Celebrity chef Massimo Mele has inspired Tasmanians to get creative with the island’s produce and level-up their healthy home cooking at a delicious demo ahead of the Taste of Summer festival.
St Lukes hosted the free demonstration and Q&A at its Hobart wellness hub as an appetizer for this year’s Taste event – a festival which celebrates the best of Tasmania’s culinary culture and extraordinary produce.
St Lukes CEO Paul Lupo said empowering people to create delicious and nutritious meals goes a long way in fulfilling their vision of making Tasmania the healthiest island on the planet.
“Our wellness hubs were designed with one goal in mind – to make every Tasmanian’s health journey a little easier,” he said.
“One of the things the community has asked for in this space is nutritional advice and help with healthy eating.
“There’s no one more inspiring to learn that skill from than chef Massimo Mele, who’s so passionate about creating delicious food made from Tasmania’s exceptional fresh produce.”
Born in Tasmania and raised in Naples, Mele grew up with food and cooking at the centre of the home. Now settled back in Tasmania, the Culinary Director of Peppina and Grain of the Silos, TV chef and no-waste ambassador is a big believer that nourishment starts in our own kitchens.
“By teaching simple ways to prioritise fresh, local ingredients at home, it’s my goal to inspire Tasmanians to create food that is not only delicious and enjoyable, but also has a big impact on their health and wellbeing,” Mele said.
Mele also spoke to participants about commonly wasted foods, providing tips on how to eat seasonally and make fresh produce go as far as possible.
“As we head into summer, there is amazing produce coming into season such as apricots and cherries, Swiss chard and tomatoes,” he said.
“Food that is in season tastes better, it’s more nutrient-dense and it’s also at its best price.”
St Lukes hosts a range of informative nutrition sessions out of its wellness hubs in Hobart and Launceston throughout the year, giving Tasmanians the chance to learn from experts and gain practical insights and skills.
“We believe the key to achieving a healthier Tasmania lies in prevention—and that starts with the simple, everyday choices we make, like what we put on our plates,” Mr Lupo said.
St Lukes is partnering with Tasmania’s Taste of Summer festival for the second year running, with a focus on creating a healthy festival environment that’s smoke-free, family friendly, and encourages nutrition and connection.
Contact: Jacquie Ray, Timmins Ray Public Relations: 0429 683 773 | jacquie@timminsray.com.au