Heston Blumenthal regards Margaret River Gourmet Escape as one of the best food events in the world but the three-Michelin-starred celebrity chef may be too busy to attend this year.


Blumenthal, was Down Under again last month while SBS documents the relocation of his acclaimed The Fat Duck restaurant to Crown Melbourne for six months while the original in Bray is renovated.

“Any chance of me sneaking away I will, ” he told AAA Weekend.

“Well, it might be optimistic. I think it is a great event, I think it is one of the best, and I don’t go to many food events.

“It’s one of the best on the planet.”

The Fat Duck is due to close in Melbourne on August 16, the 20th anniversary of it opening in Bray.

After the Duck is moved back to the UK the space at Crown will become Dinner by Heston, due to open in November, hence his concern about having time to get to Gourmet Escape that month.

In an article for The Telegraph last month Blumenthal sang the praises of an indigenous food tour he did with guide Josh Whiteland while in Margaret River last year for Gourmet Escape.

The busy chef will also appear this season on Ten’s MasterChef Australia, which has bounced back to the top of the ratings with its seventh season.

“I have a feeling, a gut feeling — obviously I am not a TV producer — but I have a gut feeling this will be the one that puts MasterChef back to where it was in the first three years.”

 

© The West Australian

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