I first visited Ningaloo in June of this year during the final throws of the Best Jobs In The World campaign, where myself and two other Taste Master finalists had the privilege of swimming with the world’s biggest fish, the whale shark (UNBELIEVABLE experience).

Since starting my new job I’ve really been looking forward to returning, but as I crested the North West Cape and drove south into the Cape Range National Park I actually gasped out loud.

Maybe it was because last time I was here I had one eye on my competitors, but as I caught a glimpse of the ocean, I honestly didn’t remember the water being so turquoise and so……BRIGHT.

I’m staying at Sal Salis, a luxury eco-safari camp about an hour drive from Learmonth Airport and before I get there I’ve been set a top secret mission. Special Order Number 68 is awaiting me at Exmouth Fish Mongers and I have to collect en-route before cooking for my fellow guests that evening. Kind of like the television show ‘Come Dine With Me’ set on the shores of one of the world’s greatest fringing reefs.

At Sal Salis, their prime motivation is to open the minds of their guests to the environment of the Ningaloo Marine Park and the Cape Range National Park. All power at the camp is generated by the sun and everyone has a maximum 20 litres of water a day, generating a minimal environmental impact.

That evening I met with Head Chef Shakira to open the mystery package and discuss what we were going to force the other guests to eat that night…..

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YABBIE DABBY DOO!

And so Taste Master fans, we leave the Kulin Bush Races for the 90km drive south to the town of Kukerin. My travelling buddy Chris is behind the wheel, allowing my mind to drift as I take in the rolling crop fields, the famous wildflowers of Western Australia and the serenity of an open road….. What’s tonight got in store? Are we really fine dining in a shearing shed? Why did I put all my money on that horse?

Tonight’s destination is the Nenke Family Farm where we’ll be attending the 11^th annual Cambinata Yabbies Extravaganza.

The Nenke family business was formed in 1990 by husband and wife Michael and Mary who were running a sheep and wheat farm at the time. An out of the blue telephone call trying to source yabbies for a Perth restaurant turned Michael’s long-time hobby of catching these fresh water crustaceans into a full blown family business, and they haven’t looked back since.

But just what IS a yabbie?

Basically they’re like mini lobsters. Sweet and delicate with a firm texture, versatile and unique to Australia. The Nenke’s yabbies are environmentally friendly, being sustainably farmed and not wild caught. But best of all, yabbies are a gourmet product and great for the discerning chef looking for ways to explore and create with these delicious little fellas.

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And I thought I was just going to the Perth Royal Agricultural Show to judge the biggest cabbage competition or play guess the celebrity look-a-like onion or something like that.

Of course things never quite turn out as planned.

I ended up on stage shearing sheep with Big Jim, hosting a cookery class for 30 kids, milking a giant fibreglass cow and being interviewed for Channel 9 News with a three metre, 15kg olive python wrapped around my face. Another normal day in the Taste Master office.

The Perth Royal Show is an annual week-long event, showcasing the best of Western Australia’s agriculture, fresh produce and livestock. It’s Perth’s biggest community event attracting more than 400,000 people from the city and the country every year.

Although it was 11am, I sampled some great wines from local vineyards and was introduced to Sheena from The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia who made me up a fresh tasting plate, all made with award winning produce from the area.

There are lots of different aspects to the show, but the section that really impressed me was the Kids Zone. Rather than thinking food just magically appears at the supermarket, children were being educated as to where their food comes from. Classes on how to grow your own veggies, learning about different cuts of meat on cattle, a whole host of kid’s cookery classes and taking turns in milking Bernice the fibreglass cow (udderly inspiring, arf arf).

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