Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea 2014 launch
On my day off last week, I attended Cancer Council WA’s VIP launch event for Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea 2014, held at Perth Zoo. Now in its 21st year, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is an annual fundraising event held across the country. People get involved by hosting a morning tea for family, friends or workmates, or by sponsoring a morning tea host, to help raise money to support the Cancer Council’s research, prevention and support service programs.
The launch event paid tribute to the Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea VIPs, a group of remarkable people that includes the state’s top morning tea fundraisers and those who have hosted Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea events for 5 years or more.
After speeches and a morning tea break, we were treated to a cooking demonstration by Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea ambassadors TV personality Anna Gare (The Great Australian Bake Off, Junior Masterchef) and local chef Herb Faust, owner of catering business Herb Faust Food (Herb has another claim to fame as the only contestant to beat an Iron Chef on the TV show ‘Iron Chef Australia’, in the Lamb challenge).
Anna made a banana, almond and chia cake topped with natural honey yoghurt, and Herb cooked Thai chicken bites with sweet chilli caramel – it smelled absolutely delicious from where I stood in the room! MC Sam Longley had the audience chuckling throughout, and dynamic duo Anna and Herb kept the chortles coming as they shared stories and cooking tips and answered questions from the audience.
The official Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea will be held on 22 May 2014, but individual morning tea events can be held any time during May or June. Last year, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea raised over $12.7 million nationally.
More information
- Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea – about the event and how to get involved
- Cancer Council Australia
- Cancer Council WA
- Herb’s Thai chicken bites recipe. Anna’s recipe isn’t online currently. I’ll update with the link if it becomes available.
Having lost my dad to cancer a couple of years ago and having family members and friends who are fighting cancer right now, I didn’t hesitate to accept Cancer Council WA’s invitation to attend the launch, and to show my support.
Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea WA VIPs.
Morning tea break, with cuppas, berry smoothies, fruit, muffins and mini quiches (not pictured).
Anna helps pound ingredients for Herb with the mortar and pestle.
Better than a comedy duo – they make you laugh AND feed you.
Anna ices the banana cake with honey yoghurt. In case you’re wondering, no – she didn’t bake this cake during the demo. Among the anecdotes she shared with us, Anna told us about her time working as Ian Parmenter’s assistant behind-the-scenes on the TV series ‘Consuming Passions’ (2000-2002). Whenever Ian whipped out a dish and said ‘Here’s one I prepared earlier’, chances are it was one Anna had prepared earlier! 
Herb plates up his Thai chicken bites while Anna slices up the banana cake – what you can’t see in this picture is the photographer drooling. 
Lucky audience members get a taste of Herb’s Thai chicken bites with sweet chilli caramel. The chicken bites smelled delicious!
Herb Faust, MC Sam Longley and Anna Gare.