SALIFE meets MasterChef legend Matt Preston, who can’t wait to indulge in his love of Adelaide Hills wine and SA produce over this weekend’s Winter Reds, during which he will host an intimate long lunch event at LOT.100.
Ben How did you develop a love for Adelaide Hills wine?
Matt Two words: my friend and wine guru, Tony Love. There is no better guide! I also have a terrible weakness for cool climate wines so this has been a 20-year love affair that he has helped enable.
Ben What should people most look forward to at the lunch you’ll be hosting for Adelaide Hills Winter Reds?
Matt The wine! But the conviviality should almost be as good – what’s not to love about a languid lunch with great food and friends new and old. I love that the Hills don’t do “stuffy”.
Ben What does life look like for you these days?
Matt These days, life is like a footy season; I’m playing as much at home as away. I still write my column for delicious in the big metro papers but this also now runs in a dozen leading regional papers which has upped the ante, and it means I spend more time in my kitchen developing new recipes and sometimes debunking the dodgy cult ones from TikTok (so readers don’t have to waste their time). I also travel a fair bit researching, planning and leading unique food tours for Luxury Escapes with my old mate Gary Mehigan. Next up we are taking a group to eat in Hong Kong and Taiwan which are super super-hot and very tasty food locations at the moment.
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Ben What passion projects have you been working on of late?
Matt There’s fun stuff that I can now do since leaving ABC Radio, like presenting to a huge audience of more than 1000 people on the main stage at the Jaipur Literature Festival – which is like the Glastonbury of books with Nobel, Booker and Pulitzer prize winners galore on the line-up – and coming to Adelaide for events that touch my heart like Winter Reds in the Adelaide Hills and the marvellous CheeseFest. There are also a couple of prime-time passion projects that I’m shooting for TV this year. It’s beautifully varied.
Ben Is there anything you are envious of South Australia for?
Matt The Adelaide Central Market, your impeccable Lachsschinken (dry-cured and cold-smoked pork loin), the cheese of Kris Lloyd and other local legends, your foraged porcini mushrooms, chef Paul Baker, The Village Co’s initiatives supporting midwives and vulnerable new mums, the game meats of Ray Borda at Macro, your KGW, fresh pistachios, Parwana’s eggplant, The Exeter and your wines! And whatever new delights I discover on my next visit. I’d also say Golden North ice cream but my local cafe in Melbourne is stocking it now so that’s one less thing I have to come to SA for. I also love how you take local MasterChef contestants to your hearts, like Callum, Jessie, Rose, Mandy, Eloise, Andre and Poh.
Ben What’s your favourite thing to do in winter?
Matt Red wine by the fire after a blustery walk along the beach … sorry if that sounds too much like a lame dating profile.
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Ben If you were at home and had a bottle of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir, what would you whip up to eat with it?
Matt Toast and chicken liver parfait if I like you. A roast duck and porcini risotto if I love you.
Ben You often write about curious trends in food and wine. What trends have caught your interest of late?
Matt The rebirth of Spam (which I’m ambivalent about), how to build a cheaper and better Dubai chocolate, and the explosion of new applications for rice paper, which are largely excellent. I’ve developed a cheat’s roti prata with six sheets of dry rice paper that I’m very proud of. Crunchy, crispy, flaky and with a little chew in the middle, it’s better than most takeaway versions and far easier and quicker to make. You can find the recipe for free on my Insta. You should try it!
Ben Something most people don’t know about you?
Matt I used to be the world number one expert on Neighbours from 1993 to 1998.
Winter Reds is on at various Adelaide Hills locations from July 25 to 27.
This article first appeared in the July 2025 issue of SALIFE magazine.
