Bronte Icon Hits Screens Across Australia

By Nicola Smith on March 1, 2021 in News

Handsome Devils. Photo: Yael Stempler

Two local filmmakers have teamed up with three chefs from Bronte’s Three Blue Ducks to take foodies across Australia in a new documentary series, airing on Channel 10 this month.
Three Blue Ducks follows chefs Andy Allen, Mark LaBrooy and Darren Robertson as they travel across Australia discovering new produce and local specialties, transforming them into dishes fit for any Eastern Suburbs upmarket eatery.
Series producer and creator Liam Taylor grew up in Bronte and said that the show was a great insight into the minds of three of Australia’s most creative chefs.
“Their business has really thrived since they started ten years ago, but they’re by no means massive, and I think that’s by design,” Mr Taylor explained.
“They’re very strict with their values, and that’s why we did a lot of workshopping to try and produce something authentic that represents who they are and what they stand for.”
Each episode follows the three chefs to a new part of Australia where they try new foods and create a dish based around them. The dishes are then trialled as part of their specials menu with the most successful dishes set to join the Ducks’ menu long-term.
Andy Allen, also a judge on MasterChef Australia, as well as a former contest winner, said that the trip produced plenty of culinary inspiration for the chefs.
“Having three weeks to just immerse ourselves in food, chatting about food, thinking about food and hanging out, produced some really amazing dishes that we wouldn’t have been able to make otherwise,” he told The Beast.
Three Blue Ducks began as a local café on Macpherson Street, Bronte and now boasts over five locations including Rosebery and Byron Bay, as well as multiple cookbooks and product offerings. They operate under a shared belief in delicious sustainable foods shared in a local community.
Mr Taylor’s co-creator and executive producer is Ben Davies, who is also the brains behind Bondi Rescue.
Their latest venture also emphasises the importance of telling Aussie stories.
“It’s so important to tell local stories. Three Blue Ducks is very aspirational, but also accessible and really grounded in strong values that a lot of Australians share like sustainability, supporting local businesses and getting into the outdoors,” Mr Taylor said.
Mr Allen said that the show has also helped forge the next stage in the Three Blue Ducks story, reminding them of the importance of enjoying the food they make for others.
“We will all make a really strong effort to catch up and explore, because the food that we make when we’re together is really different from when just one of us goes away to research. You can really see a piece of each of us in every dish,” he told The Beast.
Mr Taylor believes that it is the Ducks’ genuine love for food and each other that makes the show a great one to watch.
“The bottom line is they make unbelievably tasty food and are just such a laugh to be around, and people really connect with that,” Mr Taylor said.
Three Blue Ducks is produced by Ronde Media and is currently screening on Channel 10 on Saturdays at 7pm.