Stefano de Pieri – Chef/Restaurateur
Stefano de Pieri is famous for his cooking. As host of the acclaimed TV series A Gondola on the Murray, author of four culinary books, and the genius behind one of the country’s greatest regional restaurants, it might be assumed that he is all-consumed by the world of food.
He isn’t.
While his passion for food is unquestionable, his fervour for politics, the arts and the environment runs just as deep. Friend Max Gillies, who met Stefano after his arrival in Melbourne from Italy in 1974, has described him as a Renaissance man.
Despite living beside the Murray River for less than two decades, he has become an articulate and passionate advocate for the great inland waterway.
He successfully maintains the position of his Mildura restaurant Stefano's at the absolute forefront of Australian regional dining while also campaigning in State elections. Stefano waxes lyrical about the quality of local Mallee lamb, as one might expect from a food legend – but he goes on to explain the environmental implications of sheep farming before segueing into a historical analysis of CEW Bean's 1910 book The Wool Trail.
A Renaissance man indeed.
Wine and dine
'I like Trentham Estate winery. They have a great location on the river, 15 kilometres east of Mildura on the New South Wales side of the Murray, and they do a good job with their booze. I love the town of Echuca. Oscar W's Wharfside is a very good restaurant. Oscar W was the name of a paddleboat and the restaurant is located right next to the Echuca wharf. You can sit there and look at the river, and it is one of the really nice things to do. What's more, it is only two-and-a-half hours from Melbourne.'
Local delicacies
'Food is best when it doesn't have to travel far before it reaches the table. Wherever possible I use local produce. There is a huge variety along the Murray. For example, there are yabbies, Murray cod, Murray perch, native stuff in the river that is good to eat. Unfortunately they are diminishing in the Murray, but they are also being grown quite well commercially now so it is possible to have access to this stuff without going into the river. The dry fruit industry is a charming industry to me, and something major in our region. The citrus family always excites. It is an indispensable part of cooking. I use orange-peel and lemon-peel a lot. The citrus, dried fruit, the river: they are all part of the Murray food experience.'
Natural wonders
'The natural red gum forests along the Murray are all beautiful places to go. I highly recommend places like Koondrook-Perricoota Forest and Mallee Cliffs National Park. The Barmah Forest is an extraordinary place; I call it the Kakadu of the south. It is quite amazing the number of species of animals and vegetation there. It is a key repository of our natural heritage, marvellous to visit and explore, and a great place for what I call intelligent tourism. Lake Mungo is stunning, absolutely stunning. To my mind it is far more important than Uluru. It is of such historic importance. The Willandra Lakes system which dried up about 20,000 years ago was teeming with fish and animals, which meant thriving communities. Mungo documents the various transitions of experience so far, and possibly gives a clue to the future as well.'
On the river
'The Murray is such a great resource, and that includes its value as a recreation venue. I have a tiny boat with a timber hull which is probably more than 100 years old. It has been lovingly restored, it has a little roof for shade, and I love to go putt-putting up the river. The history of Murray navigation has a magic to it, I believe. The paddleboats and the work of the early captains is a fascinating chapter in the opening up of this land, and something a lot of kids don't know a lot about. It is important heritage.'
