cooking passions "Discover Tasmania"

"Discover Tasmania" - Pure/Luxury Food & Wine Tour

cooking passions

"NEW" 2013 "DISCOVER TASMANIA"

 Pure/Luxury Food & Wine Tour of East Tasmania

Another UNIQUE cooking passions "Small-Group" Food & Culture Experience

Freycinet National Park - Winegalss Bay

8 Days* / 7 Nights of Tasmanian Luxury

Date : Sunday* 14 April 2013 to Sunday 21 April 2012 

$AUD3515*pp (Double/Twin Occupancy**)

*Optional Launceston Extra Night & Degustation Dinner - Saturday 13 April 2013 - $350pp Including : The Sebel Hotel - Launceston ; Stillwater Restaurant Degustation Dinner; Car Hire
 
- BOOKED OUT -
 
*Expressions of Interest are currently available for those that would like to be advised of our April 2014 "Discover Tasmania" tour. Please contact nico@urbanprovider.com.au and we will let you know details. 

Join Nico & Belinda of cooking passions cooking school, as we escort a small group of only 10 travellers (maximum) on our "hand-picked" food, wine, and leisure experiences of Tasmania's stunning East Coast.

Our 8 Day/7 Night "Discover Tasmania - Pure/Luxury Food & Wine Tour" will have us exploring and indulging in Australia's most unique "paddock to plate / vineyard to bottle" food & wine experiences, set against the stunning backdrop of Tasmania's magnificent autumn scenery.

With over 10 years of escorting our cooking passions groups to Asia and Europe, our first uniquely Australian food & wine tour had to be Tasmania, which is fast gaining an international reputation as one of the world's great culinary destinations. The quality of the local Tasmanian produce and wine is testament to being produced in one of the most pristine and purest growing environments in the world. With produce originating "from where the cleanest air in the world is", many of Tasmania's finest chefs, restaurants and vineyards pay homage to these caringly cultivated products by abiding by their own "food philosophy", proudly displayed at the start of many menus at the restaurants and vineyards we will be indulging in.

As well as enjoying some of the finest food & wine of East Tasmania, we will also have the opportunity to explore the beauty and mystique of East Tasmania's "wilderness" at Freycinet National Park 's stunning Wineglass Bay, home to some of Australia's finest walks; and the early 17th century architecture of some of Tasmania's historical towns and buildings. 

cooking passions "Discover Tasmania" Tour HIGHLIGHTS

cooking passions cooking tours are designed so you can do as much or as little as you like, while allowing you plenty of free time to explore and immerse yourselves in the sights, shopping and eating that YOU want to experience (we’ll be happy to provide suggestions and tips on some of our favourites). We’ve arranged all of the accommodations, cooking classes, car hire, and included meals, so that all you have to do is book your preferred flight, pack a bag, a sense of adventure and join us for an unforgettable and unique Tasmanian experience!!

 cooking passions "Discover Tasmania" Tour INCLUSIONS

   *All-inclusive of all Luxury accommodation, Food & Wine excursions, Hire Vehicle and included meals including: 
  • *OPTIONAL NIGHT & DEGUSTATION DINNER (LAUNCESTON) (Saturday 13 April 2013) :
    • 1 Day Car Hire with Unlimited Kilometres ({Pick Up at Launceston Airport)
    • One night's accommodation at the The Sebel Launceston
    • Stillwater Restaurant (Launceston) 6-Course Degustation Dinner
    • COST : $350pp

 

 The Itinerary 

 

OPTIONAL DAY - Saturday 13 April 2013  - LAUNCESTON ARRIVAL 
 
- For those that might like to arrive in Tasmania one-day prior to the start of our "Discover Tasmania" tour, today is an opportunity to stay in Launceston where we have arranged a dining experience at one of Tasmania's most acclaimed restaurants - Stillwater.

  

  • Arrival at Launceston Airport- Arrival in Launceston at your leisure on your preferred airline (own arrangements). Collect your hire car (included) and then a short 20 minute drive to the Launceston CBD and your accommodation.
  • ACCOMMODATION - The Sebel Launceston - Check in to hotel.
  • Afternoon at your leisure - Visit the historic James Boag Brewery, for a tour and tasting, which is located a short walk from our hotel.

