Born to Cook: A bit about Jack
Born in Cornwall, Jack is the middle son of his famous foodie father Rick. His passion for food began early, influenced by family holidays exploring different cuisines. Starting as a kitchen porter during the school holidays in The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow before moving to the front of house, the hospitality industry remained a huge part of Jack’s life. After studying, he returned to The Seafood Restaurant as commis chef before taking the position of sous chef at Rick Stein’s Café two years later. In 2013 Jack was promoted to the role of executive chef, overseeing the company’s nine restaurants, pub, cookery school and its brigade of over 100 chefs.
SERIES 1
In Series 1 of Born to Cook: Jack Stein Downunder, Jack, along with his dad Rick, works his way through WA’s South-West and the Southern Forrests region, meeting the producers at the helm of the foodie revolution defining the region. Join him on this adventure across the foodie mecca of Australia's South-West!
Episode 1: Abalone, Truffles & Cherries
Jack starts his journey aboard an abalone vessel before heading to Manjimup to train up some truffle dogs in the art of the hunt. He ends the day with a picturesque stroll through a cherry orchard, attempting to bond with the workers.
Recipes from the episode:
Abalone with yuzu butter Source: Born to Cook: Jack Stein Downunder
Episode 2: Crabs, Figs & Marron
Jack heads to the inlet in Augusta to meet with weathered fisherman, Mick. After a quick surf with pro surfer Taj Burrow, he heads to Phil and Kay’s fig orchard where he learns about the history of figs in Australia and their women-only hire policy. He finishes the episode with an “unsuccessful” to say the least marron trapping trip.
Recipes from the episode:
Fig tart with brown butter anglaise Source: Born to Cook: Jack Stein Downunder
Marron with Pernod and dashi Source: Born to Cook: Jack Stein Downunder
Episode 3: Red Wine, Finger Limes & Capers
Jack heads to a winery where he blends his own Pinot Noir and enjoys a home-cooked lamb shank. He visits an elusive finger lime orchard to see the budding citrus caviar in Pemberton and learns the origins of the caper with Lara in Margaret River.
Recipes from the episode:
Lamb rack with pinot noir sauce Source: Born to Cook: Jack Stein Downunder
Episode 4: Pork, Venison & Gin
Jack visits Susan and Alan’s rare-breed pigs, taking a trip onboard Allan’s “experimental” aeroplane. He visits Kylie and her father Graham who started the first venison farm in WA and ends with a trip to Limeburners in Margaret River, where Jack makes an “ode to the English Meadow” gin at Cameron’s Giniversity.
Recipes from the episode:
SERIES 2
This time he heads North-West to the spectacular Kimberley region with its red cliffs, blue skies and abundant produce and seafood. One of the most pristine areas in the world - and one of the most dangerous too.
Episode 1: Crocodiles & chia
Local man Charlie and his two sons take Jack out on the beautiful Lake Argyle, famous for a fish called the Silver Cobbler, and its population of 35,000 crocodiles. Jack showcases this unique fish in a before setting out to find out why Kununurra is perfectly suited to growing Chia, the superfood the whole world is going crazy for. After incorporating the super seeds into a kid-friendly healthy pizza, Jack visits a local hoochery to taste rums for an adult-only dessert, rum baba.
Recipes from the episode:
Fish vindaloo Source: Born to Cook: Jack Stein Down Under
Episode 2: Pearls & fresh fish
Jack finds his way to Broome, famous for its beaches and abundant sea life, as well as a rich pearling history which has led to a multicultural melting pot of culinary traditions. First stop, a place called Cape Leveque, home to many Indigenous communities, and some of the worlds’ best fishing with local traditional owner Brian Lee. After a successful catch, Brian agrees to make Jack his secret blachang recipe - the perfect spicy accompaniment to fresh-caught fish. In a fusion dish inspired by the local history, Jack mixes a French style of cooking fish with a traditional laksa recipe. Next up, Jack takes a look through a local organic garden that’s 30 years old, selecting ingredients for his vegetarian curry, before heading to one of the world’s most remote pearl farms to source a very unique ingredient.
Recipes from the episode:
Episode 3: Beach fishing & native fruit
The tropical climate of Australia’s Northwest lends itself to a whole variety of interesting ingredients, as Jack finds out on his visit to the sea with Indigenous guide Bart Pigram, a descendant of a coastal people who have lived from the sea for thousands of years. The unique produce they turn up proves perfect for one of Jack’s favourite meals, Clams with XO sauce. Jack collects some local honey before joining Di Appleby, a respected Indigenous elder and a keen fisher, to try their luck at catching some of a seasonal bounty, a local white fish Salmon with exceptional flavour, using the two ingredients in his Blue Nose Salmon with Soy Honey Caramel. Next, Jack is introduced to gubinge, a native fruit that is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C on the planet, before being invited to a special Indigenous gathering to mark the Kimberley Moon Festival.
Recipes from the episode:
Episode 4: Barramundi, rum & a community garden
Jack spends time with a local farming family doing some fruit picking, earning himself a key ingredient for watermelon nahm jim, a side-dish hailing from a friend’s restaurant. Jack then heads to a local brewery and is inspired to create his Chicken and mango beer tacos. Next Jack heads way off the beaten track in search of barramundi in an epic region about three times the size of England, in a pastime the locals call ‘heli-fishing.’ After a successful catch, Jack stops to pick up one more crucial ingredient from the local Community Garden, before getting the fresh fish in the pan.
Jack Stein with Di Appleby fishing in Broome Source: Food Network / Born to Cook
Episode 5: Oysters, crabs & bananas
The Kimberley’s coastline ranges over 12,000 kilometres, much of which is inaccessible by land, so a local guide takes Jack island hopping to find some of the world’s most pristine oyster beds. Next, Jack attempts to catch some mud crabs, before resorting to an old chef’s trick to source the produce for his version of Hong Kong Crab, a dish he creates purely from his memories of this Hong Kong classic. Finally, Jack grabs a machete to cut his way through a local banana plantation, sourcing fresh bananas for an English classic, Banoffee Pie.
Episode 6: An epic beach feast
In the season finale, Jack honours the amazing people and food he has encountered in the Kimberley with a long table dinner under the stars. To source the beef, he’ll need to feed his 150 guests, Jack visits some of most free-ranging cattle in the world, before helping out a local farmer planting quinoa. As the dinner finally begins, Jack and his team combine all the local ingredients into an epic feast.
Born to Cook: Jack Stein Down Under airs on SBS Food (Channel 33). Visit our TV to find out when episodes air or catch up on
