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Wednesday, 15 June 2011 12:26 |
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Market To Menu - A 24 Hour Journey
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| Whilst its enviable Whitsunday location on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef is a magnet for visitors seeking a slice of paradise, for the catering team on Hamilton Island (www.hamiltonisland.com.au) this idyllic seclusion provides them with various logistical challenges. |
 Most visitors dining on Hamilton Island are blissfully unaware of the journey their food and drink makes from market to plate, from vine to glass, and most take for granted their dining selections featuring an extensive range of fresh seafood and exotic fruits.
But, behind the scenes the Herculean task of meeting the needs of some 5,000 guests and staff is fulfilled by Executive Chef Lindsey Palmer and his team of 80 chefs who between them decide what should be ordered.
Keeping It Local:
Guests can be sure of enjoying fresh, locally sourced food thanks to Queensland fisherman, Matt Fitzgerald, who exclusively supplies Hamilton Island. Fitzgerald supplies the island with fresh, locally caught fish, unloading 16 boats working around Hamilton Island and delivering the fish himself. He guarantees that the gap between ‘hooking and cooking’ will be no more than 24 hours. His catch includes barramundi, mud crabs, yellowfin tuna, redthroat emperor, red emperor, coral trout and prawns, as well as farmed cobia (black kingfish).
A Few Facts and Figures:
At peak times, like Christmas, the Reef View Hotel chef needs to order food for 900 full buffet breakfasts, lunch for 200 and dinner for 250, and that is just one restaurant!
It is then up to Hamilton Island’s dedicated ‘Logistics and Procurement Team’ to cost, source and arrange delivery which, in the case of qualia, the Island’s premier property, can include unusual items like sea urchin and black kingfish.
Last year some of the items on the shopping list consisted of:
- Pineapples - 25,000 kg
- Watermelon – 28,000 kg
- Sparkling wine & champagne – 37,000 bottles
- Case beer – 41,000 cases
- Prawns – 8,400 kg
- Potatoes – 50,000 kg
- Guest soaps – 60,000 units
Whilst the weekly shopping list of essentials includes:
- 3,000 litres of milk
- 13,000 eggs
Taking Culinary Expertise One Step Further:
 And, if this were not enough, luxury resort qualia on Hamilton Island also hosts the prestigious Great Barrier Feast series which takes place over three separate weekends each year. These events have been designed to showcase the stars of the Australian food scene, along with incredible Whitsundays produce and inimitable flavours of the region. See Link. (http://www.ipr-online.co.uk/index.php/newsrooms/qualia/58-food-and-wine/338-eat-drink-meet-learn-from-australias-top-chefs-at-fabulous-feast)
Host to this weekend is Jane-Therese Mulry, qualia’s executive chef. Jane-Therese is renowned for infusing international trends and flavours with local organic produce, and had the accolade of becoming Marco Pierre White’s first female head chef at MPW Canary Wharf during her time spent working in the UK. See (http://www.ipr-online.co.uk/index.php/newsrooms/qualia/58-food-and-wine/276-executive-chef-jane-therese-mulry-prepares-the-very-best-australian-cuisine)
Background Information:
- Hamilton Island is one of 74 islands in the Whitsundays
- It is surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, a World Heritage area
- It is one of only seven developed islands in the Whitsundays
- It is 5kms north to south and 3.5kms east to west
- 70% of Hamilton Island is natural protected bushland
- There are no cars on Hamilton Island, guests get around by golf buggy
- Hamilton Island is a short direct flight from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Cairns
- Hamilton Island has been privately owned by the Oatley family since 2003
- There are over 20 shops and 10 restaurants on Hamilton Island with most of the food for the latter being sourced from within Queensland
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| -ENDS- |
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Google Top Slot for Hamilton Island
 December 2011: Hamilton Island (www.hamiltonisland.com.au) in the Great Barrier Reef has come out on top as the 'most popular travel destination' in Google Australia’s newly published annual 2011 Zeitgeist list. This category also included international destinations making ‘Hamilton Island’ the top international travel destination search term used by Australians.
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Hamilton Island Spices Up MICE Appeal
 Hamilton Island (www.hamiltonisland.com.au) on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has stepped up its conference facilities, offering a tropical flavour for businesses seeking world-class facilities in an out of this world class location.
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