The Cook and the Chef(2006–2009)

Australia Now

The series kicks off with Simon and Maggie reflecting on the state of the Australian food scene in 2008 and preparing what they consider to be truly Australian meals.

The Italian Influence

In this episode Maggie and Simon explore the huge influence of Italian migration on Australian cuisine. Maggie explains how her early childhood led to Italy and a cooking school in Tuscany. Simon recreates some classic Italian dishes and adds a twist and we visit Armando and Maria Matteucci, an Italian couple whose abundant garden and kitchen give us a taste of the Italian food culture that has helped to shape the way we eat today.

Fusion Food

This Week Simon and Maggie marvel at the British success in putting their own stamp on a Pakistani curry and then celebrate the cross-cultural cuisine of Australia’s own "Father Of Fusion" Cheong Liew.

Vego's

This Week Simon and Maggie go vegetarian, proving a meat free diet is far from bland and boring. While vegetarianism has always being part of Indian and Asian culture, it didn’t really kick off in the west until the mid nineteenth century, when a meat free diet became more accessible.

All the Tea and China

Don’t be late for a very important date this week: Simon and Maggie are holding a tea party to celebrate the days when afternoon teas (complete with cakes and cucumber sandwiches of course!) were quite the done thing.

French Connection

If you fancy some fine French fare then join Maggie and Simon tonight as they reveal the significant contribution the French have made to the kitchen while tempting us with classics such as Bouillabaisse and Duck Liver Parfait.

Native Foods

In this episode Maggie and Simon cook with Australian Native Foods – ‘old’ or wild foods that have not been altered by breeding so they retain high levels of vitamins and antioxidants. These foods provided indigenous Australians with a varied and rich diet for over 40,000 years before European settlement. Maggie and Simon demonstrate how native foods can add unique flavours to everyday recipes, we visit the Spirit Festival for some traditional bush tucker and see how students at Renmark High School are cultivating a commercial crop of Kutjera or Desert Raisins.

Tetsuya part 1

This week on The Cook & the Chef Maggie and Simon celebrate the meteoric rise of Australian restaurant culture.

The 1970's

Dust off your flares and fondue set and get set to revive some classic dishes from the 70s, as Maggie and Simon celebrate the dawning of Modern Australian food.

Vietnamese Food

Maggie ventures bravely into Simon’s world of South East Asian cuisine. The Vietnamese dishes Maggie and Simon produce, from soups to crispy fried quail, are clean and fresh and defined by a delicate balance of sweet, salt, acid and sour flavours.

Aussie Classics

Just the mention of Australian classics like butterfly cakes, sponges, jelly cakes and sausage rolls conjures up memories of childhood and a time when home baking was a big part of daily life.

The Art of Presentation

This week the Cook & the Chef take a close look at the art of food presentation.

The 1980's

This week the 1980s are making a comeback, as Simon and Maggie celebrate the time when Aussie food came of age and the work of three very special cooks: Gay Bilson, Tony Bilson and Janni Kyritsis. In the 1980s Maggie was busy running her famous restaurant The Pheasant Farm. Simon fondly remembers eating there as a teenager but he did think it all looked like organised chaos! Maggie realises that she wasn’t the only one working hard in the '80s though: it was an age of growing wealth but as disposable incomes expanded our spare time dwindled. To save precious time more people were going out to eat, so it was a great age for Australian restaurants as emerging chefs carved out a distinctive Aussie style.

The Greek Experience

Tonight Maggie and Simon entice us outdoors into the late autumn sun to enjoy Greek inspired barbequed goat, souvlaki and baby octopus. Greek desserts are also on the menu so be prepared for some syrupy, sweet lusciousness.

Early Settlement

In this episode Maggie and Simon travel back around 150 years to a time in Australia’s history when rations were doled out to workers and meat became not just a symbol of Australia’s prosperity, but a major part of the Australian diet. With the challenge of using meat, flour, sugar, tea and salt Maggie starts simply, but can’t resist going upmarket while Simon cooks some real bush favourites, making sure to use a good measure of rum! To top it off, we visit a hard-working shearer’s cook to see if mutton still plays a big part in the shearing crew’s diet.

