After growing up in a large Maltese family in England, Daniel Peacock became a Chef in tribute to his Nanna who was an amazing cook! Turning his passion for cooking and all things food into a career, after becoming qualified Dan travelled across the globe to settle in Australia in 2017 to experience a new culture and diversify himself with native bush ingredients.
Dan describes the food presented at Mt Mulligan Lodge as modern outback Australian with a fine dining twist. He has brought together a small but skilled kitchen brigade to showcase the delights and local provenance of Far North Queensland. The freshest ingredients are sourced from farms and producers scattered across the Atherton Tablelands, right on the lodge’s doorstep, as well as a selection of sustainably sourced seafood straight from the iconic Great Barrier Reef and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Only having an intimate number of guests at any one time allows the kitchen time to plan and finesse rustic but refined dishes that put a flavoursome twist on outback living. The lodge’s signature Australiana-themed seven course degustation dinner, Dining Under the Stars, is served on the edge of the weir under a blanket of flickering stars and in the shadow of lofty Mount Mulligan. The menu highlights the richness of Australia’s native ingredients; favourites like lemon myrtle, finger lime, mountain pepper, quandongs and munthari berry are paired with fine Australian game meats such as crocodile and kangaroo or the freshest Far North Queensland tiger prawns or red emperor.