CCU Undercover: Rise & Dine w/ Bill Granger

Exams? Pssht. CCU would rather attend an event. Obviously it is more important 🙂

But, no really it is! This event (as you can probably tell by title) is all about the importance of eating breakfast and how Australians really need to up their breakfast game! CCU has done so many breakfast posts in the past, you should all know by now she has a passion for this meal!

Read on, go forth and enjoy because after this, cross her heart and hope to die, you won’t be seeing CCU till December (with some Christmas presents in tow 😉 )

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So early this morning, with the wind not in my hair and my brain in knots, I stumbled out of bed and tried to make it to the bathroom without falling asleep. I may… may have dozed off on the toilet seat.

After a hazy brush of the teeth, and a gulp of water, I ran out the door to get to the car to drop me at the bus to make sure I’m not late. Where is my breakfast?

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Aren’t I supposed to eat breakfast? Where is that leisurely 20 minutes (ideal, guys, the ideal!) to sit, digest and enjoy my food before the hectic rushing out the door? No worries, don’t stress guys, I actually had a good excuse to not eat this morning!

Bill Granger, also known as the King Of Breakfast foods, is an internationally acclaimed chef whose restaurants, simply known as ‘Bills‘ have become iconic in Australia and all around the world, for their fresh, wholesome ingredients and delicious meals – especially the scrambled eggs and ricotta hotcakes!

I know, look at him explain his stuff!

I know, look at him explain his stuff!

Can you believe he was fresh out of uni when he just opened his first restaurant up? Wow… just… what even am I doing with my life? 😛

Anyways, because Bill is so invested in the breakfast scene, he decided to spread the importance of it and share some stats (the good kind!) with the public in a lovely event called ‘Rise & Dine’. Located in the Quayside Room (so we could all take in the beautiful view of the Opera House you know :P) at the Museum of Contemporary Arts, it was a classy location!

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Though typical me, I got lost trying to find it and ended up running into Tammi from Insatiable Munchies once I got my bearings! We walked in, ushered in by very kind security guards all round, to a white-washed room with sunflowers on tables, granola parfaits at the waiting and mimosa and champagne being thrust upon is in the nicest of ways! 😛

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This event was actually happening in collaboration with Jordans Cereal, who have been in business since 1855! I think that was a good choice because if anyone knows the importance of breakfast it is this brand! Their various products were casually propped up around the tables, and were featured in the granola and breakfast to be served.

This one I was most interested in!

After a little bit of mingling (where I also finally got to meet Christine from Cooking Crusade) and some solid conversation with the lovely editor of Weight Watchers Magazine, we all sat down to begin the event. It wasn’t the longest at all, actually only an hour, which I think served to reinforce the fact that since breakfast doesn’t have to be a lengthy affair, an event promoting its importune doesn’t have to either?

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I may be reading too much into the time, but then again, budding psychologist here! (but not if I don’t pass my exams… 😛 )

While we nibbled away on the fresh fruit platter, Bill talked to us about how 44% of Australians don’t eat breakfast at all, and the 93% of people who don’t ever take the recommended 20 minutes to eat! I’m definitely, definitely, guilty of this, I mean with uni in the morning, I am often not even hungry because I have to commute so early in the morning!

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A banana on the run just won’t cut it though, because according to Caitlin Reid, a dietician and exercise physiologist, there are SO many benefits to eating a sturdy breakfast in the morning such as better digestion, less fatigue (I believe that one for sure!) and a feeling of fullness to kickstart your day as opposed to a lack of it!

Furthermore, apparently 47% of Australians are also doing other things while eating their breakfast (um… morning television rocks people!) which kind of lowers the significance of the meal in the eyes of the consumer! I am pouting a little right now, but I understand that point! Although, to be honest, we were all a little guilty of this today, taking photos before eating 😛

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Food Styling courtesy of Tammi!

Where Christine and I were sitting, happily comparing the reason behind Robert Carlyle’s ridiculous charisma, we actually didn’t have any of this granola but easily could have asked for some from the passing, very friendly wait staff! I actually wasn’t feeling too well, so I didn’t want any but it looked refreshing and tasty, but according to Tammi, there was a savoiry flavour to the cereal?

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The enigmatic granola…

I know. I think we came to the conclusion that there was some cardamom involved but when I tried a small spoon, it did remind me a little of Indian snacks… hmmm… definitely not the sweetness we were expecting to hit us!

After the granola, the staff wasted no time in bringing out the main breakfast dishes of the event! As I gave you a sneak peak of above, there was a delicious mixture of iconic breakfast elements on the plates and because I was a vegetarian, they catered for that by replacing the bacon with tomatoes and giant grilled mushroom caps 🙂

DSC_0019But don’t worry guys, I of course got a shot of the bacon for you! Look, it looks like a rose!! 😀

As Eric from ‘That 70s Show’ points out: ‘Mmmm… bah-CON’ 😛

DSC_0022Their was a citrus hollandaise with poached eggs (as you can see in the first photo of the post, you nudged the egg and the yolk poured out beautifully!) and a delicious crusty piece of brioche that softened as it soaked in the sauces! The beans were rich with gravy, and left a lovely slightly Italian-pizza-night aftertaste!

