Luxury Lodges of Australia

Celebrated chef Guillaume Brahimi of two-hatted Guillaume at Bennelong restaurant will swap his Sydney Opera House residence for a Whitsundays kitchen at Hamilton Island’s first Great Barrier Feast (www.hamiltonisland.com.au/feast) event of 2012 on Friday 6 – Sunday 8 July.

Launching the third year of the intimate Great Barrier Feast series, Brahimi joins an impressive Australian line up of acclaimed chefs that have taken the helm in previous years including Peter Gilmore, Frank Camorra, Dan Hunter, Tetsuya Wakuda, Justin North and Ben Shewry.

Held at Hamilton Island’s luxury resort, quaila, (www.qualia.com.au) the weekend will showcase the best of the Whitsundays and Australian haute cuisine with gourmet-enthusiasts being treated to a once in a lifetime up close and personal weekend with leading culinary and wine making experts.

On the Friday evening, qualia‘s new executive chef, Alastair Waddell, will present an opening night welcome dinner with wines paired and discussed by celebrated wine expert James Halliday.  Two in-depth master classes will be offered the following day, leading up to Brahimi’s showpiece degustation dinner held in qualia’s breathtaking Long Pavilion.  Throughout the weekend esteemed restaurant critic Simon Thomsen will emcee the weekend.

Brahimi’s culinary prowess stems from his Parisian homeland where he worked at three-star Michelin restaurants, La Tour d'Argent and at Joel Robuchon’s Jamin, before immigrating to Australia. In late 2001, Brahimi took over the flagship restaurant at the Sydney Opera House, Bennelong, naming it Guillaume at Bennelong and meteoric accolades have followed.  He also owns Bistro Guillaume at Southbank’s Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne.

Honoured to launch this year’s Great Barrier Feast series, Brahimi said, “It is a real privilege to be able to celebrate the best of Australian cuisine in such a stunning location and swap my kitchen view of the Sydney Harbour for the Whitsundays Coral Sea. I’m also excited to work closely with Alastair since he was my Chef de Partie five years ago at my Melbourne restaurant Bistro Guillaume.”

It’s fitting that qualia’s new executive chef, Alastair Waddell, will make his Great Barrier Feast debut with Guillaume, a previous mentor. Alastair took the helm of qualia’s kitchens in December 2011 where he held the position of Sous Chef for nearly three years under the tutelage of qualia’s former Executive Chef, Jane-Therese Mulry.  Prior to qualia, Waddell was Chef de Partie at the two-hatted Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne.

At qualia, Waddell says his cuisine style is inspired by “the resort’s stunning island vistas and belief in creating menus that are light, fresh and healthy – always respecting the natural flavours and textures in the Whitsunday’s local produce.”

Luxury accommodation packages

Guests can choose between the below accommodation packages for the gourmet weekend which includes the ‘Welcome’ and ‘Showpiece’ dinners and tickets to both master classes.

Package inclusions consist of: two nights’ accommodation; breakfasts both days; ‘Welcome Dinner’ by qualia Executive Chef, Alastair Waddell; ‘Showpiece Dinner’ on Saturday night prepared by Guillaume Brahimi; tickets to both master classes; VIP chauffeur service; VIP return Hamilton Island Airport/Marina transfers and use of non-motorised watercraft.  *qualia packages also include the hire of a golf buggy. *Guests must be 18 years or over to attend the Great Barrier Feast event.

qualia package prices start from $1,695 per person, based on twin share.

Book: online; or contact the Luxury Specialist team by email:  or tel: 1300 780 959.