Being known for Italian food and wine, the Bad Chef part of the duo was welcomed to enjoy the “naughty” delights Griffith has to offer.

“Seeing the town and hearing about what you guys produce here, it’s amazing. It will be even better to get my hands in there and cook it all up,” Adrian said.

“Everyone says these kinds of foods are naughty, and I am known to load it up - I’m cheeky and I put heaps of butter in and those sorts of things, but there’s nothing wrong with that in moderation.

After flying in on Monday the crew hit the ground running, with a “nice little pasta dish” cooked up at Zecca 

“I come from the city, where we get everything delivered, and I know there is a lot of produce that comes from this area, being called the food-bowl of the country,” Adrian said.

“It’s great to come and see it for myself, see some of the farmers, growers, the people that live and work here.”

While in Griffith, the crew will capture some of the scenery, create some tasty new dishes featuring wonderful produce, and interview local growers and businesses as they profile the town as an ideal place to visit.

“Take Murray Cod for example, I’ve cooked it before but to get it straight out of the water is every chef’s dream,” Adrian enthused.

Filming at Hermit’s Cave with Cassandra Smeeth from Bella Vita Tours, getting outside and cooking with the picturesque backdrop was something new for the Bad Chef.

“They’ve perched me on the edge of the rock - it’s probably dangerous, but I’m here and the background we’ve got is just amazing,” Adrian said.

Preparing to represent Griffith in the NSW Business Awards soon, Mrs Smeeth has been a vocal advocate promoting tourism, and said having a famous face like Adrian come to town was an “opportunity” she wouldn’t have missed.​

“I definitely wanted to be on board... I want our city to grow, we certainly have the potential for tourism, and we are not even on the cusp,” Mrs Smeeth said.

This opportunity didn’t come without some behind-the-scenes work by Griffith City Council, who collaborated with key businesses and industry partners to meet the $25,000 price tag bringing the TV show to town.

Griffith City Council Tourism and Events Committee Chair Councillor Christine Stead is excited to welcome Bad Chef Adrian Richardson to the region.

“We have partnered with Murray Cod, Fresh Technique, AusPrunes and Zecca – so I’m sure the recipes featuring these delicious products will be amazing,” Cr Stead said.

Four spots have been secured with DeeVine Estate, Calabria Family Wines, Bella Vita Tours and Griffith Spring Fest to be featured – “perfect timing” with the citrus sculptures lining Banna Avenue.

Marketing and Promotions manager Paige Campbell and Tourism Manager Mirella Guidolin said this kind of destination promotion was an exciting chance to showcase Griffith as a vibrant and highly productive food bowl.

Seven local businesses and industry groups joined council to make this TV project a reality.

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This national TV series will air on Network 10 early in 2019. 

“Good Chef, Bad Chef is also distributed internationally in New Zealand, Asia and Pacific Islands and Sri Lanka. The long-term benefit of raising our profile to these international and national tourist markets will be significant with ongoing economic returns,” Cr Stead said.

“I hope you enjoy what I cook, what I talk about, and get along with my excitement about being in Griffith,” Adrian finished.

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