THERE are many reasons to tune into the new series of River Cottage Australia, not the least of which is because you may recognise some of the faces featured in the show.
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River Cottage Australia is shot on an old dairy farm in Central Tilba and is a local version of the UK River Cottage series hosted by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Tilba was chosen for the Australian series as it offers an abundance of local and sustainable produce and is in close proximity to the ocean, fresh water lakes and forested mountains.
Host Paul West is a qualified chef who has worked in all areas of food production from a volunteer organic fruiterer to the country’s top restaurant.
He also holds a certificate in Permaculture Design.
In the Australian version of the show, Mr West experiences new challenges and uniquely Australian characters as he attempts to set up his own farm.
The show, produced by ITV Studios Australia, has given a number of small, specialty Bega Valley businesses the opportunity to showcase their produce and skills to assist Mr West in achieving his sustainable lifestyle plan.
Mobile butcher and slaughterman Matt Christison, and John Tracey of Barrabaroo Farm Fresh Meats, Quaama, are two such locals who have had their 15 minutes of fame.
For Mr Christison, his appearance on the show – the episode airs this Thursday - was a lesson in the magic of television.
“I was there at the farm from 7.30am and by the end of filming it had been a 14-hour day.
“It was amazing to see how much effort goes into making about nine minutes of footage,” he said.
“We ran through a lot of different scenarios and filmed takes over and over again.
“It’s pretty intense how it all comes together to make that half hour of TV.”
Mr Christison’s job was to slaughter a pig, with each step in the process being filmed by the camera crew, including collecting its blood, giving it a “paddock to plate” sequence.
“It’s not an easy thing to do to slaughter a pig, it’s quite brutal and there’s a lot involved, but it all ran smoothly.
“I pulled out the liver and handed it to Paul West, the host and chef, to cook up.
“By the time all the takes had been filmed, the dish he made had got cold and in the end we had to put on an act in front of the cameras about how good it was!
“It’s funny how you see it while it’s being made and what you get to actually see on the TV.”
He said his experience has given him a greater respect for what goes on behind the scenes to produce a television program and jokingly said he is even considering a career in television.
It also gave him an appreciation for self-sustainability and how you can survive on things you grow and produce yourself.
Farmer and butcher Mr Tracey will this week appear for the second time on the show.
In episode two, Mr West visited Mr Tracey’s Quaama farm and was shown how to make chilli and port and Salvatori salsiccie (Italian) gourmet sausages.
In this week’s episode, after Mr Christison slaughters the pig, Mr Tracey cuts it up.
“We cooked the marinated ribs on the open fire and shared it amongst those who have helped Paul,” Mr Tracey said.
“The farm at Tilba is in a beautiful spot and is a great promotion for the whole South Coast.
“Hopefully the show will bring a lot of tourists here.
“There have been a lot of locals involved in the show, from bush tucker to diving for lobsters,” he said.
River Cottage Australia is screened on Thursdays at 8.30pm on Foxtel’s LifeStyle Channel.