Housed in the historic 1830's-built Ritchie's Mill and situated a short walk from our hotel and the mouth of Launceston's famous Cataract Gorge, is Stillwater - northern Tasmania's premier fine-dining restaurant.

Stillwater is a showcase for some of the best produce and wines of Tasmania. Our Stillwater Six-Course Degustation Dinner will see Chef Craig Will and his kitchen team take us on a gastronomic journey through the dynamic dishes of Stillwater and it's approach to locally sourced produce.

STILLWATER - Our food is fresh, grown locally by passionate producers who rely on the attributes of our natural environment.   Our State regulations keep the modification out of our genetics, the artificial out of our hormones and the free in our ranging animals.   We know grass fed, antibiotic free, hatural, happy animals make better meat...even if they aren't "super sized".   Our water is clean, sourced from Cape Grim on Tasmania's North West Coast, home of the cleanest air on the planet.   Our wines flow from around the state but being located in the Tamar Valley means Stillwater is a cornerstone for the local vignerons hosting a list that showcases the highly respected local tipples.

STILLWATER Six-Course Degustation Menu

(Sample Menu from our previous visit in April 2012)

Amuse Bouche, du jour

Macquarie Harbour ocean trout tartare
                   avocado, lime yoghurt, Tasmanian wasabi and cucumber                    2011 Goaty Hill Riesling, Tamar Valley TAS

                                                        Southern rock lobster                                    mandarin peel puree, celery jelly, creme fraiche and celery salt,                   2011 Holm Oak Pinot Gris, Tamar Valley TAS

         Mures cold smoked salmon and spanner crab scramble                           lemon emulsion, flying roe and salmon crackle,                        2011 Stoney Rise Chardonnay, Tamar Valley TAS
 
                      Rannoch Farm Quail                                 poached quail egg, stout sabayon, macadamia nuts and young vegtables            2011 Dalrymble Pinto Noir, Pipers River, TAS 

                      Palate Cleanser                          Ashbolt elderflower sorbet

Robbins Island (NW Tas) grass fed coffee roasted wagyu oyster blade                  marble score 6+, potato mousee, charred leek                                  2007 Parker Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, SA

                        Vacherin merinque                             Valrhona bitterseet chocolate pistachio cremeux, beetroot ice and freeze dried berries      2009 Pressing Matters R139 Riesling, Coal River Valley, TAS

   T2 Loose Leaf Teas or Vittoria Espresso Coffee 
 
 
Sunday 14 April 2013  - LAUNCESTON ARRIVAL (For those that have not opted for the OPTIONAL Extra Night and Stillwater Dinner the night before)
  • Arrival at Launceston Airport- Arrival in Launceston at your leisure on your preferred airline (own arrangements). Collect your hire car (included) and then a short 20 minute drive to The Red Feather Inn in the village of Hadspen.

The Red Feather Inn is a luxury boutique retreat and cooking school with a focus on "paddock to plate" cuisine sourced from its own potager garden and nearby farm. This beautifully restored convict-built sandstone Georgian "coaching inn" is one of Australia's longest operating inns, having first opened its doors to travelers in 1844. Lovingly restored to 2008 with a distinct Provencal flavour by Cordon-Bleu trained chef and Francophile Lydia Nettlefold, guests are comforably accommodated in one of its five beautifully appointed stylish suites which look over the property's secluded garden.

Our hosts at the Red Feather Inn are Tanya & Ian White. Tanya is the inn's Head Chef and cooking school teacher, who developed her culinary skills working alongside Philip Johnson at his bistro e'cco in Brisbane. Ian is a sommelier who will share with us his intimate knowledge of the Tamar Region's renowned premium Pinot, Riesling, Chardonnay and sparkling wines.

