For the four celebrities taking part in the Buy West Eat Best WA's Celebrity Signature Dish competition it's been a month long battle of identifying their produce, creating their recipes, practising their kitchen skills and keeping up with the competitive banter with fellow opponents in readiness for the epic cook off event at Elizabeth Quay on Sunday 4th June 2017. With each of the final four dishes featuring ingredients synonymous to each representative region (along with a dash of their celebrity's personality and flare) there could only be one winner crowned. For 2017 it was Mark Gibson representing the Peel Region.

Mark's dish featured Slow Braised Harvey Beef Shin with Roasted Sweet Potato and Pickled Vegetables and was considered by the judges to be the dish of the day.

Head judge Dan Masters of Rockpool Perth commented, “For people who aren't chefs the standard of cooking was very good. Justin Langer can cook better than I play cricket. It was great to see all of the talent doing the cooking but it was a lack of seasoning that hurt everyone when we tasted each dish. Having said that, the fish wings from the Kimberley region were stunning, but the beef from Peel was the winner.”

Winner Mark Gibson commented, “I have discovered so much about the region during this campaign. I always generally thought of the Peel in terms of coast, but the more I found out…that's one of the reasons we selected beef as the hero ingredient, the further inland you go in the Peel the more there is, and Kenny (Mark's partner chef for the campaign) showed me how to cook it in such a great way.”

The cook off event celebrity talent, partner chef, regions and dishes included:

• Kimberley Region
  Dish: Wild Caught Barra Wings Kimberley Slaw Black Vinegar Glaze
  Partnered by: Kimberley Development Commission
  Talent: Peter Curulli (Mix 94.5 'Lisa & Pete')
  Chef: Pete Manifis
  
  
• Swan Valley Region
  Dish: Yabbie Tail Pasta with Goats Curd Cream
  Partnered by: City of Swan
  Talent: Justin Langer (Former Australian cricketer)
  Chef: Caroline Taylor
  
  
• Peel Region
  Dish: Slow Braised Harvey Beef Shin with Roasted Sweet Potato and Pickled Vegetables
  Partnered by: Mandurah and Peel Tourism Organisation (MAPTO)
  Talent: Mark Gibson (Channel 7)
  Chef: Kenny McHardy – Manuka Woodfire Kitchen
  
  
• Southern Forests Region
  Dish: Blue Ridge Marron Manjimup Truffle Kanzi Apple and Potato
  Partnered by: Southern Forests Food Council Inc.
  Talent: Rayne Embley
  Chef: Ollie Gould – Shorehouse

The competition is presented by the Department of Agriculture and Food's Buy West Eat Best program and aims to lift the level of awareness amongst consumers to the range of produce available from across the State and encourage them to select produce with the Buy West Eat Best logo whenever possible.

Each celebrity contestant represented produce from State's four major food producing regions including the Kimberley, Peel, Southern Forests and Swan Valley, with each recipe presenting featured a 'hero' ingredient unique to each region and seasonality was key in produce selection by both chefs and talent.

Of the standard of dishes presented on the day fellow judge and restaurant critic Rob Broadfield said, “Full marks to the chefs of course, but it was the produce that shinned. Good produce equals good cooking.”

For more information regarding WA's Celebrity Signature Dish and to access copies of the recipes from this year's competition visit www.buywesteatbest.org.au.

About WA's Signature Dish
WA's Signature Dish is a state-wide cooking competition that promotes local produce and seeks to unearth our State on a Plate. WA's Signature Dish is organised by the Department of Agriculture and Food through its local food labelling program Buy West Eat Best, and supported by its partners the Kimberley Development Commission, Mandurah and Peel Tourism Organisation (MAPTO), Southern Forests Food Council, City of Swan, WA Fishing Industry Council and Celebrate WA.