Australia’s singing cook, Michelle Pearson, has once again delighted us in her latest show for the Adelaide Fringe 2021 – Comfort Food Cabaret! We attended the opening night of the show and were in absolute awe.

Comfort Food Cabaret is an exciting, hilarious and absolutely delicious addition to this year’s Fringe. The show is direct from acclaimed performances at Australia House in London, Three Michelin Star Restaurant Geranium in Copenhagen, the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe shows, Tasting Australia and Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. In a time where we ourselves cannot be well-travelled, let’s treat ourselves to a magnificent show that certainly is!

Comfort Food Cabaret brings everything we love all together – music, food, and comedy. Michelle serenades us in comedic renditions of classic songs all about very relatable situations and how life has been over the last 24 months. Michelle is such an engaging performer and cook, we loved every minute. Her personal touches and comedic flare, along with her show-stopping vocals, are a must-see in this year’s Fringe. Hosted at the Weber Grill Academy just outside the city, the show is also a fun way to be educated on the many ways you can use your Weber. We were so surprised at the dishes Michelle whipped up for us! All were decadent, delicious and easy to replicate at home. It was wonderful to sit back with a drink over the city skyline at sunset and eat some great food. Here is what we tried:

Seared Eggplant with a garnish of pomegranate, mint, Weber-smoked pepitas, feta & parsley – What a refreshing starter! Michelle taught us how to season and sear the eggplant on a Weber to perfection, and served it with a zesty garnish. We loved the flavour of the eggplant, something only a good sear will do. The garnish was vibrant, combining creamy, fruity and smoked flavours. We loved the smoked pepitas, there’s nothing you can’t do with a Weber!

Charcoal Chicken with home-made flat bread, garlic hummus and salad – This was a fantastic main. So easy and tasty, it was great to see that such a flavourful and exciting dish could be done so quick. Michelle showed us how she charcoals her chicken on her Weber, along with how she prepares and cooks flatbread on there too. This was then served with a bright tomato salad with garlic hummus for dipping. Again, how easy! We can’t wait to make this at home.

Smoked mixed-nut crumble with Apple Ice Cream – A brilliant end to a brilliant show, what a treat! You wouldn’t think to smoke your own crumble in your Weber, but Michelle showed us how. We loved the deep smokey flavours from the mixed nuts, and the smooth and indulgent apple ice cream. It was such a fun and unexpected twist on a classic apple crumble, another one to try at home!

Thank you so much to Michelle Pearson, the Comfort Food Cabaret team, and Weber Grill Academy for hosting us. The show is running until the 14th of March. To experience Comfort Food Cabaret for yourself, you can purchase tickets here.

Words by Kitty Barr