Rustling up a culinary delight at the Australian Pavilion!

You can try to define Australian cuisine but are likely to come up short! It’s a cuisine that has many multi-cultural influences, with some local ingredients found nowhere else in the world. 

We can count ourselves lucky, with the best of it on a proverbial platter at the Australian Pavilion during Expo 2020 Dubai. Guests at the pavilion can sample the country’s unique food and beverages in the forecourt that features local, Australian produced fare as well as processed foods. Classics such as Tim Tams, Vegemite, Caramello Koala chocolates and Milo rub shoulders with sausage-sizzle style bao buns, Bega cheese and Vegemite toasties. Also on offer is a gourmet selection of prawn laksa, braised lamb shank pies and much more. Food outlets located in the forecourt include:

● Melbourne Lane - roasting Australia’s renowned coffee daily and serving traditional Aussie fare.

● The Local Aussie Grill – a fine selection of Aussie tucker.

● The Local Aussie Bar - Australian wine from Treasury Wine Estate including Wolf Blass, 19 Crimes, Mountain Goat and Little Creatures. Bespoke Australian-themed cocktails such as Aussie and Stormy and Australian Lemon Myrtle Punch, non-alcoholic ‘mocktails’ and grazing platters of Australian charcuterie, cheese, dried fruits and nuts are available.

● Pana Organic - Vegan, organic, allergy-friendly ice cream.

One of the few country pavilions to feature a fully-equipped commercial kitchen onsite, Australia’s best culinary talent will design their own menus as part of the pavilion’s Celebrity Chef’s Program. And chef Janine Booth is already here! A Masterclass-style, Junior Chef competition will also be held, where renowned chefs work alongside teams of school students, promoting ways of minimising food waste in support of the UN’s #StopTheWaste campaign.

Welcoming chef Janine Booth to the pavilion, Justin McGowan, Commissioner General of Australia at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Our culinary offering will instantly transport guests to Australia and is designed to invigorate the senses. Our selection of food, coffee, cocktails, and snacks have been meticulously chosen to portray life in Australia and are an opportunity to enjoy Australia’s unmatched gastronomy. We are pleased to see that chef Janine Booth, and others, are committed to develop the story of Australian cuisine and hospitality further.”

To highlight Australia’s culinary heritage, a series of food and beverage related events, competitions and forums will be held as part of the pavilion's six-month program. If not for anything else, guests can visit the pavilion for the Melbourne-grown Industry Beans espresso blend aptly named ‘Fitzroy Street’. This, and other Aussie treats and desserts on offer, will give visitors a glimpse of Australian gastronomic innovation and leave them wanting more.