley takes Antonio on a journey of discovery, culture, wild gathering and cooking, which includes a visit to Pinjarra, with a full episode dedicated to local Noongar culture and food.
Carluccio – known worldwide as the best mate of Jamie Oliver – is known for his traditional approach to rustic Italian cuisine, and for his foraging, something which lead to a keen interest in bush tucker.
During the six half-hour shows, Dr Walley introduces Antonio to the six seasons of the Aboriginal calendar and the availability of native and foraged foods at different times of the year.
Together they cook with some incredible WA produce including kangaroo, pearl meat, marron, yabbies, wild duck, wild honey, bush pepper, quandongs, bush limes and other truly unique Australian foods that Carluccio had not seen or tasted before.
They hunt and fish, catch crabs by hand with local kids, discover ancient forests and sacred places and experience dance and music by a blazing fire in the clean crisp star-filled night to the sounds of a didgeridoo.
Each episode is set in a different part of the south west and showcases the people, food and rich history of the area.
Carluccio said his impressions of Aboriginal culture were changed by the experience and he observed a strong belief in family life and respect for elders and ancestors.
“This provided me with a wonderful opportunity to forage in nature and see for myself how a great variety of foods I had not previously encountered were imaginatively prepared and shared,” he said.
“Richard and I shared our deep knowledge of food and culture which, whilst our countries are at extreme geographical distance, we found that our philosophy of food and life was very close indeed.”
Antonio Carluccio’s 6 Seasons debuts on SBS from Thursday September 8 at 6pm.
The episode on Pinjarra will air on Monday September 13 at 6pm.
