Sicilian-born chef Lorena Corso will be joining Lyons Will Estate at Lancefield for a series of pop-up lunches this month.
Meant as a food and wine experience, the lunches are inspired by the down to earth culinary experiences of Sicily and southern Italy where locally sourced produce is served alongside wine tastings.
Lorena will be cooking six small shared plates of Sicilian style food, which will be matched to a tasting flight of Lyons Will wine.
“Ultimately our passion for wine comes from how it is married to food. Be it with friends or family, our values are firmly centered around the table and not many places do it better than Sicily,” Renata Morello of Lyons Will Estate said.
“Of course Renata’s southern Italian heritage also plays a significant role in how we see our wines and food coming together,” added Lyons Will Estate’s Oliver Rapson.
Lorena Corso, of Napier Quarter, first crossed paths with Lyons Will Estate in the autumn of 2021 when she created a spectacular long lunch celebrating the food of her Sicilian heritage for 30 lucky participants.
Lorena was born and bred in Sicily and arrived in Australia in 2017 after nine years working in diverse venues across London (though without any formal experience as a chef when she started).
In Melbourne she worked under Scott Pickett at Estelle in Northcote and at Anchovy in Richmond before moving to Napier Quarter in the quiet back streets of Fitzroy.
She loves cooking simple, fresh food from her homeland, foods that spark memories of eating with her family.
During the lockdowns of 2021, Lorena embraced cooking outdoors and particularly cooking over charcoal, holding a number of casual open-air lunches on the streets of Brunswick.
She’ll be bringing this flair for the great-outdoors to Lyons Will Estate in February, with a mouthwatering menu planned, cooked over coals and served among the vines.
“A lot of cooking is behind closed doors, and so I enjoy the fact that people can see what I do. And I think that one of the best ways to experience Sicilian food is alongside charcoal, flame and smoke. It enhances the flavours,” Lorena explained.
Winemakers and vignerons Oliver Rapson and Renata Morello are committed to growing and making premium cool-climate wine from the varietals pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling and gamay.
Renata and Ollie are driven every day by the satisfaction that comes with sharing the fruits of their labour with friends, family and customers. And what better way to present their wines than accompanied by beautiful food.
Lorena Corso will be holding lunches at Lyons Will Estate on February 5, 6, 19 and 20.
First seating at 11.30am. $65 per person for six small courses, matched to a tasting flight of Lyons Will Estate wine (including a number of sold out wines). Bookings via lyonswillestate.com.au/events