Modern Chef

In this episode our Cook & Chef pay homage to the one of the young chefs making a name for himself in Australia today. With his restaurant named as one of the top fifty in the world, Melbourne based chef Shannon Bennett is pushing the boundaries of modern French Cuisine and fine dining. Inspired by Shannon’s unique style and technique Maggie & Simon cook four irresistible dishes, Steak Tartare and Slow Cooked Lamb, followed by Chocolate Mousse and Quince and Prune Croustillant.

Recipe Books + Charmaine Solomon

Maggie and Simon both love cookbooks so this week Maggie shows off her collection and admits that acquiring cookbooks is a bit of an addiction! Simon still loves and uses one of the first cookbooks he ever bought: Charmaine Solomon’s famous guide to Asian cooking, a book which helped to change forever the way Australians shopped, cooked and ate.

Stephanie Alexander

In any who’s who of Australian cuisine Stephanie Alexander features as a cook who has influenced not only the way we dine but the way we think about food.

Margaret Fulton

Margaret Fulton has been called the Isabella Beeton of Australian cookery and with over 4 million cookery book sales she has influenced the way Australians have entertained and eaten for over fifty years.

The Restaurant + Mietta

The 1970's & 80's heralded a renaissance in Australian restaurant culture, heavily influenced by French 'Haute or Grand cuisine' which was as much about the atmosphere and service, as it was food and wine.

Modern Chinese

Do you remember heading to the local Chinese takeaway for a bit of dodgy sweet 'n' sour pork and beef with black bean? Ever since the Gold Rush Chinese food has been a part of the Australian food scene, but for a long time Australians had a very limited view of what Chinese food was all about. China's a huge country, but most of the early Chinese settlers who arrived here were from the Southern region of Guangdong, home of Cantonese cuisine, so Cantonese-style dishes dominated here.

Talking Thai

Tonight Simon revels in his favourite Thai food, and encourages heat- avoiding Maggie to “dip a toe” into this chilli laden cuisine. The resulting savoury and sweet dishes are delicate, exquisitely complex and beautifully balanced in flavour, and surprisingly Maggie friendly!

Andrew Fielke

This program has a real Australian flavour. Lemon Aspen, Anise Myrtle, Davidson Plum and yabbies are just some of the fantastic Australian native foods Maggie and Simon experiment with this week. In fact, they reckon that if we all planted native bushfoods in our gardens and used them in our cooking, a unique Australian cuisine would evolve that’s jam packed with bold flavours and nutrition and perfectly suited to our climate.

Fast Food

This week on the Cook and the Chef Maggie and Simon show us some home cooked alternatives to the mass produced 'convenience' foods that dominate our supermarket shelves today.

Celebrity Chefs

Australia has a long and proud history of celebrity cooks and chefs, entertaining food enthusiasts who’ve shared their secrets and helped raise our culinary standards.

Lebanese Food

Tonight Maggie and Simon tip their hats to the magical Mediterranean flavours of Lebanese cuisine. Pomegranate, lemon juice, pine nuts, olives and walnuts are just some of the fresh ingredients employed to embrace the food and the shared style of dining typical of Lebanese culture.

The Barossa

In this episode Maggie and Simon pay homage to the regional food culture of the Barossa Valley.

