Franz Scheurer grew up in a Swiss hotelier family, tasted his first Burgundy Grand Cru at the age of 5 and quickly discovered that his favourite room in the hotel was the kitchen. He ate his way around Europe from a young age, and later travel to the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia broadened his culinary horizons, before he settled in Australia in 1973.
He started Australian Gourmet Pages website and e-newsletter dedicated to good food, wine, spirits and food/wine related travel in 1998, in order to share his passion with a wider audience. A substantial international subscriber base receives a free e-newsletter on food and beverage news at least once a week in the form of reviews of restaurants, wine, spirit and cookbooks, information on wine/food related products, and well researched articles on subjects of interest to wine, spirit and food lovers. Subscription to the e-newsletter and access to the site are completely free, and Franz refuses to allow any advertising on the site which could compromise his independence. It is this independence that has led to his loyal following, particularly in the food and restaurant industry where he is known to speak his mind ‘without fear or favour’, providing an independent voice on what’s new, what’s good and what’s happening in the food, spirit and wine world. His annual Australian Pinot Challenge is unique and a focus point for serious pinotphiles around the world.
Franz is also Spirits Editor of Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, writes restaurant reviews for Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, and is a regular contributor to American Express Platinum and Centurion Magazines. Australian and New Zealand Ambassador for the Islay Whisky Club, he was a plenary speaker at the Australian Whisky Convention in Sydney in August 2005 and spoke at the International Whisky Convention in Glasgow in 2009
Professionally, Franz began life as photo-journalist, and now runs Franz Scheurer Photography (specialising in food, restaurants and architectural images), and FSP Advertising Agency (specialising in below-the-line and point of sale material).
Franz loves motorbikes, watches and cowboy boots and currently rides an Indian Chief (the most beautiful bike ever built)
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Follow Franz on twitter @blues_junkie
View his photographic work at www.franzscheurerphotography.com
Contact him at spirited@australiangourmetpages.com
Introduction
from the Cookbook: "Swiss Know How meets Australian Can Do" By Franz
Scheurer and Barbara Freudiger
Franz Scheurer, born 1949,
lives in Sydney, Australia
Growing up in the hotel
industry in Switzerland, it seems that I spent most of my time in the kitchen,
watching the organised chaos as the white vested, chequered panted cooks
created masterpieces from seemingly endless ingredients. I was seven years old
and there was nothing on the menu of my Dad's well-regarded restaurant that I
couldn't cook, although I had to stand on top of a beer crate to get to the top
of the stove or to reach the bain-marie. I never lost my love for creating food.
My cooking is influenced by Escoffier, Cheong Liew,
David Thompson and Ross Lusted among others. I spent extensive time in the
Middle East and the Far East, which shaped my preferences and style of cooking.
I believe fresh is best and nothing is ever too much trouble... And YES, I like
to eat the food I cook, too!"