Martin Boetz set to scintillate senses at qualia’s Great Barrier Feast

Martin Boetz, Australia’s leading talent of contemporary Thai-style Asian cooking, will star at Hamilton Island’s Great Barrier Feast (www.hamiltonisland.com.au/feast) event held on Friday 14 – Sunday 16 September 2012.

Showcasing his culinary prowess of masterfully blended aromas, textures, flavours and colours, Boetz will delight attending foodie aficionados with his unique fusion of exquisite Thai and Southern Chinese influenced cuisine. 

Held at Hamilton Island’s qualia (www.qualia.com.au), Boetzs’ culinary style perfectly pairs with the luxury resorts Latin origin, meaning ‘a collection of deeper sensory experiences’. 

Guests will immerse themselves in an intimate weekend of exclusive behind-the-scenes master classes and the best of the Whitsundays and Australian gastronomy. Emceed by revered restaurant critic Simon Thomsen, Friday’s opening night will feature a welcome dinner by qualia’s new Executive Chef, Alastair Waddell, paired with wines discussed by eminent wine expert James Halliday.

Saturday will see Boetz host two unique master class cooking demonstrations, providing guests with an exclusive opportunity to learn from and ask questions of one of the country’s top chefs. The Great Barrier Feast will culminate with a showpiece dinner executed by Boetz at qualia’s spectacular Long Pavilion. 

Great Barrier Feast will bring Boetz back to Queensland where he completed his first apprenticeship and training. Moving to Sydney in 1990, Boetz furthered his career at several well-known restaurants before moving on to work with mentor David Thompson at Darley Street Thai, where Boetz first developed his passion and palate for Asian food. Boetz went on to run Thompson’s Sailors Thai, where he earned his reputation as one of Australia’s leading talents of contemporary Thai-style Asian cooking. In 1999, Boetz joined forces with business partner and sommelier Sam Christie to launch Longrain in Sydney, followed by Longrain in Melbourne, both to continued rave reviews.

Thrilled to be involved in qualia’s Great Barrier Feast, Boetz said, ‘I am very excited about working with the abundance of diverse, tropical produce that is found in this region especially all the amazing Thai ingredients’.

This will be Alastair Waddell’s second Great Barrier Feast event as Executive Chef. Waddell’s debut Great Barrier Feast will be Friday 6 – Sunday 8 July 2012 shared with one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs Guillaume Brahimi, Waddell’s previous mentor from Melbourne restaurant Bistro Guillaume.

Similarly to Boetz, Waddell believes ‘in giving the greatest respect to nature in my cooking, always using local produce when possible and recognising the importance of flavour, texture and presentation’.

Reaching the end of its third successful year, the Great Barrier Feast series presents the best of Australian haute cuisine in an unparalleled Whitsunday setting, with previous Great Barrier Feast stars including Peter Gilmore, Frank Camorra, Dan Hunter, Tetsuya Wakuda, Justin North and Ben Shewry. 

Luxury accommodation packages
Guests can choose between the below accommodation packages for the culinary weekend which includes the dinners by both Waddell and Boetz, plus tickets to both master classes. 

Package inclusions consist of: two nights’ accommodation; breakfasts both days; ‘Welcome Dinner’ by qualia Executive Chef, Alastair Waddell; ‘Showpiece Dinner’ on Saturday night prepared by Martin Boetz; tickets to both master classes; VIP chauffeur service; VIP return Hamilton Island Airport/Marina transfers and use of non-motorised watercraft. *qualia packages also include the hire of a golf buggy. *Guests must be 18 years or over to attend the Great Barrier Feast event.
• Secluded luxury resort of qualia, package prices start from $1,695 per person, based on twin share.
• Boutique Beach Club, packages are from $1290 per person, based on twin share.
• For groups of up to eight people, stay at the new waterfront Hamilton Island Yacht Club Villas, room only rates are from $1350. Tickets for both dinners are an additional $720 total per person.

To book: go to www.hamiltonisland.com.au/feast or please contact the Luxury Specialist team by email: luxuryspecialist@hamiltonisland.com.au or tel: 1300 780 959.