Stone rocks TV cooking world
A gourmet show that blends cooking, rock music and WA's surf hotspots features an emerging gastronomic TV star.
Uncompromising culinary maestro Marco Pierre White may be revered as the world's original rock-star chef but Perth’s so-hot-right-now gastronomic genius Matt Stone is making some serious noise of his own.
Heavily tattooed, pierced, sometimes seen sporting a trucker cap and adept at skating and surfing, Stone leads the new wave of rock-star kitchen cool. Heck, even his surname screams rock 'n' roll.
The rapidly rising yet modest young chef — who divides his time between eco-friendly Perth CBD hotspot Greenhouse and Melbourne sister establishment Silo — can now boast a bona fide rock-star mate in Alex James, of British band Blur.
Stone and his one-time musical idol — who these days enjoys a much quieter life as an author, father and artisan cheese-maker on his Oxford organic farm — are set to star in new 7TWO six-part series Recipes that Rock, exploring the produce, people, surf and scenery of WA's South West.
"I've been a fan of his band for quite some time," the 26-year-old said.
"When I was in grade four at primary school, I got kicked out of class for singing along way too loud to one of Blur's biggest hits and had to spend some time outside, so it's quite ironic the way it's worked out."
The series, which was shot during the Gourmet Escape festival in Margaret River late last year, sees the pair crisscross the Cape to Cape region, from Yallingup to Dunsborough to Manjimup.
"I was approached by Brand Events — the company that organised Gourmet Escape — as they wanted to make a TV show that promoted the festival, region and a bit more, so they paired me with Alex and it's worked out really well," said Stone, who made his prime-time debut on Iron Chef Australia and recently featured on MasterChef Australia.
The in-demand, anti-establishment chef — who is partial to pop-punk and is enjoying "cranking up" a nostalgic hit-list of Skyhooks, Dire Straits and Fleetwood Mac in the Greenhouse kitchen — said James was in his element in WA's gourmet epicentre.
"He was really thriving on it," Stone said.
"We were at a little fromagerie (cheese shop) in Nannup and he said a particular 24-month aged fetta was one of the best cheeses he had ever eaten."
So was it a case of Matt the master and Alex the apprentice?
"Cooking was more my gig but he helped me out and picked up a few little tips along the way," Stone said.
Though they bonded over a shared love of food and music, Stone failed to persuade the one-time nemesis of British bad boys Oasis to try his hand at surfing Margaret River's world-renowned wild waves.
"He was pretty afraid of the water, to be honest," Stone laughed.
While Recipes that Rock is expected to boost Stone's ever-growing profile (the show has already started screening in the UK), he is determined to keep the focus firmly on his cooking skills and sustainable-food philosophy.
And with the likes of Michelin-starred superchefs Rene Redzepi, of Denmark, and Brazilian Alex Atala, as well as Australia's own heavy-hitter Neil Perry in his corner, the Gourmet Traveller Best New Talent certainly has no shortage of wise heads to turn to for career guidance.
"TV gives me the opportunity to get out of the kitchen, do some other things and meet new people — I enjoy it," he said.
"Neil, who I met on Iron Chef, has given me a lot of amazing advice, especially in the last few years as my profile has grown — managing that and keeping a level head.
"I've also had pretty amazing offers to do cookbooks but I've put it on the backburner as I feel I've got a lot to learn and achieve before I get to that status."
Recipes that Rock premieres on Sunday at 1.45pm on 7TWO. Matt Stone also will appear at the Good Food & Wine Show, which is at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from July 19-21.
Source: The West Australian, 9 July 2013
