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Australian Masterchef conÂtesÂtant Justine Schofield cooked a Spanish style feast in Sydney to proÂmote olive oil from Spain, with dishes served in a pop-up restauÂrant designed in the style of a Spanish olive grove. The event, orgaÂnized by the Embassy of Madrid in Australia, aimed to highÂlight the verÂsaÂtilÂity and qualÂity of Spanish olive oil in the Australian marÂket, with dishes showÂcasÂing the proÂducÂt’s abilÂity to enhance varÂiÂous meals throughÂout the day.
As part of a national camÂpaign to proÂmote olive oil from Spain, Australian Masterchef conÂtesÂtant Justine Schofield took to the stove to cook up a Spanish style feast for the peoÂple of Sydney recently.
The pop-up style restauÂrant affair, set up in the cenÂter of the Sydney CBD, was designed in the style of a Spanish olive grove, comÂplete with wooden benches, a stone farmÂhouse, flaÂmenco dancers and a large silÂhouÂette of the typÂiÂcal Spanish bull. Diners were able to samÂple a wide variÂety of Schofields’ comÂpliÂmenÂtary dishes, served in the traÂdiÂtional Spanish tapas forÂmat of bite size morsels, whilst lisÂtenÂing to live music.
Dishes were preÂpared in live cookÂing demonÂstraÂtions by Schofield and then served to the walk-in guests for breakÂfast, lunch and dinÂner, highÂlightÂing the fact that olive oil can be used to enhance any meal of the day. Aside from their numerÂous culiÂnary uses, Schofield also offered her own tip as to the useÂfulÂness of olive oil as a natÂural make up remover.
All dishes were careÂfully designed to highÂlight Spanish olive oil as the key ingreÂdiÂent, with a focus on how the prodÂuct can enhance the taste of a dish. The tapas style dishes were served alongÂside crusty bread and addiÂtional extra virÂgin olive oil for dipÂping. The specifÂiÂcally designed dishes included olive oil rice pudÂding with peaches and almonds for breakÂfast, charred vegÂetable salad with prawns for lunch and conÂfit of salmon with chorizo crumbs for dinÂner.
Schofield, who is an ambasÂsador for the Olive Oil from Spain proÂgram, appeared in the first seaÂson of Australia’s Masterchef series. She now hosts her own cookÂing show, Everyday Gourmet , appears in cookÂing demos and operÂates a caterÂing comÂpany.
The event was an iniÂtiaÂtive of the Embassy of Madrid in Australia, as part of a national camÂpaign to proÂmote Spanish olive oil around the counÂtry. Australia is an imporÂtant marÂket for Spanish olive oil export, as one of the main non-EU importers. Spanish olive oil export to Australia has risen over the last year, and it is hoped that conÂtinÂuÂing proÂmoÂtion of the prodÂuct will mainÂtain this strong marÂket. Australia is a counÂtry with a large numÂber of Italian and Greek immiÂgrants, who tend to choose olive oil from their own counÂtry, which in addiÂtion to the fact that Australia also proÂduces its own oil, means ongoÂing marÂketÂing and iniÂtiaÂtives to raise awareÂness are necÂesÂsary for Spanish oil to mainÂtain its place in the marÂket.