It can be difficult to define Jo Barrett beyond the label of chef. She’s known as a pâtissier, charcutier, and cheesemaker. She was named a pioneer by 50 Next in 2021 (a part of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants), for her continued work in sustainability from the Future Food System project and Greenhouse by Joost, to publishing her book Sustain. She heads to Taste Great Southern as a co-founder of Wildpie, a producer of artisanal game pies at its most basic, but below the surface, a vertically integrated business that’s concerned with making pies with purpose. All meat used is from wild roaming, invasive species, like deer and wild boar.
“Doing things like Taste Great Southern and being able to go to a place and highlight the people, and what they’re doing, is, I guess what it’s always been about for me,” says Barrett. “I knew the hurdles that [producers] are up against, and I can see it’s getting harder and harder. Living regionally, I understand the fragility of it all.”
Part of Barrett’s recent journey was opening Little Picket in Lorne on the Great Ocean Road. There, inside a bowls club, she served a menu that was more than just seasonal, growing much of the vegetables used on a plot outside town or working with a small group of locals. “The importance of local and being able to support producers and get that food back to the local community, was important within that,” she says. “There’s all these crazy rules and regulations in place that mainly apply to scale, like big food, and it’s kind of pushing out small food,” she says of the corporate influence on the food system.
It’s these experiences and motivations that Barrett brings with her to the events she’s a part of. Chefs on the Green (Sunday 8th March, Lunch), is a chance to collaborate with West Australian chefs who have cooked in bowls clubs and similar civic locations. Joined by Jacob D’Vauz who previously did triple digit covers with Special Delivery at Doubleview Bowls Club and Corey Rozario of Dahl Daddys, now a roaming pop-up but previously of Margaret River Skate Park they’ll takeover Denmark Riverside Bowls Club.
Pouring at the event will be La Violetta, Brave New Wine and Express Winemakers, a part of the festivals strong wine presence. Barrett says to expect dishes from each of the trio and a game or two of barefoot bowls. “If you’ve cooked in a bowls club, you kind of understand some of the hurdles and also the joys that come with it,” says Barrett.
A signature event, Tides of Taste x Singlefile (Friday 6th March, Lunch / Dinner) at the Maitraya Private Retreat is a rare opportunity to see this historic homestead. A canapé style event, Barrett will collaborate with Evan Hayter (de’sendent), Paul Iskov (Fervor), and again Corey Rozario (Dahl Daddys). Using premium local produce, they’ll be backed up by the Leeuwin Coast Albany Rock Oyster Bar and a stellar regional selection from Singlefile and Boston Brewing Co. “I’m cooking with sardines, which I’m really looking forward to” says Barrett. “I’ll bring over a bit of Wildpie produce and I’m going to head to the market to see what else I can cook with.”
While Western Australia isn’t new to Barrett, the Great Southern is. Excited by what she’s seen and heard, the equation is always a simple one for her. It’s about people, place and produce. “I’m looking forward to getting down there, meeting the people and understanding what attracts them to live there, and then what the food of that place is.”
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