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The morning quickly drew to a close after this, as photo opportunities came with Bill Granger and just a chance to chat with him! People had to go to their jobs, I had to go home and sleep instead of study, we all had commitments 😉

Will you believe that I actually had the chance to interview Bill?! I KNOW! But my stomach was causing distress and I had taken some medicine, so I decided instead of waiting till for another hour, it would be better for me to come on home 😥

THIS GUY! :)

THIS GUY! 🙂

BUT bright side was that I still got my photo with Bill 😀 AND I am going to be updating this post with a few interview questions that I can email him! So stay tuned (it’s like an episode with a missing scene coming soon!) 😀

On another nice note, I also ran into Vanny from Nessy Eater and Tania from My Kitchen Stories again! I love these blogger run-ins 😀

I don’t know, even after this event, I can commit to taking 20 minutes to eat breakfast. But I can commit to trying harder to eat breakfast everyday no? Sometimes, you have to take the small achievements and build your way up no?

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It won’t be the greatest hardship ever, especially considering we all received this box of Jordan’s Cluster Oats to get us back on the breakfast track no?

Stay tuned for the update with a mini email-interview with Bill Granger to be added!
Till then I suppose its goodbye, good luck and next time you see me, I should be heaving a giant belly around and having a fluffy white beard (oh, crap!) because Santa is coming to visit Go Bake Yourself 😉

Au revoir mes cheris! Remember, that doesn’t mean goodbye, it means ‘we shall meet again’!

Disclaimer: Go Bake Yourself was invited to attend this event courtesy of AC Agency. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and her own.

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75 Comments

  10. Ramona W says:

    It’s breakfast time here and you are making me very hungry with all these fabulous breakfast ideas. How cool you meet Bill Granger… looking forward to seeing your interview with him. 🙂

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  12. Next Stop: Food says:

    Aww I wasn’t able to go on Wednesday or else I could’ve met you! I went on Saturday instead and LOVED the citrus hollandaise 🙂

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  15. Helen @ Scrummy Lane says:

    Hi, Uru! Bill Granger’s pretty popular over here in the UK, too. That brekky with the citrus hollandaise looks incredible! 20 mins for brekky during the week seems like a dream! I think the days for that have long gone, unfortunately. Weekends are a whole other matter, on the other hand … 🙂

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Mmm I’m sure because of his London restaurant no? It was wonderful and I agree, 20 minutes is quite idealistic but I hope we can all strive towards making it happen!
      Haha weekends, my whole day is a breakfast! 😀

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  21. applec says:

    You are so lucky to get to attend such interesting events. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I can’t understand anyone not eating it 🙂

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  26. Amanda @ Gourmanda says:

    If there’s one thing I do consistently, it’s having a good breakfast! I actually get really low blood sugar in the morning, so if I don’t eat within half an hour of waking up, I start feeling really dizzy and nauseous. It just means that breakfast is always the most important meal of my day!

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      That’s awesome! I get low blood sugar too but that just means consistent eating every 2 hours 😛
      That nausea is awful, I completely get it! Though your breakfast eating is much better than mine which is so good!

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  27. hotlyspiced says:

    I’m so glad you were still able to have your photo with Bill. Yes, breakfast is definitely the most important meal of the day and somehow the meal most of us feel we can neglect. I was invited to this launch but unfortunately, wasn’t able to make it xx

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  35. Becky says:

    Uru,
    I do eat breakfast everyday, but not in that gorgeous setting that you had, with those marvelous breakfast dishes.How lucky you are! Hope that you are feeling better. I eat oatmeal with fruit or a rice cake with PBJ. Boring I know. On weekends we may have waffles, pancakes, or French toast.See you in Dec.

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  36. vickibensinger says:

    The meal looks wonderful except for the beans which is probably why your stomach was in distress. I could never eat beans for breakfast – heaven forbid! Though I will agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In all my years I can only recall a couple times that I’ve missed it. Breakfast just gives you a jump start on your day, and keeps you revved up for hours.

    Love the look of those eggs so perfectly done with the tomatoes and brioche. Such a pretty picture. Hope your stomach is back to normal now.

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  42. tortadellafiglia says:

    Thanks to your photos I’m mouthwatering right now… What a great post! I really enjoy being here! Hope that you were great on your exams, I got my TOEFL results yesterday and surprisingly I got 99/120 points which allows me to apply to NY Universities! 🙂
    Now I can finally start cooking again 🙂

    Have a great day!
    Marcela

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  46. Kathleen Richardson says:

    Hope you are feeling better, CCU. Sounds like you had a fun time in spite of your upset stomach. I could eat that fruit every day and the cereal looks good, too.

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  53. A_Boleyn says:

    Great post and a great breakfast. I doubt that I’ve had breakfast 10 times in the last year. It’s a meal that I have for lunch or even dinner but if I had someone ask me to sit down to those eggs, or even the granola, I’d change my ways.

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  57. kitchenriffs says:

    What a fun post! Although sleepy as I always am in the morning, I’ve never dozed off anywhere in the bathroom! Although maybe while eating breakfast once or twice. 😉 Great read — thanks.

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  58. Louise says:

    I wouldn’t even think of starting my day without breakfast, Uru…It wasn’t always that way though. It’s so important to find morning foods that not only fit it with the start of the day but provide nourishment too!

    Looks like you stumbled upon a real day brightener! Thanks for sharing, Uru…

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Haha you inspire me then, because I am always rushing off with nary a banana with me! But yes, it is so important!
      It was a wonderful event my friend, wish you could have been there!

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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