      

  • 6:30pm – Pre-Dinner Tasmanian Wine Tasting - As our introduction to Tasmania's vibrant wine industry, our host at Red Feather Inn, Ian White, will take us through some of Tasmania's acclaimed vineyards and cool climate wines.
  • 7:30pm – Welcome Dinner - Following our Tasmanian Wine Tsting with Ian, we will enjoy a gourmet shared-table meal prepared by Tanya who prides herself on using the best local seasonal produce sourced from the inn's vegetable garden and nearby farm and local suppliers.

 

Monday 15 April 2013  - Red Feather Inn - "Hunting & Gathering Cooking Experience"
  • Breakfast at your leisure
  • 7:30am to 10:30am - Tasmanian Trout Hunting - For those that might like to rise early to try their hand at landing Tasmania's famous trout, this morning you will get the opportunity to visit the myriad of rivers and streams, lakes and tarns which are an angler's paradise. It is a beautiful, unspoiled environment that attracts fishermen from all around the world. During this unique trip you will discover the secrets of fishing for wild brown and rainbow trout on the pristine waters of Tasmania's northern waterways. Once we have caught our Tasmanian trout we will then go back to the cooking school where we will be shown how best to preapre and cook one of the most sought after eating fish in the world.
  • 10:30am to 2:30pm - Tasmanian Farmgate Forage - Trout fishing participants will return to the Inn to pickup those that have had a leisurely breakfast. We will visit nearby primary producers and the inn's own vegetable garden to gather ingredients for the preparation of our "hands-on" cooking class.
  • 2:30pm to 6:30pm - Red Feather Inn Cooking Experience - Head Chef, Tanya White, will take us through the preparation of various dishes caught and foraged to be enjoyed at the end of the class. 
  • pm - Evening at your leisure. Relax at the inn or take the short 20 minute drive into Launceston for a visit.

 

Tuesday 16 April 2013  - Josef Chromy Winery Visit, Tasting and Lunch

  • Breakfast at your leisure and check out from Red Feather Inn
  • For those that might like to visit a little of Launceston prior to our lunch at Josef Chromy, you might like to visit Launceston's famous Cataract Gorge.

  • Noon - Josef Chromy Winery Visit and Wine Tasting in Reilba. Group Lunch at one of Tasmania's most successful wineries - Josef Chromy's new vineyard restaurant.

Josef Chromy fled war-torn Czechoslovakia in 1950 as a penniless 20-year-old following Nazi & Soviet occupation before immigrating to Australia. Renowned in the Tasmanian food and wine industry, Josef Chromy OAM has owned and developed some of Tasmania's leading wineries including Rochecombe (now Bay of Fires), Jansz, Heemskerk and Tamar Ridge.

In the five years since it was established, Josef Chromy Wines is the culmination of his experience in the Tamar Valley. Its unique vineyard site (60 hectares), multi-million dollar Restaurant, Function Centre, Cellar Door and Winery is delivering exquisite table and sparkling wine as well as providing one of the most memorable food and wine experiences in Tasmania. Its wines have won 15 trophies, 25 gold medals and more than 180 medals in total, making it one of the most successful launches in the history of the Tasmanian wine industry. The Cellar Door & Cafe has been named in the "Top 10 Cellar Doors of Australia" by Wine usiness Magazine.

  

  • 2pm - Depart Josef Chromy following our lunch for the drive to Freycinet Lodge at Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park. The drive is a leisurely 2 1/2 hour drive through Tasmania's East Coast

 

  • ACCOMMODATION - Freycinet Lodge (Coles Bay, Tasmania) - Check in to hotel to your luxury Premier Wineglass Bay Cabin.

Freycinet Lodge is set on a spectacular waterfront location just inside one of Australia's most beautiful national parks, Freycinet National Park, and its famous Wineglass Bay. The lodge is the perfect location to explore the Freycinet peninsula.

Freycinet Lodge's Premier Wineglass Bay Cabins are a world of hidden comforts and proof that communing with nature does not have to mean roughing it. They are a place to relax and rejuvenate while allowing an opportunity to experience nature's wild harmony without sacrificing a few creature comforts. 

  

  • pm - Dinner at your leisure from one of Freycinet Lodge's restaurants or from nearby Coles Bay. 

