A Farm to Table Road Trip
A visual documentation of my recent farm to table journey with Jess Pryles and Beef Australia on the ‘Beef the Greatest’ road trip.
1st Stop - Orange, NEW SOUTH WALES
Farm: Rosedale Charolais
Farmer: James Millner
Restaurant: Smoking Brothers / Elwoods Eatery
Chef: Ben Allcock
Hero Cut: Beef Cheek
2nd Stop - Bridport, TASMANIA
Farm: Barnbougle
Farmers: Stephen & Richard Sattler
Restaurant: Lost Farm Restaurant
Chef: Tyler Blackberry
Beach Cookup: Jess Pryles
Hero Cut: Flat Iron Steak
3rd Stop - Gippsland, VICTORIA
Farm: Gippsland Natural Beef
Farmer: Paul Crock
BBQ Cookup: By Farmer Paul
Hero Cut: Skirt Steak
Last Stop - Melbourne, VICTORIA
Farm: Gippsland Natural Beef
Farmer: Paul Crock
Restaurant: Pastuso
Chef: Alejandro Saravia
Hero Cut: Striploin
My love of photographing (and eating) food is process driven. I thrill in documenting the story of food from the ground up to the belly - from how it's grown and who grows it, to the cooking and sharing of recipes and feasts. For me, it's important to know the whole story, seeking the most sustainable route and giving gratitude to not only the farmers, but also the food itself. As a conscious meat eater, I find dignity and respect in that.
Our trip took us from the insider country of Orange NSW, down to the coastal dune pastures of Northern Tasmania and up again to the green rolling hills of Victoria's Gippsland. We ventured to some of Australia's most pristine beef farms and select hero restaurants to discover and document the whole farm to table story of beef; exploring the natural and grass fed ethos, the art of grading, ageing and boning, the versatility of lesser known cuts and a myriad of different cooking methods.
I’ve learned that a meal becomes all the more delicious knowing the purity of the process and being able to recognise the care and effort that the farmers and chefs put into their work. I’m also grateful that in Australia, we are blessed with people who care enough about the food we eat to put in the time, energy, and talent into doing it right. In my mind, that's a story worth documenting.
Fellow road trippers:
Dominic Lonergan
Declan Blackhall