The Wild Tastes of the Top End dining experience will offer unique foraging experiences and a curated menu that heroes local ingredients
Luxury Lodge of Australia’s Bamurru Plains is set to host a four-day ‘culinary safari’ in collaboration with renowned Australian chef and restaurateur, James Viles. Scheduled to take place 24th-27th March, Wild Tastes of the Top End offers a unique blend of foraging experiences and a curated menu featuring locally sourced produce and ingredients from Bamurru Plains.
Situated on the Mary River wetlands near Kakadu National Park, the wilderness safari at Bamurru Plains explores floodplains and woodlands while giving guests the opportunity to sample native ingredients such as green ants, wild honey, wattle seed, and locally caught Mary River barramundi. The event will be led by Chef James Viles and Bamurru Plains’ head chef, who share a commitment to sustainable cooking and nature-influenced food culture.
“James’ respect for sustainable food culture and his love of Australian native ingredients goes hand-in-hand with our ethos here at Bamurru Plains. We’re excited to see what dishes he creates for and with our guests in 2024,” said Bamurru Plains General Manager, Matthew Bowen.
Chef James Viles, a regular visitor to Bamurru Plains over several years, draws inspiration for his menus from the land. The culinary safari’s menu will feature dishes like roast wild duck with “floodplain findings”, slow-cooked buffalo rib, threadfin salmon pastrami, and crocodile katsu – all locally sourced.
“For me, the most exciting aspect of the Wild Tastes of the Top End experience is the vast and diverse amount of ingredients accessible in that part of Australia,” said James Viles. “It really is its own eco-system, and there’s no other way to be closer to Australia’s finest native and wild ingredients than at Bamurru Plains.”
Priced from $5,400 per person, the Wild Tastes of the Top Ends four-day itinerary offers bespoke menus, hands-on culinary experiences, guided wilderness experiences, three nights’ accommodation, all-inclusive meals and beverages, and return charter flights from Darwin to Bamurru Plains.