Cook off for Clipper Race chef at Albany Maritime Festival

Qingdao crew member and Clipper Race cook Lawrence Lingard has cooked up a dish inspired by the Indigenous Australians during a cook off with an Albany chef at the Clipper Maritime Festival.

Lawrence and Owen Cowdell, of the White Star Hotel, cooked using local seasonal and sustainable produce they chose at the Albany Farmers Market this morning.

Lawrence cooked nannygai fish, prawns, mussels and seasonal veg and served it with a local Mt Barker wine to crowds at the festival.

He chose to cook it in a bag as he was inspired by the Indigenous Australians who used to leave their food to cook in the ground in a fire slowly.

He said: “My idea came when I started thinking about how the native Australians used to cook their food in a parcel in the ground slowly over several days thousands of years ago. I also added a few contemporary twists in to the recipe which I have callef the taste of Western Australia.

“It has been inspiring and educational to work with Owen and find out more about sustainable, local and seasonal produce. We have a similar cooking style and I definitely will use what I have learnt when I return to my restaurant in London at the end of the race.”

Owen said working with Lawrence had given him new ideas. “It has been great fun to get out of the kitchen, have a look at Lawrence’s galley on Qingdao and see where he cooks.

“It has reinvigorated me and seeing the Clipper 70s has also made me want a new adventure.”

During his round the world journey, Lawrence is doing cook offs in each port with local chefs as part of his culinary adventure.