Food & Travel

I was recently asked to say a few words about my time in Laos for a magazine bio. For me Luang Prabang is such a rewarding place for travellers because of the Mekong, the Monks and the food. I love that the morning market is still full of banana leaves and bamboo instead of plastic. I love that 100m from the most important temple in Luang Prabang there's a french patisserie serving kouign-amanns and cheesy croissants. I love that you can eat Nem Khao (rice crepes filled with pork and onion served with fish sauce and crushed peanuts) on the back streets of Luang Prabang for just $2 and it will be the best meal of the day. I love that there are no loud drunken Aussies ruining the joint like they do most elsewhere in South-East Asia that has a beach or a bar :)

Just an hour by boat from downtown Auckland is Waiheke and a few thousand gourmet lovers. A handful of lovely restaurants, a dash of fine wines and some quirky little coffee carts help add character to the stunning scenery. I loved my short stay here and want to go back. Big thanks to the boys at The Boat Shed for their hospitality, and the dolphins who came to wave goodbye when I departed.

Tamarind is the name of my favourite restaurant in Luang Prabang. This is where I first came to learn about smokey eggplant jeeow and the best lemongrass and ginger cooler in Laos. Additional treats such as the lemongrass chicken and fish amok sealed the deal. Every now and then they run cooking classes out on the edge of town, starting with a trip to market. Yummy.

The rural landscape of Victoria has been a haven for me and my photography in recent years, and my most recent trip to Rutherglen has reminded me of what makes the North-East of Victoria so special. Very old families making very good wines, but in a modern context and complimented with great cuisine and produce. Rutherglen also offers a beautifully flat horizon at sunset, with uninhibited access to the last gasp of light. Long shadows and deep reds, and some real gems for visitors who want a little pampering.

This city has a unique gift for photographers. Gorgeous architecture on a grand scale becomes the backdrop for a very human drama. NYC is about the people first and foremost, and when you walk the streets here nobody gives a brass monkey about you or your camera. You are invisible. There are so many tourists with cameras in this city that nobody pays the slightest attention to one more photographer. I love it.

A few hundred years of Portuguese rule has done little to divert the deep rooted Chinese traditions of Macau. The casinos have a more potent presence than the colonial architecture or cuisine. It's the wanton soups, dim sum and morning markets that most caught my eye in these islands.

Castles and Chardonne are what you can expect to find on the shore sof Lake Geneva. French influences with Swiss culture to make the Lavaux region a playground for the wealthy. Just a short train ride from European captials, the Lavaux region is equally a pleasure for passing travellers. These images were shot on assignment in 2011.

I wasn't actually there last night, but it was my last night. After a decade of travelling across China in search of yummy food and pretty pictures this journey may have been my last on tour. Inspired by the delicious culinary journeys of great chefs who have also visited Xi'An I share my last night in the delightful chaos of the Muslim Quarter.

This set is inspired by Dani Venn, who happened to mention the words 'food photography' but was likely refering to something a little more delicious than photos of dal bhat at a truck stop. But the food of Nepal is beautiful in its own way. Apple pancakes in the Annapurnas is still my favourite dish.

Getting lost in the lanes and discovering a foie gras farm off the map is one of life's great joys. Dordogne is just brimming with lovely towns. Some are very small with a chapel and a few dozen houses surrounding, others are large with a pedestrian old town to help preserve the architecture. All of them have at least one if not a dozen chateaux to add a touch of elegance and grandeur to the location. Many towns are built on the apex of dramatic cliffs, hills or mountains which adds to their photogenic nature.

Indulgence is the theme for a long weekend in country Victoria, surrounded by some of the best produce in the state. Fine dining, great wines and lovely company. Indulgence meets inspiration as we spend the long weekend photographing dishes and ingredients, at the farm and in the kitchen.

One of the great treasures of rural Australia is the heritage of Italian migrants that lies hidden in North-East Victoria. It's not just food and wine, it's generations of traditional lifestyles and lovely people. This is where you find outstanding Prosecco. Dal Zotto is also where you can enjoy food equal to the wines. When can I go back please?

Maison-Souvannaphoum once belonged to the royal family in Laos. Today it's a peach of a resort just on the edge of the historical town of Luang Prabang. We used this stunning backdrop for a photography shoot with a difference, taking one of our food-photography workshops here to enjoy and photograph. Here's a quick preview of what we went home with in the camera.

More than just a cooking school, The Agrarian Kitchen is an inspiration to change your life. Rodney and Severine grow their food, milk the goats and live a sustainable existence in the hills outside of Hobart. Chestnut trees. Pigs. Asparagus. Loganberries. Pears. There's so much depth to their story that a short introduction will always fall short by miles. Checkout their website and do your best to get a booking on one of their cooking schools. Or join myself and Iron Chef Shellie for next years Food Photography Workshop in Hobart, featuring the Agrarian Kitchen and all that makes Tasmaina wonderful.