New UK food TV show to work up an appetite for travel down under

'Jimmy's Australian Food Adventure', presented by farmer and food expert Jimmy Doherty, launched on More4 on 1 March and explores 'the unexpected and inspirational' tastes and foods of South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

The three episode series follows Jimmy as he discovers Australia's wild plants and foods, explores how the first settlers introduced new tastes to the continent, and examines the impact new science and new thinking is having on Australian cuisine.

Out of the kitchen, into nature

Jimmy's action-packed journey takes him out of the kitchen and into a wide variety of Australian natural landscapes - from the tropical wetlands of the Northern Territory and the remote Kimberley in Western Australia to South Australia's outback; along the way trying his hand at crocodile wrangling, mustering cattle, mud-crabbing, bee keeping and even camel trekking.

Throughout his travels, Jimmy is joined by Australia's top chefs, brewers, vintners and farmers as he tries out some brand new food innovations from a lemonade fruit to a pearl meat sensation.

The story of Australia's farmers

Jimmy said that exploring the story of Australia's farmers, food producers and chefs had been inspirational. "Australian cuisine is a real fusion of many different cultures. It's almost impossible now to say what a "typical" Australian dish is!  But their appetite for innovation and experimentation is a lesson to us all," he said.

Tourism Australia's Regional General Manager UK/N Europe, Denise von Wald, said the broadcast project was the latest extension of Tourism Australia's Restaurant Australia campaign in the UK, highlighting the incredible food and wine experiences on offer across the country.

"I'm sure this fantastic series will encourage more Brits to choose Australia as their next holiday destination. It's not only inspiring, but educational too - documenting Australia's passion for food dating back to Aboriginal Australia 50,000 years ago. It's a unique story and ultimately showcases why there's nothing like Australia's incredible landscapes, fresh produce, passionate friendly people and exciting food adventures," she said.

Jimmy's Australian Food Adventure was created by Channel 4 in association with Tin Can Island Productions, Tourism Australia and Etihad Airways and supported by South Australia Tourism Commission, Tourism Northern Territory and Tourism WA.

EPISODE 1: ORIGINS

Jimmy Doherty explores the unusual wild foods of Australia in an action packed journey across Western Australia and the Northern Territory that has him eye-balling salt-water crocodiles, rustling up kangaroo sausages and enjoying bush camp cooking in true outback style.  As he tracks down and cooks up Australia's native plants and animals, he is helped on his way by top chefs, aboriginal tribesmen and women, and a real life Crocodile Dundee.

EPISODE 2: NEW ARRIVALS

Jimmy Doherty tastes foods pioneered by the British settlers in the company of food gourmets, fruit farmers, camp cooks, cattle ranchers, cameleers, bee-keepers and chefs. In the Flinders Ranges of South Australia, he is served up some surprises as he discovers Australia's cameleers and their diet of desert curries. He is introduced to a brand new species - a lemonade tree   - and in the Northern Territory, he turns cowboy for the day in search of Australia's world famous beef.  On Kangaroo Island in South Australia he braves rare Ligurian bees before cooking up Australia's national pudding – Pavlova!

EPISODE 3: FUSION

Jimmy Doherty explores how Australia's contemporary food scene has been transformed by new thinking, new science and fusion cuisine. In the Kimberly Bay region of Western Australia he tastes an haute cuisine sensation that has been developed by an enterprising pearl farmer, and tries his hand at traditional mud-crabbing.  In Darwin he gets a taste of the fusion cuisine that celebrates Australia's immigrant Greek and Asian communities. And finally he heads off truffle hunting in Western Australia's Margaret River before enjoying the most Australian of all dining experiences -   a barbeque on the beach.