THE Gourmet Escape is known for its tasty tidbits, with The Farm House Margaret River proud to say they provide the literal back bone for local stalls providing them.
The butcher and small goods maker has been approached over the years to provide their products to local chefs to be utilised for the tapas proportions sold from stalls at the international event with this year looking to be no different.
Their product was also the star of last year’s Feast in the Forest, a lamb spit taking pride of place at the Leeuwin Estate event.
Production manager Tom Hayward said the small organisation had a focus on quality and community, having no retail outlet to sell their products but rather actively delivering to more than 40 businesses from Busselton and south past Margaret River.
He believes local chefs are drawn to their product due to its authenticity, with no added preservatives and their creations being made using their own recipes.
“Meat, herbs, spices, salt, that’s it,” he said.
He said the region was fast becoming a “crucible” of the wine and food industry, exhibited by the Gourmet Escape and that the community were able to utilise this event to support local business.
“It’s about authenticity and appreciating what your food is,” Mr Hayward said.
“It’s absolutely about supporting each other.”
The Farm House group prides themselves on this authenticity, setting up their own stall at the Margaret River Farmers’ Markets each Saturday morning.
Mr Hayward said they see it as an opportunity to purchase and provide authentic food to the community.
The team takes a seasonal approach to butchery, trying new things while still meeting the demands of the local food industry.
With seven employees involved in production, from butchery to packaging Mr Hayward said The Farm House has a hand in the path of the meat from paddock to plate.
In terms of what the future holds for the small business, Mr Hayward said there was always a way to advance, a bigger smoker for their meats the next step forward in the potential growth of their business.
Tickets are available to the Gourmet Escape through gourmetescape.com.au.