Taste Great Southern (May 1-4, 2025) will be a culinary journey unlike any other, showcasing the exceptional produce and vibrant culture of WA’s Great Southern region. This year’s festival, themed “Wander with the Wild,” will feature 20 new and exciting experiences.
Leading this culinary adventure is an exceptional team of chefs, each bringing a unique and distinctly wild perspective. Renowned visiting chef Mark LaBrooy, known for his innovative approach to Australian cuisine and sustainable hunting practices, joins forces with celebrated Western Australian talents Paul “Yoda” Iskov of Fervor, Evan Hayter of de’sendent (winner of WA Good Food Guide’s New Restaurant of the Year), Brian Cole of Hearth (WA Good Food Guide’s 2024 Young Chef of the Year), Blaze Young of Niew Ruin (WA Good Food Guide 2025 Chef of the Year), George Cooper of Tiller Farm and Albany royalty Amy Hamilton of Liberte. Their collaboration promises a truly distinctive dining experience that celebrates the Great Southern’s exceptional fresh produce and traditional bush foods, highlighting the region’s unique culinary identity through innovative techniques and exciting pairings.
Mark LaBrooy states, “I’ve never been to WA, so getting the chance to explore a new region and create a few dishes from some incredible local produce with other great chefs sounds like nothing but a good time to me.”
Paul “Yoda” Iskov, Head Chef of Fervor, adds, “The Great Southern is a place where the land and sea meet in such a raw and powerful way—rugged coastlines, towering forests, and produce that’s shaped by its environment. I spent five years living in Albany, and it’s where I first decided I wanted to be a chef. It’s a region that invites you to slow down, to take in the elements, and to truly connect with what’s around you. There’s nowhere else quite like the Great Southern, and I can’t wait to bring people together over a meal that celebrates everything that makes this place so special.”
Evan Hayter adds “I’m lucky enough to live and work in the southwest and we have so much. Then you have the Great Southern… The diversity there is unparalleled. I absolutely love every chance I get to get across and I’m looking forward to be surrounded by the people of the great Southern. There is such a genuine sense of place within the community, everyone absolutely loves where they live and what they grow, it’s so damn good!”
Iskov and Hayter will collaborate with LaBrooy, Hamilton, Young and Cole at Tides of Taste at Maitraya on both Friday 2 and Saturday 3 May.
Taste Great Southern 2025 offers a range of experiences, catering to every taste, from wine tasting and seafood feasts to hiking adventures, educational masterclasses and exclusive soirees.
Signature events not to miss:
- Tides of Taste (Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd May)
- Journey Through the Vines (Saturday 3rd May)
- Taste Market (Sunday, May 4th)
- Wander with the Wild – Sunrise Breakfast Hike (Friday 2nd May)
- Meat its Makers at KM Farm Manypeaks (Sunday 4th May)
Taste Great Southern 2025, with its new four-day format and fresh new look, aims to reestablish itself as a premier culinary destination event in WA’s event calendar.
For updates and more information, visit tastegreatsouthern.com.au and follow @tastegreatsouthern
Taste Great Southern is proudly supported by Tourism WA, Australia’s South West, City of
Albany, Leeuwin Coast, Mt Barker Chicken, Boston Brewing Co., Heyscape Tiny Cabins and
Great Southern Development Commission and is powered by AHOY Management.
Media Contact
Erin Molloy
Ahoy Management
Ph: 0404 073 580 E: erin@ahoymanagement.com
Or
Lucy Belbin
Ahoy Management
Ph: 0411 577 734 E: : lucy@ahoymanagement.com