This year’s National Capital Craft Beer Festival played host to the Crafter Chef Challenge, which saw Chef Leon Yu of Debacle win the highly coveted title of Crafter Chef, with his craft beer/fine food match.

Chef Leon approached the match with a traditional aesthetic in mind.

“I made a sweet and spicy duck, which is a Chinese dish, and served it with my beer match, Shanghai Beer.”

For those wanting to enjoy a crafty cold one with dinner, Chef Leon recommends trying your food while cooking and sipping a few varieties of beer.

“Tasting is the best way to learn how to match food with craft beer. Not all food goes with all lagers.”

With a practical approach that’s easy (and pleasurable) for us to follow, Chef Leon has also given us a craft beer match suggestion for an Aussie pub favourite.

“Fish and Chips go great with a James Squire Pilsner.”

Other Canberra Chefs who competed in the Crafter Chef Challenge include; Chef Katherine Brown of Debacle, Chef Dalan Houston of All Bar Nun and Chef Cameron Harmer of Zierholz Brewery.

The Debacle team will be serving Chef Leon’s Crafter Chef winning dish as a blackboard special for 2 weeks, so pop in and sample this exquisite, and now award winning match.