Entries by Dominique Rizzo

Easter Dove

Colomba Pasquale (Easter Dove), is a soft, sweet, traditional Italian bread. Colombo is like Panettone (the traditional Christmas bread– but without the candied fruits. Colomba sets itself apart by being baked into a pigeon-shaped form; its texture is a moist, buttery, bready cake topped with a sugary almond icing. Fluffy, moreish and melt-in-the-mouth.

Redland City Council Mayor Testimonial

Dominique Rizzo is fabulous and personally I think she was the best choice to participate in this programme. The speedy pizza recipe is outstanding. Once again congratulations on having this programme in Cleveland good initiative by the Council.

Griffith University Testimonial

I can’t thank you enough for choosing to work with us on the pilot study. The evaluation survey starts tonight and soon we will have some data to hand to tell us if Waste Not Want Not can deliver change in reducing food waste.

Food Waste at Home

Have you ever thought about food waste and what you might throw out each week? Well Griffith University are asking us to to do just that with their pilot project Waste Not Want Not.

Waste not want not – food waste

As a chef, it is part our job to order each week what the kitchen needs, maintain stock levels and make sure that no ingredient goes to waste. As our lives get busier and busier how do we at home make sure that we are not wasting the excess food from the shopping two days ago that wasn’t completely used in last night’s dinner? The answer, planning. Yes, a little bit of planning can go a long way and save you time and money!

Did you know Australian households dispose of $5.2 billion worth of food annually and this is estimated to grow. Food waste costs the city money and impacts the wider environment through food production, transport, waste-collection and landfills generating methane.

Most of household and commercial food waste  is avoidable. One way to bring about change and reduce waste is to start with food wasted in the home.

This week I am involved with The Waste Not Want Not Campaign, a pilot behaviour change project developed by Social Marketing @ Griffith, in collaboration with Redland City Council, Griffith University and supported by Stockland Shopping Centre, Cleveland.
I have developed a range of recipes to support the campaign to help give people at home tasty ideas on how their leftover food can be turned into something new. Yes, no spaghetti bolognese four nights in a row!

Top tips:

  • Create a menu plan – Know when you are going to be home during the week and plan the meals for those days. You can create the weekly menu plan around some of the pantry items you already have in stock. Are there a few items already in the fridge that can also be turned into creative meals?
  • Make a Shopping list– Don’t go to the supermarket without one and don’t buy if it is not on your list. Remember you have a plan!
  • Food Storage – find out  how to store your fresh food properly so that it keeps for longer. If you do make too much for one meal, take the rest to work for lunch the next day or freeze for another meal in the future.
    Use leftover food for another meal – If the stir-fry recipe you are making requires only 1/2 cup of broccoli but you bought a whole head, make sure you use the rest of the broccoli in a meal or in  a salad later in the week.

These top tips can help you reduce food spoilage, save you money by not overspending as well as help your local environment by reducing food waste.
If you would like to find out more come and see me at Stocklands Shopping Centre, Cleveland this week!
Keep an eye out next week for a tasty leftover recipe!!!

“Fill up on life” with Chef Dominique Rizzo at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Launch of their New Menu

  The Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre was recently named the World’s Best Convention Centre by the International Association of Congress Centres and best in the world for Food & Beverage, receiving double the ratings of other international convention centres.  With such an impressive reputation, The Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre celebrated the launch of their new menu […]

Sommerville House Testimonial

“Marie, it was great!!! We all had a fantastic time, [Dominique] is such a wonderful person and presenter, thank you for sharing her with us.