Chef Sanjeev Kapoor sets out on an ‘Out of the World – Australia’ culinary expedition

Presented by Wonderchef, watch the series on ‘FoodFood’ every Friday starting December 18 at 9 pm

17 December 2015: Australia’s multicultural cuisine, vibrant cities and breathtaking natural landscapes have been captured in one fun-filled television series by India’s most loved Chef, Sanjeev Kapoor. Commencing airing on Friday, 18^th December at 9 pm, the show ‘Out of the World – Australia’ will see Sanjeev bringing alive the taste of Australia in his inimitable style as he travels on a food trail across the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. The first series of Out of the World was a super-duper hit, and the success has prompted the second in the series.

Through this show, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will take his passion for food out of the conventional kitchen and share with his viewers his love for travel and adventure. Besides savoring the flavors of the country’s best culinary experiences, cooking with Australian ingredients and alongside Aussie chefs, he will be seen indulging in some best of Australia tourism experiences. These include climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, cuddling koalas, feeding kangaroos, attending the Melbourne Food and Wine festival, taking a helicopter ride over the 12 Apostles, blending wines at the Barossa Valley, visiting the natural haven of Kangaroo Island, shopping at the popular Salamanca Markets in Hobart and much more.

In August 2014, Tourism Australia evolved its marketing campaign, ‘There’s Nothing like Australia’ to include a strong focus on exceptional food and wine experiences. In an effort to convert the appetite for Australia as a travel destination into more visits, this campaign was based on the idea of Australia being the world’s greatest restaurant, ‘Restaurant Australia’. A recently conducted study by Tourism Australia, the Consumer Demand Project, has revealed that a year since the launch of the Restaurant Australia campaign in India, Australia’s ranking as a good food and wine destination has moved from #7 in 2014 to #3 in 2015.

Talking about the show Chef Sanjeev Kapoor said, “The most interesting thing about food in Australia is that it’s blessed with remarkable produce from land and sea, combined with a climate that makes outdoor dining a pleasant reality nearly every day of the year. Food, wine and lifestyle are the articulation of Australian culture which lucidly defines its people”

He further added, “Australia is seen as the hub of global cuisine with influence of foods from every corner of the world. It has been a great adventure and an enriching journey to discover these beautiful destinations and cook some delectable cuisines that reflects Australia’s diverse culture. I am sure that the show will connect a cord with everyone who loves food.”

Conceptualizer and Director of the series, Mr. Runjiv Kapur of Performance Limited said, “Australia is a continent country that offers a kaleidoscope of experiences that make for a visual treat, gastronomical delight, holiday haven, cultural bonanza and a paradise where nature’s wonders abound! Working with Sanjeev as the incredible host of the show, we were able to capture his sheer enthusiasm and love for this beautiful island continent, such as is visible in every episode shot. Above all, the ‘sunshine’ spirit of the people of Australia warmed all our hearts. Tourism Australia left no stone unturned in creating an itinerary that took our dream team comprising Sanjeev and Alyona Kapoor, Deepa Kapur, Arjun Mehta, Parthiva Nag and myself on a fascinating journey of the most exciting sights, sounds and culinary destinations of Australia.”

Tourism Australia honored Chef Sanjeev Kapoor as a ‘Friend of Australia’ in 2014. This is a global advocacy led program aimed at celebrating bright and influential individuals, who have a large influence in Tourism Australia’s key international audiences, and who have an authentic affinity with Australia. While in Australia, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor met with Australian cricket icon Brett Lee, also a Friend of Australia, who makes a special appearance on the ‘Out of the World – Australia’ show.

Mr. Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager, India & Gulf, Tourism Australia said, “Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is the final authority on food in India and we are pleased with this opportunity to showcase Australia’s best gastronomic experiences through his journey, affirming Australia’s emergence as the food and wine capital of the world. The show provides a further boost to our ‘Restaurant Australia’ campaign in India. Research shows that tourists are known to travel on their bellies and the show is a fantastic medium for us to influence the audience to travel and replicate the experiences they see on television for themselves on their next holiday.”

Tourism Australia has witnessed record arrivals from India this year, making it the 8^th largest inbound tourism market for Australia. Total arrivals for the year ended September 2015 stood at 226,000; an increase of 19%. For the nine months to September 2015, Australia welcomed 170,000 visitors from India, a 21% increase relative to the same period of the previous year. For the year ended September 2015, Indian visitors contributed A$ 1.1 billion to the Australian economy; an increase of solid 34 per cent over the previous year.