Old Foods

Pub Foods

Eat Local

Australia Again

Add a bit of spice

All Fired Up

It's Presentation

The Right Ingredient

Too Many Tomatoes

Fabulous Figs

Duck

An Easter Breakfast

Pears

Mediterranean Style

Apples and Onions

Fish and Eggplant

Eggplant & Bananas

Pheasants and Mushrooms

Pumpkins and Hazelnuts

Year of the Pig

Middle Eastern Cuisine

Hand Food

Macadamia Nuts & Pasta

Slow Food

Food for a Cold Winter

Kids in the Kitchen

Soup and Rice

Winter Menus

Oysters and Pastry

Tasmanian Fresh

Desserts & Tagines

Baking

Quails & Momos

Truffles

Cattle Drive

Sunday Night

Spatchcock & Terrines

Sugar

The Alice

Prawns

Favourite Dishes

Party Time

Raspberries + Barramundi

Crocs + Honey

Fish + Crabs

Mangoes + Cheese

Herbs + Pearls

Jackfruit + Goat

Lamb + Cockles

Darwin Market + Sea Cucumber

Chocolate + Lamb

Food for Kids

Oats + Goats Cheese

Pepper + Salt

Trout + Egg

Bush Tucker + Buffalo Mozzarella

A Diabetic Diet

Dried Food + Eels

Quince & Pork

100th Special

Land of the Long White Cloud

New Zealand Kumara + Venison

New Zealand Salmon + Wasabi

Olives & Mussels

Feijoa & Kiwi Fruit

Lamb & Saffron

Root Veg & Guinea Fowl

Fish

Cauliflower + Passionfruit

Limes + Rice

Brussels Sprouts + Avocado

Lemon Myrtle + Pizzas

Coffee + Macadamia Nuts

This week take a trip with Maggie to the stunning sub tropical hinterland of Northern New South Wales where she explores a macadamia plantation and sips locally grown coffee. In the kitchen Maggie and Simon use our native bush nut and coffee to create both savoury and sweet delights. A special treat for Vegans is Simon's Vegan Laksa.

Cheese + Crabs

When it comes to fine cheeses we’re spoilt for choice in Australia, there are over one hundred different varieties being produced by Cheese Wright’s all around the country.

Bananas + Artichokes

Maggie goes bananas this week, travelling to the Tweed Valley in northern New South Wales to discover the unique qualities that this area provides for the growers of this popular fruit.

Cooking in a Restaurant

When it comes to cooking with wine, Simon and Maggie follow the golden rule: "if you wouldn’t drink it, don't put it in your food!" As they both whip up delicious wine-based dishes, Simon also takes us behind the scenes of a busy hotel kitchen and Maggie shares her secrets for stress-free rabbit.

Anlaby - A Country Homestead

Tonight Maggie replicates beautiful lamb pies that she created for a charity event, while Simon gives shepherd’s pie a vegetarian spin. Also on the menu is chocolate and lots of it, with a wicked chocolate ganache tart and a light, chocolate soufflé.

Produce of Two Islands

Produce from Tasmania and Kangaroo Island features on tonight's program. Simon travels to Hobart on the hunt for some green tea, while Maggie soak's up some spirits on South Australia's Kangaroo Island.

Lobster & Mushrooms

Tonight Maggie and Simon demonstrate two different and very delicious ways to use Southern Rock Lobster before making the most of a selection of mouth watering mushrooms. Kangaroo Island is one of Maggie’s favourite destinations, its magnificent coastline and pristine waters provide an abundance of superb seafood for the locals.

Seaweed & Scallops

What is it about Tasmania that makes its seafood so great? Is it the clarity of the water that surrounds the island state, its coldness, or the ingenuity of the locals? Simon visited recently to find out and met a couple of young scallop fishermen and some unusual seaweed divers.

Beetroot & Pepper

Tonight Maggie and Simon demonstrate how to bring out the best of the brilliant beetroot, and then spice up some delicious dishes with Native Tasmanian Pepper berry.

Best in Season

Maggie searches the central market for the perfect tomato and makes tomato bruschetta, while Simon prepares pear bruschetta.

A Summer Lunch

Maggie makes grilled cured squid and Simon makes stuffed squid. After Simon takes Iggy for a coffee and gelati, Maggie and Simon both make their version of gelati affogato.

