Gwoonwardu Mia
Mark Attard
Mark Attard, always smiling and happily excited, is the Head Chef/Tafe instructor at Gwoonwardu Mia, working with the Jardilunji Mia hospitality students. He works with some of the top Chefs from across Australia with his students.
He organized the Around the Fire Pit experience, hosted by the talented hospitality students of Jardilunji Mia
at Gwoonwardu Mia’s Cafe, with Guest Chef Don Hancey. And after coming out here to pick up the white asparagus they both mentioned had we got tickets. Lightning bolts oh no and we tried but to no avail as it was so popular that all had sold. So, we made it our mission to get tickets for the next event.
His company, Bespoke Hospitality Training, Event Catering Consultancy and Event Catering Concepts and Planning, has been responsible for training students at Jardilunji Mia Restaurant on Carnarvon's main road, with Real Futures. He introduces the students to all aspects of the culinary trade, including visiting local farms to get a real feel of how the fresh produce they work with is grown and harvested.
Mark Attard has prepared food for Her Royal Highness the Queen. He has had a long career over many states and countries including being the food and a beverage manager at the 2000 and 2008 Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the 2006 Asian Games.
Mark and Don Hancey with the students all came out here to Ozparagus and we showed how the white asparagus is produced. We treated them to orange grilled asparagus heads and a delicious orange cream asparagus dessert.
Mark is now hosting the Gala Dining by the Firepit and using our beautiful White Asparagus again. This time with Paul Iskov. They picked up the produce and ate a small sample of our white ozparapasta in a lasagna. Lots of food discussions excitement in the air. This time we too shall experience it for ourselves. Watch this space!
Don Hancey
Don Hancey is a WA's Food Ambassador, a genuine good bloke and a great chef.
He tried our ozparadessert, when he came out to see how we grow white asparagus. We were devastated that we missed the Around the Fire Pit event, which he hosted with Mark Attard.
He has been very helpful with creating ideas for promotion of our Ozparagus and all Gascoyne River produce, as he does for all of WA's fresh produce.
Don's knowledge and willingness to help us at the beginning of Ozparagus White Asparagus and helping us to get our product to you has been so helpful and we appreciate everything he has done and is doing.
You can see from looking Don up he has so much knowledge about food and the industry and has given a lot of WA's farmers great advice and has produced some amazing dishes to showcase the food here in Carnarvon and the rest of WA. Very friendly, like I said, a genuine good bloke who loves what he does.
Don and Mark Attard were showcasing our beautiful white asparagus at Around the Fire Pit experience, hosted by the talented hospitality students of Jardilunji Mia
at Gwoonwardu Mia’s Cafe on the 22nd of September 2023 which we missed tickets to as it was so popular. We made sure to catch the next one.
And now he is graciously showcasing our White Asparagus at the Busselton Hospitality Roadshow on Thursday the 20th October.
Paul Iskov
We met Paul Iskov, known as 'Yoda,' today and what a passion for food he has. Uncanny as we were literally looking him up for this page. He has worked in many of the restaurants which have featured in the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants.
This Friday, 20th of October, at Gwoonwardu Mia, there will be the Gala Dining by the Firepit, an extraordinary long table experience, a week-long culinary journey with his students and this time we have not missed out on tickets! Seriously looking forward to tasting his food Friday night.
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Paul had just arrived at the writing of this, and we were very pleased to offer him and Mark Attard a taste and visual of our pasta made from asparagus I am very pleased that he liked our ozparaghetti and ozpasta. Great discussions ensued on being able to make vegan pasta so all patrons can indulge in their own dishes. So natural, and no wastage of beautiful white asparagus.
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He has expanded to include the Nothern Territory, holding pop-up degustation dinners in beautiful and remote locations like salt lakes and ancient gorges, in his roving restaurant called Fervor which is in its 10th year.
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Looks like an amazing venue to go when he is in your area. The photos on his socials make you hungry to try all the food from the land. Mixed with knowledge acquired from a year abroad working under some great chefs, he noticed that the venues he was working in all had the one thing in common: serving the local ingredients.
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