WINE Away

Our first ever Hello Sunshine Magazine Wine Lunch at Market Bistro with Torbreck Vintners was a sensational sellout!

The full restaurant took delight in meeting the Market Bistro team of owner Tony Kelly, Market Bistro and Market Wine Store ‘Wine Guy’ Peter Marchant and Head Chef Harry Lilai who, along with a cracking team in the kitchen, served up a three-course menu that showcased the signature Market Bistro style, including their famous house-made Tortellini. Every delectable dish was superbly matched with wines from the Torbreck range.

Torbreck Wine expert and Queensland Manager Greg McGill shared his experience and passion for this multiaward winning Barossa Valley vineyard. We sampled some of the finest drops from a region that is home to some of the oldest vines in the world. Guests lingered on for an exclusive tasting of the latest Runrig Shiraz and the orders were flowing as thickly as the wines!

Plus, one lucky guest won a magnum of Torbreck Runrig valued at $1000. For details on our next event subscribe to our free-enewsletter!

The Menu Entr E

Vitello Tonnato

Torbreck The Steading Blanc 2019

Main Course Choice

Baked snapper fillet, café de Paris butter, capers, pangrattato, lemon

Tortelloni, confit duckleg & porcini, parmesan

Grain fed eye fillet with baby gem

Served with Fries and Leaf Salad

Torbreck Descendant 2018

DESSERT

Soft chocolate tarte, salted caramel, mascarpone, sea salt

Torbreck Highland Fling 2015

You don’t have to get married to enjoy the Tiffany’s delicious food and breathtaking views, as Matt Golinski discovers.

Have a think about all the weddings you’ve been to in your life.

Do you remember the invitation that came in the mail, that the couple spent hours choosing, hand-writing and posting out?

Do you remember the colour of the bridesmaids dresses?

You might recall the odd hilarious drunk-uncle speech, or the sight of a distant aunty’s bingo-wings flapping on the dance floor from this or that marital celebration, but most likely when you’re reminiscing about your friends or family’s special day, the top two things that come flooding back are the location, and what you ate.

The venue stays with us for all sorts of reasons. A stunning view, manicured gardens, the feeling of sun on our skin and the scent of 100 different perfumes wafting through the air as we stand around on a springy lawn.

Sometimes even the first interactions with the people in charge of making the day run smoothly can put us at ease and make us feel comfortable in that space, creating memories that we associate with the happy couple for years to come.

And the food needn’t be fancy to be memorable; if it’s generous, made from good quality ingredients and prepared and served with love, everyone notices, and it’s talked about long after the visions of teary vows and exchanging of rings slip from our minds.

Few places manage to bring both of these factors together with such flawless attention to details as Tiffany’s, perched high on the enscarpment overlooking the breathtaking family of statues that is the Glass House Mountains.

The chapel with its wide glass front looks down the vast valley all the way to the ocean, giving you the impression that the whole ceremony is being held sitting on a fluffy white cloud.

That springy grass I mentioned earlier awaits right outside, along with champagne and canapés, and that ever reliable crisp mountain air.

A kitchen team led by long-time head chef Lee Montague prepare the cuisine that hits the perfect balance of inspired and approachable; an essential part of any large-scale catering operation when you want to make guests of all ages and adventurousness equally happy.

Upstairs, the celebration all comes together in the large open restaurant with the same stunning views, and as night falls, the twinkling lights of the Sunshine Coast’s coastline intermingle with the million-star view above.

It seems unfair that in order to experience this world-class establishment you need to drop to one knee and propose (or happen to know someone who has), and owner Kelly Tilse and her dedicated team feel the same way.

So when the staff are not busy delighting wedding parties and their guests, they open the doors for a Tiffany’s High Tea experience, so anyone can get a taste of the magic that this iconic landmark possesses.

And it’s an experience that caters to everyone’s tastes and dietary needs.

Gluten and dairy free, vegetarian and vegan options are all available, you can even choose between sweet and savoury selections depending on your mood.

The ‘High Beer’ option is a genius way to keep those in the family who prefer a different type of brew content.

The Teilka organic loose-leaf tea is worth the trip on its own. The selection has a purity fit for a queen, and the friendly staff keep a keen eye on your teapot to make sure it doesn’t run out until you’ve had your fill.

Lee has also adapted to offer a High Tea Hamper to-go if you prefer to be at one with nature – or your companion. Who knows, it might lead to a proposal which in turn might lead back to the chapel at Tiffany’s!

In a destination like the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, which caters mostly to day-trippers, weekend escapees and tourists, there are plenty of places with a good view and food offerings, but not many where you get a real sense that everyone who works there really enjoys being part of the team.

It says something about a place when most of the employees have been there for years; that they have directors who appreciate and look after them, that they’re proud of what they do, and that they’re all working towards a common goal.

Whether their guests are toasting the bride and groom, or eating scones with jam and cream, that common goal seems to be to make everyone who has chosen to be part of the Tiffany’s experience feel like royalty for a day.

And there’s lots to love about that.

Deb Caruso sees what’s cooking in the Coast’s latest creative space.

The Ohana Group has built a reputation for creative catering, stunning styling and impeccable attention-to-detail. Chef Ryan Fitzpatrick and stylist Rashi Devendra encapsulate good taste in everything they do. Their latest project, VENŪ, sees a warehouse in Coolum’s industrial precinct transformed into a multipurpose creative space.

Once you open the door, you are transported to another world – a feast for all the senses.

Bespoke vintage furniture, including two Versace Chesterfield couches from Ryan’s Superyacht days; carefullycurated books adorning shelves full of curiosities and memories; and artwork gathered from the couple’s global adventures adorn the executive lounge area. But there is no time to rest, the aroma of something cooking draws your attention to perfectly-set Chef’s Table that almost hugs the classy-not-clinical, full service commercial kitchen

This is where Ryan will unleash his magic. There is no menu at VENŪ, just a guarantee that you will experience an unforgettable three-to-four-hour food immersion with creative, native and superlative tasting dishes expertly matched by The Ohana Group collaborators, The Bartenders.

Ryan, who boasts more than 15 years’ experience in restaurants, private yachts and venues throughout the globe, said the idea was to create something that no-one else was doing.

“We’ve purposely kept the seating to ten to ensure intimacy and exclusivity,” he said. “The Chef’s Table offers a premium experience whether it’s for a special occasion or high-powered meeting, everything will be slick yet simple, stylish and sophisticated. His extensive knowledge on a wide range of cuisines, allows him to create menus that are varied, seasonal and sustainable.

“I’ll be creating the food that I lovevery coastal with ingredients that you wouldn’t normally experience,” he said.

Think wild foraged ingredients like Saltbush, Purslane, fingerlime; finessed with the likes of whipped Fetta; air-dried olive; vegemite mayo and proteins cooked to perfection.