Culinary Stars Showcase

Culinary Stars is returning to Citrique Restaurant from 7 to 10 October, 2024.

The four-day program will take diners on a journey of Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Each night will be an in-depth culinary journey through one of the elements, where diners will have a chance to experience different chefs’ interpretations of the element as they come to life on the plate before them.

Led by Executive Chef Paul Smart and his culinary team Executive Sous Chef Selva Gopalakrishnan, Head Pastry Chef Richard Kim and Sous Chef Emir Kusbeci, this year’s program draws together celebrated chefs from Marriott Internationals’ best restaurants around Australia and Asia, who will use famed produce from their own regions to recreate their signature dishes.

Diners will be able to sample dishes from an impressive lineup of chefs including:
Matthew Bentley, W Sydney Executive Sous Chef (home to contemporary Australian restaurant BTWN);
Hajime Horiguchi, W Melbourne Head Chef (home to Omakase restaurant Warabi);
Pawel Klodowski, W Brisbane Chef de Cuisine (home to playful New York inspired grill The Lex);
Stephen Cocks, The Ritz-Carlton, Perth Executive Sous Chef (home to modern open grill restaurant Hearth);
Joon Ko, JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa Executive Chef (home to The Flying Hog and Yeoumul)

Monday, 7^th October

• Four-Course Dinner at 6pm – $129 per person. $39 wine pairing
• Reservations available here
• A menu dedicated to Air, diners will see how aeration is an integral part of the preparation process for the buttered mini crumpets and the carefully whisked prawn emulsion served with the Fraser Isle spanner crab salad, Avruga caviar and polonaise sauce. They will also taste the light-as-air texture of the Raspberry soufflé, pistachio ice cream with white chocolate sauce.

Tuesday, 8^th October

• Five-Course Dinner at 6pm – $139 per person. $49 wine pairing
• Reservations available here
• Fire will take centre stage with a Charcoal grilled Wagyu and Brown butter rock lobster touched by flames from an open grill, whilst a Charred lemon sorbet raspberry bomb with Amalfi limoncello and smoked macadamia is a dessert of the utmost theatrics with live flames to enhance both flavour and presentation.

Wednesday, 9^th October

• Six-Course Dinner at 6pm – $149 per person. $59 wine pairing
• Reservations available here
• A menu drawing inspiration from Water, with a seafood-driven menu featuring produce from nearby shores including Kelp saké infused abalone with barley risotto and sautéed mushrooms, and Cured Ora king salmon with cucumber ketchup, Yarra Valley salmon caviar, Pepe Saya buttermilk, blackened cucumber and sea herbs.

Thursday, 10^th October

• Seven-Course Dinner at 6pm – $159 per person. $69 wine pairing
• Reservations available here
• Paying homage to one of the Earth’s most prized resources and the namesake of the city the program was born in – gold. Westholme Wagyu striploin MBS 9+ with local mushrooms, red miso butter, black garlic, kombu beef essence and potato tuile incorporates the fruits of the underground with a gold-level prized cut of Wagyu. Showing how the reef is an extension of the Earth, Grilled local reef fish with macadamia crumb, braised endive, citrus beurre blanc and pickled butternut squash will be a yellow-hued Goldband Snapper. Delucy turmeric latte sponge, espresso soft crème with gold nugget will be a show stopping dessert to finish the evening.