Great Barrier Feast - The Best of Australia Posted by Reef Magazine - 12 July 2013 It was foodie heaven, and the pursuit of excellence in all areas of fine dining, that brought together a unique weekend of food and wine tasting at the 2013 Great Barrier Feast. The Saturday night showpiece dinner, at qualia’s Long Pavilion, was a cook-off par excellence with Australia’s finest chefs each contributing to the seven course degustation, including Peter Gilmore, Dan Hunter and Alastair Waddell. All the action inside the kitchen was visible to the guests in the restaurant, via a live camera link up. Highlight of the event was qualia Executive Chef Alastair Waddell’s wagyu dish. He came out of the kitchen to do the finishing touches, with Waddell visible to all guests in the plumes of white smoke that filled the restaurant, which added a beautiful “woodsy” aroma – and some real foodie theatre. The outstanding wines were selected by the expert palate of James Halliday, although the tasting notes were almost poetry enough. About the Author 'REEF Magazine – Hamilton Island & the Great Barrier Reef' is a magazine that showcases all that Hamilton Island has to offer, from events, to an exciting array of activities, attractions and more. You can pick up your complimentary copy of 'REEF Magazine' at any Hamilton Island hotel, and you can also access some of our feature articles right here on The Island Blog.