Chef Matt Stone leads Mid West Paddock to Plate with local beef and lamb for Shore Leave festival

It’s almost that time of year, for the foodie pilgrimage that is the Mid West Paddock to Plate, and this year renowned chef Matt Stone is the brains behind the operation. Held at Yanget Farm, the event is entering its fifth year as part of the Shore Leave festival, and Stone is looking forward to celebrating the goods on offer in the Mid West, a little different to what he’s used to in Byron Bay. “I’ve seen Shore Leave festival for some time and always thought it looked amazing,” he said. “And I’m from Western Australia originally. So any events to get me back, its always a good thing to get back home.” Growing up in between Margaret River and Perth, Stone, a leader in the field of sustainable cooking, is no stranger to the treasures on offer throughout regional WA. Doing his due diligence in produce research, Stone discovered a pleasant surprise. “The Gascoyne is the biggest cucumber-producing region in Australia,” Stone said. He will be making an appetiser with the fruit, as well as barbecuing them for another main course. This year’s Paddock to Plate will be celebrating the produce of Yanget Farm, starting with a beef jerky cooked on the fire at the beginning of the event and mains will showcase Yanget lamb with aromatic spices. Local vegetables and olive oil will be a common theme throughout the menu, as well as wine pairings for each dish courtesy of Xanadu Wines. During Stone’s time in Geraldton, he’ll also be completing a cooking demonstration at the Beach Price Kitchen using Western Rock Lobster and a lemon butter sauce. “We’ll be hitting the ground running. I’m not sure what the restaurant scene is like up there, so I’m keen to check it out, have a beer at the pub and just wander around,” he said. Stone currently works as the chef and owner of hospitality group, Mosey on Inn. For those attending Paddock to Plate, which is a 30-minute drive away, bus tickets can be purchased separately to the dinner, leaving from three locations in Geraldton.