Chef Proprietor of AVE Restaurant in Bellingen, Robert English, won the 2011 Mid North Coast Signature Dish Competition against 11 other contenders from throughout the region.

His winning dish was an Assiette of Local Squid sautéed with saffron Mussels, local Tomatoes and Broad Beans with smoked port Foam, Squid Ink risotto with crispy tentacles tossed in orange paprika salt and local wild violets. He matched the dish with a Cassegrain 2010 Pinot Noir.

The People’s Choice award, voted by 30 guests at the event was Kien Nguyen from Rendezvous Brasserie, CEX Coffs with his Supreme of Gaian Duckling pocketed with lemon oil infused local king prawns on a chutney of garden fruits and Lakeview fresh mushroom with black truffle shavings and a Cassegrain Edition Noir 2008 Durif reductions, sided by a timbale of green apple jelly and crisp rice paper garnishing paired with a Cassegrain Edition Noir 2009 Pinot Noir.

Learn more about the competition through the eyes of popular bloggers, Julie Carlye from Gourmet Getaways and Lorraine Elliott from Not Quite Nigella.

For information on the other finalists and their dishes and wine matches click here.