Farokh Talati of renowned London restaurant St. John has collaborated with The French Saloon Chef and Owner Ian Curley and Head Chef Luke Fraser to deliver the most recent edition of Porkstar.
The exclusive evening, hosted at the French Saloon during Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, brought together 55 of Melbourne’s top chefs.
Porkstar is Australian Pork’s program for sharing knowledge and igniting passion for pork across the foodservice community. The program is entering its twentieth year of inspiring chefs, artisans and food influencers across the nation.
Porkstar’s Kylie Roberts welcomed the crowd, kicking off the 20th anniversary celebrations.
“Tonight is about sharing knowledge with the food service community with the aim of inspiring passion among guests and a love for pork,” said Roberts. “We hope we’ll have another 20 years here with all of you.”
Pressing Matters donated a suite of wines to accompany Talati, Curley, and Fraser’s curated menu.
The evening began with pig’s head donut canapes with tartare sauce, paired with a 2017 Blanc de Noir. Next, the team served up rolled pig’s spleen with sage and bacon, accompanied by a 2023 R9 Riesling; and deep-fried pig tails with aioli paired with a 2022 Chardonnay.
Mains were crispy pig’s cheek with brown sauce, and stuffed pork loin with chicory and radish, served with 2020 and 2023 Pinot Noirs. Madeleines with strawberry ice cream graced the table for dessert, alongside a 2023 R139 Riesling.
“When I think pork, as a sommelier, I want something with texture, I want something with weight, but we also need some acids to cut through that fat,” said Domaine Wine Shippers National Sales Manager Luke Campbell.
“It’s always a privilege to stand behind these wines and I know they’re going to match deliciously with chef’s pork because these wines have weight, texture, and certainly they’re going to match beautifully to these meals,” said Campbell.
