Three Blue Ducks has appointed Troy Crisante as Group Executive Chef ahead of its April opening in Burradoo, NSW. The project is set within Burradoo Park Farm, a 600-acre regenerative agritourism precinct backed by Annie Cannon-Brookes. The site has been developed as a working farm and hospitality destination, with Three Blue Ducks co-owners Darren Robertson and Andy Allen shaping the culinary direction alongside Crisante. The Burradoo experience The Burradoo offering will comprise three interconnected experiences. The Bakehouse by Three Blue Ducks will focus on long-fermented sourdough alongside pies, focaccias, pizzas, sandwiches and seasonal pastries. Meanwhile, The Farmhouse by Three Blue Ducks will operate as a relaxed café and produce store, showcasing Burradoo Park Farm’s own produce alongside local growers and makers including Moonacre Farm, Misty Valley Mushrooms and Honey Thief, with take-home breads, flowers, preserves and Ducks products also available. The flagship Three Blue Ducks Burradoo restaurant will sit within a restored farmhouse dating back to 1823, seating approximately 50 guests with a private dining room. The menu is currently in development and will feature between six and eight courses built around farm produce. Opening snacks will highlight individual elements of the farm, including smoked Burradoo Park beef, sour berry koshu and new season lamb with pasture and whey, while larger courses will follow a whole-animal philosophy. Meet Troy Crisante Crisante’s Italian heritage will subtly inform the menu through his approach to simplicity and respect for provenance. Raised in a close-knit Italian family, he grew up making salami, curing meats and producing tomato passata each summer. His career spans Quay, where he began as a fourth-year apprentice in 2012 and rose to Co-head Chef in 2019 under Peter Gilmore, as well as three-Michelin-starred The Ledbury in London and senior roles at Bennelong and Firedoor in Sydney. Robertson says the appointment is a natural fit for what the group is building at Burradoo. “Burradoo is about cooking good food, closer to where it’s grown, and telling that story in a way that feels honest and welcoming,” he says. “We’re working hand-in-hand with the farm and some great local producers, and that energy flows straight into the kitchen. Troy gets that. He’s serious about food, but he doesn’t overcomplicate it, and that’s very Ducks.” Crisante says: “There’s a real energy and openness to the group, and Burradoo is such an exciting project to step into.Being part of something that’s so connected to the land and community feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “Working alongside Darren and Andy on a project that’s so closely tied to the land is incredibly inspiring. I’m looking forward to creating something thoughtful and produce-driven that still feels warm and generous.” As Group Executive Chef, Crisante will also oversee menu development and kitchen direction across all Three Blue Ducks venues, strengthening sustainability initiatives and producer partnerships. In other news for the group, Stuart Toon, formerly of Rocker in Bondi, has been appointed General Manager of Three Blue Ducks Rosebery, where he will lead the ongoing evolution of the venue alongside group-wide service and training programs. Source: The Cru Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

Artisan chocolatier deliciously yours is marking Easter 2026 with two things worth knowing about: a new collection of hand-crafted Belgian chocolates and a free neighbourhood Easter egg hunt. The Amazing Egg Hunt The Amazing Egg Hunt takes place on Saturday, March 21, with teams starting at the Five Dock store at 2:15 pm before racing between selected local businesses, collecting clues and rewards along the way. The event is free, but registration is required and prizes include a hand-painted 1.3kg Belgian chocolate egg valued at $220 for first place, a 600g egg valued at $120 for second and a mixed Easter egg selection valued at $60 for third. All participants receive chocolate on return. The 2026 Easter Collection The collection, available now, spans a range of hand-crafted Belgian chocolate pieces. Highlights include: Origami Bunny ($30) – a hand-painted Belgian chocolate bunny available in dark, milk, caramel or white chocolate, each individually crafted and finished in delicate colour palettes Hand Painted Creme Eggs Gift Box ($40) – fine Belgian chocolate eggs with a white and golden cream centre, hand-painted and presented in a gift box Golden Rocher Hazelnut and Caramel Egg ($45) – filled with housemade salted caramel, crushed roasted hazelnuts and silky hazelnut praline, available