It was the tastiest, and one of the most popular sites at the Wild Deer, Hunting, Guiding and Fishing Expo, that’s because hunting and gathering is ultimately all about putting something special on a plate.

Game chefs Daniel Airo-Farulla (Merchant Osteria) and Riccardo Momesso (Ferrovia) took over the game kitchen, entertaining audiences with their flair for simple, delicious dishes.

Daniel opted for a venison ragout as a way for hunters to use tougher cuts of meat.

“I used some back leg and a shoulder which is just diced into cubes,” he said.

“It is a really hearty rich style ragout which we served with chunky Paccheri pasta.”

Nobody in the crowd put their hand up when Riccardo Momesso asked if anyone had attempted venison carpaccio. He then proceeded to demonstrated how simple it is to make.

“There’s only one way to eat those primal cuts, you cut the back strap out, let is sit in the cool room to dry out a bit and then slice it as thin as possible,” he said.

“Salt, pepper, olive oil and a wild mushroom dressing made from rehydrated mushrooms is enough to cook it slightly and then you eat it on some toasted crostini, it is fantastic.”

The second dish from Australia’s game guru was a simple venison schnitzel.

Venison sausages are a regular for many deer hunters but for the uninitiated, avid hunters Dwayne “Cramer” Peel and Col Brumley, assisted by supplies from The Artisans Bottega unravelled the not so dark art.

Dave Fent and the team from Aussie Hunting Adventures demonstrated the most important step in preparing venison, breaking down the carcass to get the most from the animal. Dave also shared his knowledge of caping so hunters can present the taxidermist with a trophy fit for mounting.

The Wild Deer Expo returns to Bendigo in February 2020, wild food will, once again, play an integral role.