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Ever wondered how chefs invent new dishes? Enter the mind of a master chef, as Shane Delia begins a brand new spice journey in the ancient Moroccan city of Fes. Throughout this series, Shane will seek out new ideas to try in his test kitchen, before serving up these creations to paying customers at his Melbourne restaurant, Maha.
For centuries, roaming caravans have crossed the Saharan desert en-route to Morocco, bringing with them exotic spices and trade goods that have infused the cuisine of Northern Africa. Shane Delia spends an evening under the stars at a desert camp, immersing himself in the tastes and techniques of Amazigh cookery.
The peaks and valleys of the High Atlas Mountains are rich pickings for Shane Delia as he continues his spice journey through Morocco. In a mountain village, Shane is taught the traditional methods of preparing and cooking couscous. It turns out to be a laborious, but rewarding process. The question is, how will Shane adopt these ancient techniques in his modern test kitchen?
Shane Delia has arrived in Marrakech on a mission to uncover the tastes and cooking techniques of this dusty and exotic city. Exploring a rabbit warren of alleys, he makes discoveries in the bustling souk. Using this newfound knowledge, Shane goes to work in his Melbourne test kitchen, creating new dishes to serve to his restaurant customers.
Morocco’s windswept Atlantic Coast is home to the world’s largest sardine fishery and Shane Delia is keen to sample some of the local fish kefta, along with Morocco's marinade mainstay chermoula. Interestingly, it’s the region's sought after argan oil that really allows Shane to unleash his creativity in his test kitchen.
The Arabs invaded what is now Spain and Portugal in 711 AD, morphing the somewhat dysfunctional Christian society into an Arabic-speaking, majority Muslim state within the span of three generations. Shane Delia arrives in Andalucía and uncovers a cuisine whose roots are firmly grounded in Islamic cookery.
Sherry has gained a bad reputation as a cheap tipple enjoyed by older folk, but in Spain’s Sherry Triangle, the drink is loved by all. Shane Delia discovers the complex and nuanced flavours of this refreshing aperitif that is the perfect accompaniment to Andalucían cuisine and culture. But it's Michelin-starred chef Ángel León that really inspires Shane to lift his game - and back in his test kitchen the pressure is on!
Spain’s top shelf jamón ibérico is widely considered to be the world’s best ham. Shane Delia travels to a pig farm in the Spanish hills to see the unique environment needed to produce ham of this quality. Later, on a bar crawl in Seville, Spain's home of tapas, Shane finds another dose of inspiration. Upon returning to his Melbourne test kitchen, he attempts to create the ultimate tapas menu.
With the arrival of the Moors, Spanish cuisine was changed forever. The group introduced new foods to the region, along with cooking techniques and tastes. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the southern city of Cordoba. Here, Shane Delia immerses himself in the creation of one of Spain’s best cold soups salmorejo, before learning the recipe to Fighting Bull’s tail stew. With so much inspiration, Shane is spoilt for choice as he attempts to reinvent these recipes for his restaurant clientele.
The spice journey comes to an end for Shane Delia, as he makes his way from Granada down to Malaga on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. But Shane’s love affair with the cuisine of this region is only just beginning, and this final episode sees the Aussie chef learn new recipes from some of Andalucía’s most accomplished (and humble) chefs. Back in his test kitchen, Shane’s head is bursting with new ideas for dishes to serve up to his restaurant's diners.
