How the Bellarine’s food scene won over two culinary powerhouses

DARREN Purchese and Cath Claringbold love coming home.

The culinary powerhouses moved to Point Lonsdale 18 months ago in search of a sea change and have embraced the food and drink scene around them.

From small-batch wineries to boutique restaurants, farmers markets and fresh seafood, the pair have settled into life on the Bellarine with ease.

Taking on their first local projects as ambassadors for Tastes of Greater Geelong, the region has become the perfect backdrop for their creativity.

“We’re cooking and eating from our garden more and we are really interested in everything that’s along the foreshore,” Claringbold said.

With work across the country still pulling them away from home, they said each return to the Bellarine feels grounding.

Discovering local native edibles and seeing how the coastal environment shapes produce has set the region apart.

Sharing those discoveries continues to fuel their passion.

“At the heart of who we are, we’re very much produce driven,” Claringbold said.

“Both of us grew up in areas where our parents had big backyards and grew their own veggies. We grew up around really good tasting food, less fussy and more heroing the ingredients.”

Immersing themselves in the Bellarine and Geelong culinary communities has opened new doors, Purchese said.

 

After years in cities, connecting with producers and stepping away from the expectations of working in restaurants has been freeing.

“We’re finding new stuff all the time and that inspires us to create new things,” he said.

The move followed the closure of the duo’s renowned Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio, ending one chapter and creating space for another.

Purchese said the bakery was a dream come true, but like many creative pursuits, it stopped providing the same outlet over time.

“It was really fantastic to just leave it behind and go ‘Right, what’s next?’,” Purchese said.

Pivoting some of their work online during the Covid-19 lockdowns also laid the foundation for their next move.

Studio Kitchen grew from a need to connect audiences from afar and marked an early step away from full-time kitchen work.

Today, they only take on projects that excite them, whether behind the scenes or in front of camera.

It’s a privilege they credit to decades of work.

“You can’t keep doing the same stuff,” Puchese said.

“We’ve always been good at evolving what we want to do and physically you can’t run around the kitchen like when you’re 18 forever.

“We’re really lucky to be in this position. We’ve run lots of businesses over time and we’ll probably run more again but for the time being, we’re really enjoying having a variety of different roles.”

 

Alongside their Tastes of Greater Geelong ambassador work, the pair are developing a bespoke Flinders Island culinary experience.

TV opportunities have also increased, with Purchese judging the past three seasons of The Great Australian Bake Off.

While Purchese appears on screen, Claringbold works behind the scenes helping prepare technical bakes and supporting production.

She said those two months each year have added new skills to their food work.

“It’s incredibly fulfilling to have things we can jump in and out of and cover off all your passions,” Claringbold said.

“There is just so much to learn, and you don’t get enough time to do it.”

Whether curating menus, appearing on screen or sourcing produce at local markets, they see a common thread across all their work.

“Every job that we do is about communicating our love of food and trying to increase the skills of people who are also excited,” Purchese said.

As for the future on the Bellarine, they say there is still much to explore.

“You’re never going to be the master of cooking or business, there’s always something to learn,” Purchese said.

“If you approach things, with an open mind and ready to take on new ideas, then I think you’ll always stay fresh.”

Claringbold and Puchese are ambassadors for the 2026 Tastes of Greater Geelong festival, which runs until 19 July.