 

Wednesday 17 April 2013  - Freycinet National Park & "Flavours of the East Coast" Wine & Food Tasting

  • Breakfast at your leisure at the Lodge
  • am - For those that would like to explore Freycinet National Park, choose from one of Tasmania's Great Short Walks such as the stunning Wineglass Bay Walk or the Hazard Beach Circuit walk, located virtually just outside your door OR simply choose to do nothing much at all and take in the comforts of your luxury Premier Cabin for the day and its waterfront views.

Freycinet Lodge's Food & Beverage Manager will guide us on a journey through Tasmania's cool climate wine and food regions from the comfort of the Lodge's main lounge room, with log fireplaces looking out over Great Oyster Bay. Tasmania is renowned for full flavoured whites and rich delicate reds and we will sample seven varieties of Tasmanian wines complemented with fresh local Tasmanian produce.

  • pm - Dinner at your leisure either in-house or in nearby Coles Bay.

For those that might like to finish off the evening with a journey through Whisky history, you have the option of taking part in the "Freycinet Whisky Tasting". Here we will have the opportunity to sample three of Scotland's finest whiskies and compare them against three of Tasmania's best, all matched with fresh Tasmanian produce. 

 

Thursday 18 April 2013  - Hobart & Ethos Eat Drink Lunch

  • Breakfast at your leisure at the Lodge
  • 9am - Checkout from Freycinet Lodge then travel at our leisure to Hobart (3 hours).

 

  • Take advantage of the last day with your hire car to call into any vineyards along the route including those located within 1 hour of Hobart along the Coals Bay Road and the historic village of Richmond, with Australia's oldest bridge (above) built in 1823 by convict labour.

  • pm - Arrive at The Islington, Hobart, to drop off our luggage. We will then head into Hobart's CBD to return our hire cars prior to lunch at Ethos Eat Drink.

Islington is Hobart's only five-star hotel - a luxury boutique hotel that has consistently won best luxury accommodation awards over the past five years. Built in 1847, Islington is an outstanding example of Regency architecture, recently restored to showcase the property's original glory. It was one of the first houses built in the dress circle of Hobart and is decorated with fine art and furnished with antiques. Updated to include the little necessities and amenities our forebears over-looked, such as a wonderful glass enclosed mountain-view conservatory and a cellar stocked with the finest Tasmanian wine, Islington is a haven of serenity, luxury and tranquility a short walk from central Hobart.

  • 2pm - Group Lunch at Ethos Eat Drink in Hobart for a shared-table lunch of the locally grown/caught/farmed produce that the kitchen is privileged to work with every day.

Ethos Eat Drink is housed in one of Hobart CBD's most unique and historic properties, an 1820s building that served as the stables for the Old Hobart Hotel. The stables that the restaurant is now housed in, laid dormant for over 100 years before being transformed into its current modern, environmentally & ethically sustainable establishment. Please click here to view the Ethos Eat Drink ethos.

  • pm - Evening at your leisure. Enjoy a quiet Tasmanian wine in front of the Islington conservatory's open-fireplace while deciding on whether you might like to have The Islington's private chef prepare dinner for you, or we can suggest some of our favourite Hobart restaurants for you to go visit.

  

Friday 19 April 2013  - Agrarian Kitchen Experience

  • Breakfast in the conservatory at The Islington.
  • 8am - Group Departure to The Agrarian Kitchen Cooking School in nearby Lachlan, Tasmania, about 40 minutes from Hobart.

   

Set on five acres, The Agrarian Kitchen is a working farm and incorporates an extensive vegetable garden, orchard, berry patch and herb garden, all grown using organic principles. Also in residence are Wessex saddleback pigs, Barnevelder chickens, two British Alpine goats and a flock of geese.

The Agrarian Kitchen grows and uses heirloom varieties of fruit, vegetables and rare breed animals in its cooking classes and also sources ingredients from local farmers, fishermen, gardeners and artisanal producers.

The sustainable farm-based cooking school is situated in a restored circa-1887 weatherboard schoolhouse. Established by Rodney Dunn (former food editor of Australian Gourmet Traveller and one-time apprentice to Chef Tetsuya Wakuda), and his wife Severine, The Agrarian Kitchen is Tasmania's first hands-on, farm-based cooking school and one of Tasmania's top cooking schools.

