If there’s one dining event this year that will make you rethink everything you know about seafood, it’s this. On Saturday, 22 February 2025, the windswept beauty of the Coorong will set the stage for an extraordinary collaboration.
It’s between two of Australia’s most accomplished chefs. South Australia’s own Mark Best, the pioneer of modern Australian fine dining, is joining forces with Brendan Roach, chef behind the much-loved Kuti Shack, for a one-off feast celebrating the raw, unfiltered magic of the Southern Ocean and Ngarrindjeri country.
Kuti Shack, perched on the shores of Goolwa Beach, is famed for its connection to the natural environment, and it’s here that this duo will craft the kind of menus that don’t just tell a story—they sing it. With the sound of crashing waves as your backdrop and nothing but fresh, local ingredients on your plate, this isn’t just a meal—it’s an immersion into the Coorong and everything it represents.
A Collaboration Anchored in Respect and Passion
For Mark Best, the chance to cook alongside Brendan Roach is a long-awaited dream. Reflecting on their first meeting—appropriately enough, on a beach collecting pipis—Best shares his enthusiasm for the event.
“The Coorong is one of Australia’s most incredible places, and its produce is a gift to any chef. Since the first time I met Brendan, I’ve been looking forward to the rare opportunity to work together to craft a menu that honours the region’s culture, people and produce. The Kuti Shack is everything Australian dining should be, a true reflection of its time and place, and I can’t wait to be part of bringing more of its story to our guests.”
For Roach, the feeling is deeply mutual.
“To have Mark Best join me at our restaurant is an incredible honour. I have looked up to him throughout my career, so it’s an absolute privilege to stand at the stove beside him.”
This collaboration is not just a celebration of their culinary expertise but also the Coorong’s unique offerings—ingredients and traditions deeply intertwined with the land and sea.
A Menu that Speaks of the Coorong
The menu is where art and nature collide. Best and Roach have curated an experience that pays homage to the Coorong’s untamed beauty, its abundant seafood, and the wisdom of its Ngarrindjeri traditions.
Lunch diners will enjoy a relaxed long-table shared menu, featuring dishes like Brandade of Coorong Mulloway, tender Pippies with Spaghetti, and Mullet XO. For those opting for the evening experience, dinner moves towards “beach formal”, with a carefully paced six-course menu featuring both snacks and larger plates. Highlights include a buttery Abalone and Foraged Wild Greens Pasty, delicate Honey Fried Garfish with Vinegar and Aïoli, and Mulloway with Fish Milk and Fermented Potatoes.
It doesn’t stop at the food. Drinks are all-inclusive, featuring local craft beers, coastal-inspired distillations, and a hand-picked selection of wines celebrating the region’s best.
Locally Sourced, Sustainably Celebrated
This event is more than just a nod to the local food scene—it’s a full-blown love letter. The seafood on the menu is as fresh as it gets, arriving straight from the waters surrounding the Coorong, thanks to the expertise of local legends like Hoads Fisheries and the “Carp Whisperer” himself, Glen Hillier of Coorong Wild. The iconic Goolwa Pipi Co will provide sustainably harvested pipis. Few ingredients in the world carry a 19,000-year tradition of harvesting like these, making them more than just a culinary marvel—they’re a cultural symbol.
Adding another layer of connection to the landscape, indigenous foraged ingredients from Kuti Co such as coastal greens and native herbs will anchor each dish in the traditions of the Ngarrindjeri people, grounding the event in a profound respect for country.
The Coorong’s Influence on Dining
For diners, every bite will come with a sense of place. The Coorong’s expansive dunes, silver waters, and coastal flora are as much a part of the experience as the dishes on the table. Its influence is deeply felt by both chefs, inspiring menus that prioritise flavour, sustainability, and harmony with the region’s traditions.
Best explains, “Cooking in a place like this is a humbling experience. Everything you prepare feels as though it contains a piece of the land’s story.”
Roach echoes the sentiment. “The Coorong has always been at the heart of what we do at Kuti Shack—from pipis to fish, to the foraged greens—it all translates to a dining experience that couldn’t happen anywhere else in the world.”
Event Details
Too tempting to resist? Here’s everything you need to know to book your seat at this unforgettable table.
- Date: Saturday, 22 February 2025
- Time: Lunch at 12:30 PM | Dinner from 6:00 PM
- Location: Kuti Shack, Goolwa Beach, South Australia
- Price: Lunch $195 | Dinner $245 (includes food and drinks)
- Tickets: Available via Now Book It
This is more than a dinner; it’s a sensory exploration of the Coorong itself, a rare invitation to witness the magic of place and produce through the eyes of culinary greats. Whether you’re a seafood enthusiast, a fine-dining connoisseur, or someone who just wants to experience the profound connection between food and place, this event is calling your name.
Book now, and prepare to lose yourself in the Coorong’s raw, breathtaking beauty—one unforgettable dish at a time.