Matt Golinski to wow crowds at festival

Having grown up on a tropical fruit farm surrounded by fresh food, the paddock to plate movement has always been important to celebrity chef Matt Golinski.

His passion for fresh, seasonal and local ingredients is at the heart of every dish he creates, with each plate telling a colourful story of the people behind the produce.

Matt’s mouthwatering culinary masterpieces will be one of the many highlights of this year’s Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival, where he will cook up a storm while showcasing the region’s abundant food sources.

Held over three scrumptious days from August 23-25, the festival is Queensland’s biggest foodie celebration with special appearances by a host of celebrity chefs, live cooking demonstrations, unique dining experiences, pop-up bars and restaurants, food trucks, local produce, market stalls, music, hands-on workshops and more.

The Sunshine Coast chef, who was one of the original members of the television show Ready Steady Cook, will spend three days at the festival where he will host several cooking demonstrations and prepare a special four-course degustation dinner.

“I love visiting Moreton Bay – it’s a beautiful place to hang out,” Matt says.

“I am really looking forward to getting up on stage with lots of different products from the region and inspiring people to use them when cooking at home.

“I love demystifying food for people and telling them everything they need to know so they can go home and have a crack at making it themselves.”

Above: Matt Golinski with his good friends Alastair McLeod and Dominique Rizzo, who will also be appearing at the festival. 

Creating a tasty spread

With the festival being held along the foreshore at Woody Point, Matt will make Moreton Bay’s famous seafood the hero of his dishes.

“Moreton Bay is an iconic region for fresh seafood, and seeing as we will be right next to the ocean, it makes sense to feature it,” Matt says.

“I will be using Moreton Bay Bugs, crabs, prawns, fish – basically anything I can get my hands on.

“The Moreton Bay Bug is the King of all seafood to me. It’s not the cheapest seafood you can buy, but to me, it is worth every cent.

“I will also be looking at other ingredients that are local and working that into the dish.

“In the lead up to the festival, I will be getting in touch with as many producers and growers as I can to source all their great products to use in my cooking demonstrations and the degustation dinners.

“I will be trying to get as many local producers as I can onto each plate so I can tell their stories.

“They are the ones in the region working hard to grow things for us to eat.”

Using the city's delicious produce, Matt will also design a four-course degustation menu which will be an exclusive dining experience for around 40 lucky guests on Saturday and Sunday night.

“I will be creating a special menu to showcase all of that beautiful Moreton Bay produce and pairing it with Robert Oatley Wines,” Matt says.

With the festival set to tantalise the tastebuds of all foodies, Matt says this is one event you won’t want to miss.

“If food is your thing, you can come down to the festival and really be immersed in it,” he says.

“If it’s education you’re after, you will learn a lot about the food and wine of the region.

“It’s such a great inclusive set up for everyone, and a great family day out by the water.

“To me, it’s one of the best settings for a festival. I do a lot of food festivals, but along the waterfront there at Woody Point is a great little spot, so you’re crazy not to go down and enjoy it.”

The Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival is delivered by Moreton Bay Region Industry & Tourism (MBRIT), and proudly supported by Principal Sponsor, City of Moreton Bay.  

Tickets are on sale now. Visit the Moreton Bay Food + Wine website to book.

When to see Matt in action

Matt will appear on The Kitchen stage presented by Ausbuild on:

Friday: 11.50am-12.35pm

Saturday: 10.30am-11.15am

Sunday: 3.55pm-4.40pm

Entry to The Kitchen Stage is included in your General Admission ticket.

Fun facts about Matt Golinski 

Q: What was your favourite meal as a child?

A: When I was young, I used to make salmon lasagna once a week for the family and that became my thing. I think another meal would have been spaghetti bolognaise, which mum would have made. We also had pikelets a lot because my dad was the pikelet King. He couldn’t make much, but he could make pikelets like an absolute boss.

Q: Was there anything you didn’t eat growing up?

A: I have aways pretty much liked any food. I do remember though hating cooked peas. We did grow peas on the farm though and I would eat them fresh by the kilo.

Q: What is one of your go-to easy meals when cooking dinner for the family?

A: Making a nice chicken stir fry is one of my go-to dinners which we would have at least once a week. It’s one of those good, healthy dinners where you use up all the veggies from the fridge and add some rice. If I make more than I need, then I have lunch the next day too. Pasta is another one, so spaghetti bolognaise. We also have a lot of chickens, so there are plenty of eggs in our house. My two little girls love eggs, so I make omelettes and things like that. The girls smash them pretty well.

Q: How do you like your eggs?

A: I like omelettes because they are another one of those dishes where you can grab whatever is in the fridge like ham, cheese, tomato, whatever, and just throw them in. I also like to smother my omelettes in whatever chili sauce I have. A lot of my favourite producers make different chili sauces so whenever I go to the markets, I will always stock up. I am a bit of a chili addict.

Q: What is your guilty food pleasure?

A: Twisties. I can’t do the chicken ones, only cheese. If I am going to buy a packet of chips, it’s Twisties for sure.

Q: What is your favourite dessert?

A: One of my favourite desserts to make, just because it is so easy and everyone loves it, is pavlova. I always have heaps of egg whites in the freezer so I can pretty much make a pavlova for free. It’s a great seasonal dessert where you can put lots of different fruits on the top. You can also make it gluten free so everyone can enjoy it. It’s my go-to dessert if I am having people over for lunch. I can make it in five minutes, throw it in the oven, decorate it and then I am done.

Q: Does your tomato sauce live in the fridge or the pantry?

A: It lives in the pantry. I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do with it exactly, but it lives in the pantry and it’s fine.

Q: Do you prefer crunchy peanut butter or smooth?

A: Definitely crunchy! Why would you have smooth when you can have crunchy?