The Agrarian Kitchen is committed to reconnecting the kitchen with the land. Its aim is to create a place where people can rediscover the simple pleasres of gathering and cooking with produce as close to its source as possible.

  • 9am - 3pm - The Agrarian Kitchen Experience

The Agrarian Experience is a celebration of the seasons. The day begins with guests donning gumboots and foraging in the garden for the ripest fruit and vegetables, other ingredients are sourced from local farmers and producers. Once harvesting is complete, we continue in the kitchen preparing and cooking together a seasonal feast. Central to the experience is the Alan Scott-designed wood-fired oven. Six to seven dishes are usually prepared and the day will culminate with lunch including premium Tasmanian wines and artisanal ales.

 

  

 

  • pm - Evening at your leisure. Enjoy a quiet Tasmanian wine in front of the Islington conservatory's open-fireplace while deciding on whether you might like to have The Islington's private chef prepare dinner for you, or we can suggest some of our favourite Hobart restaurants for you to go visit.

 

Saturday 20 April 2013  - Salamanca Market Visit / MONA Visit / Moorilla Estate Wine Tasting

  • Breakfast in the conservatory at The Islington.

 

  • 9am-11am - For those interested in visiting Hobart's famous Saturday markets at the historic Salamanca Place in Hobart's harbour precinct, we will have a leisurely visit of the markets for a couple of hours prior to our visit to Hobart's exciting & controversial MONA (Museum of Old & New Art) on the Derwent River.

  • 11am-3:30pm - MONA & Moorilla Estate Winery Visit

Tasmania's current major tourist attraction - Museum of Old & New Art (MONA) - is the $100 million private art collection of 49 year-old multi-millionaire, professional gambler and eccentric philanthropist, David Walsh. A university drop-out whose talent in mathematics allowed him to create a fortune by developing a gambling system for horse-racing and sports betting, Hobart's "local boy, done good" has described his new museum as "a subversive Disneyland".

On our visit to Hobart in April 2012, we were blown away by this museum, not only of it's controversial and thought-provoking installation, but also by the three-level $75 million dollar underground museum which is built into a sandstone headland on the Derwent River. In just 12 months of opening in January 2011, MONA now is Tasmania's largest tourist draw, surpassing the city's Saturday morning Salamanca Markets and Port Arthur.

As well as the museum, this property is also home to David Walsh's Moorilla Estate Winery and Moo Brewery. During our visit to MONA, we have also arranged for a wine & beer tasting prior to our return to Hobart at 3:30pm.

  • 7pm - Final Tasmanian Group Dinner - Islington Private Dining Room - Our final group dinner will be in the grand surrounds of The Islington's Private Dining Room where the hotel's personal chef will prepare our final evening meal from Tasmania's finest fresh ingredients.

 

Sunday 21 April 2013  - Departure Day

  • Breakfast in the conservatory at The Islington.
  • 10am - Check-out from The Islington. Return home via Hobart Airport or you may wish to extend your visit to other locations within Tasmania. 

 BOOKINGS & BOOKING DEADLINE

To secure your places, please contact Nico Moretti at nico@urbanprovider.com.au or 08 9228 0507, and we will forward you a cooking passions "Discover Tasmania" Booking Form.  Alternatively, please click here to download a "Discover Tasmania" Luxury Food & Wine Tour Booking Form with all of the details.

We look forward to hosting you on this very special Tasmanian experience!!

Booking Deadline : 01 November 2012 (or until places remain available)

Booking Deposit : A $AUD250 non-refundable BOOKING DEPOSIT is required to hold a booking for the tour, at the time of your reservation.

Final Payment : Payment in full is required 90 days (3 months) prior to departure (Payment Due : 14 January 2013) 

We look forward to hosting you on this very special Tasmanian Pure Luxury  experience. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate in contacting us.

Mt Wellington, Hobart, Tasmania

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Testimonials

We thoroughly enjoyed the fun and free spirited company in the group. Its definitely an experience which I would recommend to all my acquaintances!Eileen

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