Chef Exchange, a unique television series showcasing the best of South Australian food and the regions, is set to reach a potential audience of up to 90 million when it airs on China’s Shandong-based Qingdao TV (QTV) from early April.
The four-part series is expected to have significant spin-off benefits for South Australia’s food and tourism sectors, while strengthening the State’s highly valued ties with the Shandong region.
A rare Australian-Chinese co-production, Chef Exchange is a culinary adventure featuring renowned Adelaide chef Jock Zonfrillo and Shandong chef Qu Jianmin.
The series of 30 minute episodes follows the two high-profile chefs as they explore each other’s food, culture and customs and take the viewer on a journey from producer to plate.
Chef Exchange was filmed on location across South Australia including the Barossa Valley, Port Lincoln and throughout the City of Adelaide and Qingdao, Shandong Province in China. Showcasing South Australia’s pristine regions will help put the State’s tourism destinations on the map in Shandong.
South Australian Film Corporation Chief Executive Annabelle Sheehan said the series will serve up the best of South Australia to millions of Chinese viewers in the Shandong region.
“Chef Exchange is a production with benefits for South Australia across multiple industries including primary production, tourism, trade, arts and the local screen industry.
“The South Australian Film Corporation is pleased to have worked with Qingdao TV executives in early stage discussions and to have been able to support this innovative Australia-China co-production.”
“We also value the backing of the SA Tourism and other partners of the project.”
Chef Exchange was produced by South Australian production company 57 Films, with up to 15 local crew employed to work on the project along with the support of a local crew in Shandong.
South Australian primary producers featured in the series include Boston Bay Wines, Ferguson Australia Lobster, Hutton Vale Farm and Seppeltsfield Winery.
Arts Minister Jack Snelling said the production celebrates and strengthens the valuable 30-year sister city relationship between Adelaide and Qingdao, which also benefits South Australia and the wider Shandong region.
“Bringing together two great chefs from each capital city, in a Chinese-Australian co-production, is an exciting example of the strong economic and collaborative opportunities which have developed between us.
“The dedicated airtime Chef Exchange devotes to telling South Australia’s stories to millions in Shandong is of immeasurable value and achieves a level of credible exposure for SA produce and regions which could not be duplicated through, for example an advertising campaign.”
Chef Exchange will air on Qingdao TV from early April and discussions are also underway with local broadcasters to secure a South Australian screening for the series.
