Australian celebrity chef and restauranteur, Matt Moran, has been appointed as a ‘culinary ambassador’ for Accor Stadium and CommBank Stadium.
The agreement with Venues NSW, which owns and operates Accor Stadium in Sydney and CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, will see Moran, who has a career spanning over 30 years in the Australian food industry, hold a wide-ranging brief to enhance the food and beverage experience at the venues.
This will commence in earnest with the NRL Grand Final, the rugby league showpiece which was last month confirmed for Accor Stadium on October 2. Venues NSW CEO, Kerrie Mather, said the partnership with Moran would continue the network-wide transformation of the match-day experience for members and corporate partners.
“This is an important step in expanding NSW’s world-leading hospitality offerings into our major stadiums,” said Mather. “I can’t wait to see Matt and his team deliver the best food and beverage experiences at NSW’s biggest sporting events and concerts.”
Daryl Kerry, CEO of the two stadia, said that as well as the match-day corporate and member experience, the big winners from the venture will be the non-event day functions and events at the venues. Moran will also work on feature food items in the general admission areas of the venues at major events including the Grand Final.
Kerry said: “Matt Moran is an Australian food icon who has a real passion for delivering exceptional culinary experiences and we believe he can help us achieve a new level of in-stadium food offerings while showcasing the best of NSW produce.”
Moran, who has a number of awards and best-selling cookbooks to his name, is also the owner of some of Australia’s most celebrated dining establishments, including Aria Sydney, Chiswick, Chophouse, Barangaroo House, North Bondi Fish, Opera Bar, River Bar & Kitchen in Brisbane, Crafted by Matt Moran, Opera Kitchen and The Rockley Pub.
With a rural upbringing on a classic Aussie dairy farm, Moran still runs a property in the Central Tablelands of NSW, which supplies beef and lamb to his restaurants. He was the pioneer of “paddock to plate” philosophy in Australia.
Moran said: “Food, farm and family are the three most important things for me in life – footy might come in fourth – but it’s my love for quality, seasonal and locally sourced produce that drives me to keep creating exceptional food experiences.
“I love the diversity of our landscape and fantastic produce that we have to work with. The quality and the variety is something we’re known for. Each stadium will be showcasing this seasonally within its food offerings.
“For Grand Final Day at Accor Stadium, there will be a tender chargrilled harissa Bannockburn chicken and slow-roasted Moran family lamb shoulder on the menu.
“The team at Accor Stadium is already committed to sourcing locally grown, fresh food which is delivered by incredibly talented chefs – so I can’t wait to share some of our ideas and offerings and lift the stadium food offering further.”
Image: Accor Stadium