The Orchard

Maggie shows how to make a wonderful peach jam, as well as a simple peach and prosciutto salad. Simon uses some of the peach jam and balsamic vinegar to make a Balsamic Ripple Ice Cream.

Brunch

Simon and Maggie cook scrambled eggs - one with truffles and one with orange zest. Maggie then prepares oat pancakes served with poached peaches, while Simon shares the secrets behind a classic bircher muesli.

A Late Summer Lunch

Maggie and Simon show their different approaches to cooking. Maggie cooks a hearty meal for the family, while Simon gives a restaurant touch to his meal.

Dinner Party for Six

Keeping it simple, getting fresh produce in season and preparing everything in advance are the easy steps to dinner party success.

Party for 20

Maggie asks Simon to help prepare for a party for 20 of her friends. She devises a menu that could be easily doubled or tripled depending on the size of the party.

An Autumn Lunch

Simon gets the cooking started with a pre-lunch drink of bloody Mary and an oyster. Maggie makes an avocado and tomato jelly, followed by grilled quail and a selection of cheese. Simon ups the ante and makes a heavenly quail.

Pizza

Maggie Beer and Simon Bryant trade food secrets and debate the best way to cook seasonal produce. It's food you'll want to cook immediately.

Easter

Simon instructs one of his pastry chefs to create a chilli Easter egg for Maggie, while Maggie makes a Russian Easter dessert, and heads out into the Adelaide suburbs.

Cooking With Kids

Don't know what to do with the kids during school holidays? Don't know what to feed them? Why not get into the kitchen and cook with Maggie and Simon as they prepare kid-friendly dishes.

Cooking with Grapes

Raise a toast to the glorious grape as Simon and Maggie celebrate with the fruit of the vine.

BBQs

Maggie and Simon celebrate the BBQ and show viewers how to get the most from it - be it for starters, main courses and even desserts!

An Autumn Party

We find Maggie and Simon in the courtyard cooking up a storm using Maggie's wood fire oven. It's autumn and quinces and pumpkins are at their peak.

Autumn Fruit and Nuts

Maggie visits a winery where everything is done using time honoured methods and uses the by-product of the winemaking process to put a new spin on the good old sausage.

Autumn Fruit and Veg

The great variety of autumn fruit and veg on offer has both Maggie and Simon embracing the season.

Favourite Things

It's the last week of Autumn and Maggie and Simon are indulging as they showcase a few of their favourite things.

Rubbish Fish

Cape Jervis fisherman, Alan Robertson supplies our Cook and Chef with gummy shark and eagle ray, the catch you might have once thrown back, and Maggie and Simon show us why these cheaper fillets are worth a second look.

Oils Ain't Oils

Simon and Maggie go a long way to prove that oils just ain't oils as they demonstrate their use for flavour and texture in everything from pasta to pudding.

Catering for Different Diets

Maggie and Simon can't bear the thought of anyone missing out on one of life's great pleasures, good food, so they've come up with recipes to convince us that a gluten free diet doesn't have to be a boring one.

Planning

Preparing for Christmas in June is not the norm for most of us, but for Maggie and Simon it's the ideal time to plan ahead and 'put down' some ingredients to mature nicely for the festive season.

A German Influence

Maggie Beer is passionate about the Barossa Valley. She is a proud spokesperson and enthusiast for the area. Maggie and Simon use the Barossa's German heritage to influence their menus.

Winter and Chocolate

Maggie Beer and Simon Bryant show you how to use chocolate in ways that aren't all that bad for you. Maggie whips up an Almond and Prune Slab and Simon tempts taste buds with Chocolate Espresso Pots.

In The Hills

Old Favourites

Winter Comfort Food

Citrus

An English Theme

Kangaroo Island

A Sunday Roast

Spring has Sprung

Just Veg

Fresh or Frozen

Blondes have more fun

It's Offal

A Moveable Feast

Shellfish

Cooking with Friends

Bush Tucker

BBQ Party

Say Cheese

Holiday Picnic