In celebration of International Women’s Day, Women in Hospitality joined forces with PorkStar to host an autumn cookout on Sunday 18 March.
Industry supporters gathered at Porteño Events in Surry Hills to sample produce and drinks by female chefs, butchers, pig farmers, brewers and distillers.
Alex Herbert and Claire van Vuuren (Bloodwood/Popla) teamed up to create a medieval-style fire pit, serving up barbecued pork with lentils and spicy herb sauce, while Chrissy Flanagan (The Sausage Factory) dished up artisan sausages.
Charcuterie was provided by Jacqui Challinor (Nomad) and Julianne Lever (Julianne’s Kitchen), while Alanna Sapwell (Saint Peter) served wild fennel and pork fat caramels and fat-washed marshmallows using rum from Nip of Courage.
Butcher Luci Kingston (Victor Churchill) treated guests to a pig breakdown, explaining the different cuts of meat and how they can be cooked.
Sam Fuss (Philter Brewing) served up local brews and Kathleen Davies (Nip of Courage) served up a range of drinks showcasing spirits by female distillers, including bottled cocktails such as espresso martinis and negronis by the Aussie Tipple Company and Remedy Gin by Reed & Co Distillery.
Davies said the event was a huge success as a contributor and the response from guests was amazing.
“We were proud to showcase a small selection of spirits produced by female distillers across the country,” she said.
“There are currently 18 female distillers across Australia versus 300+ male distillers so for us it is important to shine a light on these humble trail blazers to encourage other women to get involved in the Australian distilling movement.”
Also in attendance was PorkStar’s Mitch Edwards, who thanked guests for supporting “the amazing people surrounding us in the hospitality industry”.