Page 101 - Tropic Magazine Issue 13

LIFSTYLE • FOOD

Chef Takahashi and Craig Squire in Tokyo
Big in Japan
Ochre Restaurant’s Craig
Squire takes his unique
native food to an appreciative
audience in Japan.

The late, great food writer and
broadcaster Anthony Bourdain loved
Japan. After one particularly inspiring
visit during filming of his final series
Parts Unknown, Bourdain said: “If I had
to eat only in one city for the rest of my
life, Tokyo would be it.”
Bourdain described this great culinary Signed menu from the “Taste Queensland” dinner
city as a destination for “restless,
curious minds”, eager to explore the
“layer upon layer of things, flavours, difficult to access and export,” he
tastes and customs”. said. “The non-availability of fresh or
Craig Squire from Ochre Restaurant frozen bush foods in particular was
believes this cornucopia of culinary very tough so I had to tweak recipes to
curiosities holds great potential as suit dried native spices. Another key
a new market for tropical produce challenge of the trip was having various
and native Australian ingredients. If organisations involved who all have
only our region could work together their own objectives. So, I had to go
and sharpen our focus on the export with the flow, so to speak.”
opportunities. With the Japanese economy going
Squire was part of the recent strong – in the second quarter of 2018
Queensland On Tour trade mission to the country’s GDP grew at the fastest
Japan, an initiative by Tourism Events pace since 2016 – Squire is buoyant
Queensland aimed at showcasing our about the potential for resurgent
state’s attractions to Japanese media growth in tourism to TNQ.
and travel industry representatives. “The Japanese economy is bullish
Squire created a 5-course menu for and tourism from this vital market
a “Taste Queensland” dinner for a is coming back to Australia so I was
group of 60 Japanese travel trade happy to assist with these dinners and
representatives and media and was also promotions at a nominal rate to help
featured as a guest chef at Prince Hotel promote Cairns and Australia,” Squire
Group’s popular Australia Food & Wine said. “There is also ample opportunity
Fair. During the dinners, spoke to the for export growth. However, this is
groups about the wonders capped by current airline capacity and
of native Australian and Queensland as I have said before our region MORE: ochrerestaurant.com.au
produce, ingredients and cuisine. needs to have a central promotion
Squire told Tropic the trade mission organisation combining Advance
presented both opportunities and Cairns, TTNQ, regional Councils and
challenges. “There were challenges the Cairns Chamber of Commerce to
around the availability of Queensland take full advantage of the potential
produce, which was surprisingly export income.”

101 • tropicnow.com.au