Taste of the land | The West Australian
Danni Farrugia has a claim to fame: she was the one who taught TV star, hospitality entrepreneur, Masterchef winner and now judge Andy Allen how to shuck oysters.
The Three Blue Ducks Bellingen head chef was back then, by her own admission, the “shy apprentice” when Andy, fresh from his 2012 Masterchef win, came to work at the original Ducks in Sydney’s Bronte beach.
“I used to be the shy apprentice in the corner, too scared to talk to the big chefs but I actually taught Andy how to shuck oysters,” she laughs as we sit in the garden dining area of the Bellingen restaurant ahead of the day’s service. Andy is now a co-owner of the Three Blue Ducks franchise.
One of those “big chefs” is celebrity chef, restaurateur, author and also co-owner Darren Robertson (Mark LaBrooy is the third).
It was Darren and Andy who called Danni to rejoin the flock when the stars aligned. She and her family had recently made their dream move to Bellingen and the Ducks had just expanded to The Lodge resort on the outskirts of the small mid-north NSW town.
“The community is not like anywhere else I have been, it’s so rich in local produce and everyone is really open to sharing it and are really happy that their produce is being used,” she says.
“I know most of the locals, so I might be wandering down the street and someone will pull me up and say they have a fresh harvest of native Davidson plums or mushrooms, so I’ll create a dish around it.”
Other locals might just drop a box of fresh turmeric at the restaurant’s back door, the invoice will arrive down the track when the grower gets around to it.
Danni tries to use the locally renowned Bello beef when it’s available, fish mostly comes from the Coffs Harbour fishing co-operative, and she nabs plenty of produce by getting early to the local growers market, where she’s been known to clean out a supplier of their entire stock: “they’re stoked, it’s a short day for them!”
Later I’m sitting down to Sunday lunch at the Three Blue Ducks and it’s roast day — the slow-baked beef rib or slab of roasted porchetta. I’ve been eating a few roasts at the sports clubs as I travel around Australia, but the Ducks is, as expected, up a few notches.
I go for the beef rib which doesn’t overdo the meat and piled around it is local carrots, brussels sprouts, a blackened red cabbage, Yorkshire pudding and heaps of spuds. The red wine gravy stops me in my tracks — it packs a flavour bomb and seasons the whole dish.
I knew the roast was going to be filling so, on recommendation of the knowledgeable and helpful Mem (she moved over from the UK a decade ago, her parents have since joined her but live in Perth) we land on the entree of raw NSW kingfish with avocado, cucumber and burnt citrus, all scooped up on a crispy taro chip. Perfectly light and tasty.
It’s a nice way to ease into Sunday afternoon with the stunning Dorrigo Ranges in the background, taking in the lush surrounds where most of my meal has come from.
Camera IconThe casual outdoor dining suits Bellingen. Credit: Christien de Garis/Supplied
Camera IconDanni Farrugia has gone from apprentice to head chef at Three Blue Ducks. Credit: Christien de Garis/SuppliedCamera IconLocal produce is used as much as possible. Credit: Christien de Garis/SuppliedCamera IconLook up to the Great Dividing Range while dining. Credit: Christien de Garis/Supplied
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