in milk or dark chocolate Freckle Bunnies and Eggs ($20-$30) – Belgian mini chocolate bunnies and eggs sprinkled with hundreds and thousands Giant Hand Painted Easter Eggs – a 1.3kg egg ($220) featuring a detailed Peter Rabbit scene and a 600g egg ($120) with a pastel pattern design, both available for pre-order only and requiring seven days to make. Orders must be placed by March 21 for in-store collection. The full Easter collection is available online and in store. deliciously yours is located at Shop 4, 133 Great North Road, Five Dock, NSW and will be running extended trading hours across the Easter period. The store will be closed on Good Friday. Source: Curated Agency Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

New research from meal kit brand EveryPlate suggests Australians are losing patience with the viral taco trend, with most unwilling to queue, overpay or wade through garnish overload for the sake of a trending dish. The great coriander divide The coriander debate remains as divisive as ever. Nearly two-thirds of Australians (64%) would rather eat pineapple on pizza than coriander, while 24% say they’d rather step on LEGO than eat a taco topped with it. For the truly committed haters, 30% would rather eat a completely dry taco shell with no filling than tolerate even a sprinkle. Richard Lindel, a self-described coriander hater, sums it up. “To me, it tastes disgusting, almost like soap, and it doesn’t add anything to a taco. It’s my most hated herb,” he says. “I would rather eat pineapple on pizza than coriander. Actually, I would rather starve than eat a meal with coriander on it.” Viral tacos aren’t faring much better. Just 17% of Australians would wait more than 30 minutes for a social media-famous taco, while two-thirds (67%) refuse to queue that long for any taco, regardless of how trendy it is. Birria, one of the most hyped taco trends in recent years, also fails to impress, with one in five Australians (20%) saying it simply isn’t worth the wait. Rising prices are also reshaping attitudes, with 78% of Australians unwilling to pay more than $20 for a taco and just 9% prepared to pay more. What Australians actually want When it comes to what Australians actually want from a taco, the answer is fairly simple: tasty ingredients (71%), freshness (58%), easy to hold (52%) and not soggy (28%). Preferences are split on structure, with 29% favouring soft shell and 27% preferring hard shell. On flavour, 26% want spice while 23% prefer mild. Just 12% enjoy fusion tacos, suggesting classic flavours remain the preference for most. Lindel agrees. “I always see recipes for tacos that have so many ingredients and take too much time to cook,” he says. “We should go back to basics. I want simple tacos that taste good and are simple to put together.” The research was commissioned by EveryPlate in conjunction with Pureprofile and conducted online in January 2026, based on a nationally representative sample of over 1,000 Australians. Source: We Are Different Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Sydney restaurant The Botanica Vaucluse has completed its Coeliac Australia certification audit, making it one of the very few high-end venues in the country formally verified to operate a fully gluten-free menu. According to Coeliac Australia, one in 70 Australians live with coeliac disease, more than 350,000 people who must strictly avoid gluten for medical reasons. For this community, dining out carries real uncertainty. The term “gluten-friendly” remains loosely defined across much of the hospitality sector, leaving guests to navigate questions around cross-contamination and kitchen processes with little reassurance. The Botanica’s formal certification changes that. By completing the Coeliac Australia audit, the venue has demonstrated that refined, produce-driven dining and stringent dietary standards can coexist, giving guests with coeliac disease the confidence to eat without compromise. The Vaucluse restaurant was designed by globally awarded designer Evette Moran and sits within a garden-framed setting tucked away from the bustle of the city. The kitchen is led by Chefs Abby James, formerly of Quay, and Thai Sams, formerly of Bentley, with a farm-to-plate menu built around locally sourced ingredients and produce grown on-site. To mark National Coeliac Week, running from March 13 to March 20, The Botanica will donate $1 from every slice of its house-made gluten-free focaccia sold to support the coeliac community. The Botanica Vaucluse is open for lunch, dinner and private events at 2 Laguna St, Vaucluse. Source: Candid Communications Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.