5 Minutes With…..Matt Okine

What are you looking forward to most about coming to Margaret River Gourmet Escape?

By all accounts – I’ve heard Gourmet Escape is the best food and wine festival in Australia. It’s like the Splendour in the Grass of eating and drinking. And to get such an opportunity in one of the world’s most beautiful settings…? This is a no-brainer. Where is my fork?? I’m digging in.

Your TV show ‘Short Cuts to Glory: Matt Okine vs Food’ saw you embark on a culinary journey to improve your cooking skills, what was your favourite dish you learnt how to prepare?

Neil Perry’s advice on how to cook a simple fillet of fish is something I will take to the grave. Practical, easy, and efficient. Without a shadow of a doubt, a dish I’ll be making week-in, week-out for years to come. (Oh, but also – Giovanni Pilu throwing a knob of butter into his bolognese right at the end…? SOLD).

Do you consider yourself a knife-wielding novice or a meal-making maestro?

To be honest, I’m somewhere in between. I cook more than you’d expect. And working on Shortcuts to Glory definitely taught me a lot. Tell you what – if you buy the ingredients, I’ll do the cooking and you can see for yourself.

Your repertoire is extensive; comedian, actor, rapper, radio presenter – which string of your bow would you do for the rest of your life if you could only choose one?

Why does my bow only have one string now? Who is vandalising my bow?? This is very concerning…

Margaret River is known for its stunning landscapes, but where is the most amazing place you’ve had the opportunity to explore?

I was in Iceland recently and did the Golden Circle tour. I felt like a fool because I was by myself, but I couldn’t stop smiling. It was seriously ace.

Who in your life inspires you to follow your passions and learn new things?

My mum passed away when I was quite young, and that taught me not to waste time doing things for other people and to just do what you wanna do.

What is your favourite cuisine, and why?

I absolutely love dumplings and hand-pulled noodles. Can’t get enough. I even follow that @liftingnoodles page on Instagram. It’s just pictures of noodles, but hot-damn it’s beautiful.

The sun is shining, we are in beautiful Margaret River, what are you sipping on?

I’m loving skin-contact whites at the moment. Real cloudy. Solid funk. I know they’re considered an abomination by some wine-lovers, but I’m a sucker for a trend.

It’s time to party, what song is guaranteed to get you to the dancefloor?

A lot of wine. That’s really the only thing that gets me dancing. If I’ve had enough to drink, I’ll dance to the sound of a bus with loud brakes. I don’t care.

What is your guilty food pleasure?

Chips. Bags and bags of chips. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about chips. From a packet or hot ones. Seriously, I’m wrist-deep in a bag as we speak.

If you could collaborate with any chef in the world, who would it be?

Look – There was a time in my life, fresh out of acting school, where I didn’t have a job, and I spent all-day, every-day watching cooking shows on TV. So… because of that… I’m gonna have to say Iain “The King” “Huey” Hewitson.

Who would be your ideal dinner party guests, dead or alive?

The Australian Dishwashing Champions of 2017. I’m just such a huge fan of what they do…