Aiming to transform the convention centre dining experience, Adelaide CC is bringing to the forefront the public nutrition message with its ‘fresh’ innovation called ‘Honest Goodness’ – a new menu launching 1 July. Developed in collaboration with top nutritional experts from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), the University of Adelaide, and CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity, Honest Goodness focuses on minimal intervention foods and conscious reduction of salts, sugars and preservatives. Simon Burgess, GM, Adelaide Convention Centre, says: “We’re proud to support the public nutrition message, and view this heightened focus on mindful eating an important part of our community engagement.” The ACC’s executive chef Gavin Robertson (pictured top) in consultation with professor Gary Wittert of SAHMRI/University of Adelaide, and Pennie Taylor of CSIRO’s Health and Biosecurity unit created the menu. Honest Goodness reflects the ACC’s ongoing commitment to sourcing food from local, sustainable environments – 97% of produce used by the venue is sourced from South Australia. Chef Robertson heads up the ACC’s team of 75 kitchen staff and says: “The emphasis is very much on ‘house-made’ and replacing processed elements with whole, fresh ingredients.” Professor Gary Wittert of the SAHMRI and University of Adelaide adds: “The new Adelaide Convention Centre menu shows that it is possible, even when catering for very large groups, to source and cook fresh, whole or minimally processed foods to make tasty, enjoyable and creative meals, while retaining choice. “And we get to taste prime South Australian produce, wherever possible, farmed sustainably and with ethical practices,” adds Wittert.
Wittert concludes: “It seems to me this is science in action – open-minded collaboration between people from different professional backgrounds, achieving an outcome good for public health, good for business and good for South Australia”.
Sample menu items include seared ocean trout with peppercorn crust, lemon and herbs, and sweet potato, green bean, almond and barley salad for lunch. 
For more information, click here or to view the complete menu, click here. To follow Adelaide CC on Twitter, click here, and use the hash tags #adelaidecc and #honestgoodness
