A passion for working with local ingredients has driven the success of husband and wife team Jen and Alex Cameron’s Water Street Kitchen.
And it’s that special mix of passion and local produce that is set to be served up as part of two popular Taste Bundaberg Festival events.
The Bundaberg Region is home for Jen which is why the pair decided to raise their family here.
For acclaimed Gold Coast chef Alex, it turned out to be a positive career move too, leaving him with the ability to offer a unique dining experience.
“I’d say that the experience they get in Bundaberg, I doubt they’d be able to recreate anywhere else, definitely not in the capitals,” Alex said.
“The connection that you can get in Bundaberg and the relationships you can form – even from a tourist point of view – you’ll create connections with producers and farmers and restauranteurs.”
The region has also presented an unexpected opportunity for Alex to expand his skillset.
“I have a very strong beef and steak background and when I first came here I didn’t really know what to do because it’s lots of vegetables,” Alex laughed.
“But I’ve learnt to hero them and let them shine on the plate, just keep it simple and let those ingredients speak for themselves.”
In just a few short years Water Street Kitchen has become an icon of the Bundaberg food scene.
Walking into the boutique restaurant Jen welcomes guests “with open arms” and Alex said it was like inviting extended family into their own dining room.
“We create the menus together, the wine lists, the cocktails.
“Everything we do we do together as a team.”
Fresh ingredients from the Bundaberg Region and surrounds hero in every creation the pair presents, from the food on the plate to the syrups and garnishes in the cocktails.
Alex said Taste Bundaberg Festival’s Water Street Kitchen Long Lunch had become a trademark of the region’s culinary calendar.
“Each year has a different spin however, we are most excited about continuing to hero our local farmers, producers and suppliers,” he said.
“We work very closely with a number of local growers, producers and suppliers all year round, and we look forward to showcasing their seasonal produce in this year’s festival.
“Having produce arrive from passionate growers and farmers makes our job incredibly easy when they too share your enthusiasm and love for the food industry.”
Recently welcoming their second child into the world, it is fitting that Alex and Jen will this year cater one of Taste Bundaberg Festival’s most popular events for all ages.
“We are thrilled to be this year’s caterer for Farm Flavours Picnic,” Alex said.
“This is a different style of event for us and we are excited to bring our local produce to a more family orientated event.”
Other stories: Meet local farming families at the Taste Farmers Market
