Port Douglas Carnivale 2010 The Looonnnngest Lunch

1st May, 2010

Hotel chefs don’t often stay in one place for very long, they usually move around from hotel to hotel, but for Klaus Keller; he seems to have made his home in Port Douglas. For the past 17 years German born Klaus has been working for the Sheraton Mirage and is now the longest serving Executive Chef of the hotel. It’s at the hotel that Klaus met Rupa and they were married two years ago in Port Douglas; however last November they journeyed to India for a traditional Indian wedding with her family.

As Executive Chef, Klaus presides over three restaurants, a cafe, two bars and events throughout the large resort complex and some of the outstanding guest he has cooked for are US President Bill Clinton, Chinese president Hu Jintao, rock stars AC/DC, Guns and Roses to name a few. Klaus was president of Les Torque Blanches (TNQ) an association for professional chefs for two years 2005/6.

“The lush green environment, easy Australian lifestyle and the village community of Port Douglas was the attraction, as well as working with great local produce” says Klaus who chefed in several countries of Europe before coming to Port. Klaus is very active in seeking out local food produce for his menus and this year’s Longest Lunch menu will be ‘very local’.

Last year the Carnivale’s Longest Lunch event was hosted for the first time by Sheraton and the love-to-lunchers of Port Douglas along with the seasoned Southern visitors turned up with delight. This year’s theme ‘Lunch like a Celebrity’ has promised there will be good reason to dress to impress and make it a very lonnnng lunch.