Image: Rick Stein via Instagram
British culinary legend Rick Stein has been making his way through Adelaide’s food scene, delighting local chefs, cafe owners and long-time fans with a lowkey visit that’s generated plenty of excited chatter throughout the city’s hospitality circles.
The celebrated chef, restaurateur and TV presenter, who is best known for his global food and travel series and a lifelong devotion to fresh, simple seafood, confirmed he was back in Adelaide this week, sharing a nostalgic nod to his long-standing connection with the city’s Chinese food scene.
“Great to be back in Adelaide with @sasstein66 our memories of many trips here are the great Chinese food,” Rick wrote. “Lunch today at the BBQ City restaurant no exception-Szechuan Belly Pork, Empress Chicken and Pak Choi in garlic sauce plus lots of tea and rice and as Sas says a ginger beer which goes so well with Chinese food, Bundaberg of course.”
The post has already sparked excitement among local food lovers, with commenters saying “It’s been a while, fantastic to see you back here,” and another saying, “Welcome Rick & Sas awesome that you both made it to our glorious City of Radelaide.”
Rick’s visit also extended into our bustling cafe scene, with Zuma Caffe in Adelaide sharing a surprise encounter with the food icon strolling past their corner venue.
“What an absolute surprise today at Zuma Caffe — the legendary Rick Stein casually walking past our little corner of Adelaide,” wrote the Zuma team. “We’ve been watching Rick’s shows since the days of him travelling with his beloved dog Chalky, so seeing him in person was genuinely such an honour. A true gentleman and one of the great storytellers of food and travel.”
The cafe added that Rick may be filming around Adelaide and the Adelaide Central Market, a rumour that has only added to anticipation among traders and food fans alike.
“We’ve been watching Rick’s shows since the days of him travelling with his beloved dog Chalky, so seeing him in person was genuinely such an honour. A true gentleman and one of the great storytellers of food and travel.
“We hear he may be filming around Adelaide and the Adelaide Central Market, which makes perfect sense — there’s nowhere better to capture the spirit of South Australian food,” the post continued. “Thanks for stopping by our city, Rick. You made this cafe owner’s day.”
Rick, a CBE recipient and one of Britain’s most influential food figures, has built an empire spanning restaurants, cookbooks, television series and culinary travel storytelling. From The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, founded in 1975, to international ventures including his Australian outposts at Bannisters Mollymook and Port Stephens, Rick has long championed the philosophy that “nothing is more exhilarating than fresh fish simply cooked.”
His television career has taken him from Secret France to Road to Mexico, Rick Stein’s Cornwall and recently Food Stories, while his cookbooks continue to shape home cooking for audiences worldwide. And if Central Market rumours prove true, it seems Adelaide’s food story may soon feature in his next chapter.
For now, it’s clear the chef is exactly where he wants to be, back in a city he clearly remembers for its rich flavours, shared tables, and unforgettable bowls of Chinese food.
