Finlay’s Kalbarri to showcase best of the Mid West produce as part of support local campaign

A popular Mid West eatery is joining forces with restaurants from across the State to encourage foodies to support the local hospitality industry and primary producers this winter.

This is the second time Finlay’s Kalbarri will take part in the annual Plating Up WA campaign, which invites venues to promote a hero dish which showcases the best of the State’s homegrown produce.

The festival is an initiative of Buy West Eat Best and the State Government, and will run until the end of June.

Finlay’s director Melissa Finlay said the restaurant would this year be showcasing its sustainably harvested Shark Bay cockles, which are cooked in a creamy garlic and white wine sauce.

“The life span of the cockles is quite short, they reproduce a lot and it is a very sustainable and delicious product. We get them delivered fresh every week.”

More than 30 pubs, cafes, food trucks and restaurants will receive promotion during the campaign, but Ms Finlay also hoped to raise awareness about the quality of produce available in WA.

“It is not just about getting people into the restaurant, it is about increasing people’s awareness about where their food is from,” she said.

“All of our seafood is Australian . . . and we want to make sure we are not just getting the good product, but we are getting a product that is not detrimental to the environment at the same time.

“We have got some of these amazing products in WA that people haven’t tried, so we want to put it out there for people to appreciate what we have got in our own backyard.”