Food truck pioneer recognised at food and wine Legend awards

It's a stellar collection of names, the members of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival hall of fame. And joining luminaries such as Alla Wolf-Tasker, Paul Bocuse, Stephanie Alexander and Antonio Carluccio are this year's Legends: Brown Brothers winemaker Ross Brown; MoVida chef and restaurateur Frank Camorra; Seven Seeds, Paramount Coffee Project and coffee farm co-owner Mark Dundon; China-based Melbourne chef and restaurateur Michelle Garnaut; and Epicure wine writer Jeni Port.

Melbourne food truck pioneer Rafael Rashid of Beatbox Kitchen and Taco Truck received the 2014 HOSTPLUS Trailblazer Award for opening up a new path of opportunity. Receiving the award, Rashid said his success could only have happened in Melbourne. For the first few months they opened only one day a week and sometimes sold only burgers, "but I knew the people of Melbourne would eventually come out and support this, and they did."

Frank Camorra opened MoVida almost 11 years ago and now has several restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney. "But it feels like the I've only been in the industry a short time," Camorra said.
He says he's honoured by the acknowledgment, which he hopes will encourage young chefs. "Hopefully they'll see that you can make a great career in this industry without having to sell your soul and can cook the food you want to."

The Legends program was launched in 1993 to acknowledge the contributions of Victoria's food and wine visionaries. Since then, almost 100 people have been recognised. Many previous inductees attended Monday's ceremony, including French chef Philippe Mouchel (2007), cooking teacher Elizabeth Chong (1993), former Sunnybrae owner-chef George Biron (2001), and Donovans' Gail Donovan (2004).

This year, festival organisers have introduced a scholarship for someone aged between 18 and 30 working in the food, wine and hospitality industry. The program offers experience in three restaurants or wineries overseas, international flights, $2000 and a year-long mentorship with a Melbourne Food and Wine Legend. Applicants must submit a short video online at melbournefoodandwine.com.au/industry/scholarship. Submissions close April 23.