The world’s original bad boy chef, Marco Pierre White, is returning to Adelaide for Tasting Australia in March.

The British superstar will serve up a helping hand while in South Australia – which he describes as “overwhelmingly beautiful” – with an intimate fundraising dinner for bushfire relief.

He will also headline the annual food festival’s drawcard event, Mangiare con Marco (Eat with Marco), cooking at top delicious. 100 restaurant Gather at Coriole in McLaren Vale. He will be joined by Gather head chef Tom Tilbury and his good mate, Africola mastermind Duncan Welgemoed.

White, hailed as the youngest chef to receive three Michelin stars at the age of 24, first came to SA for the Tasting Australia festival in 2017.

“South Australia is like being stung by a bee,” says the 58-year-old.

“When I left, a little part of the state was still with me.”

The five-course Mangiare con Marco is also the highlight of an itinerary for 80 food fans flying over from Brisbane on Tasting Australia Airlines. This is the first year Tasting Australia is offering the chartered flights from interstate.

White says he encourages people to visit South Australia.

“The wine and food is amazing,” he says. “I like to get lost in the emotion and raw impact of the state. I don’t travel anywhere with high expectations, but I was blown away by SA when I was there for Tasting Australia in 2017.”

The separate fundraising event – Dinner with Marco, an intimate dining experience at Welgemoed’s city-based Africola – will be auctioned off on the Tasting Australia website.

It is a recent addition to Tasting Australia’s associated events program, sparked by the bushfires that razed the Adelaide Hills and continue to burn in Kangaroo Island.

“Marco is one of my mentors; a dear friend that happens to be one of the more influential chefs that ever lived,” says Welgemoed, who is one of six guest programmers for Tasting Australia, presented by RAA Travel. “While talking to him about the bushfires, he immediately wanted to help and he came up with the idea of ‘Dinner with Marco’.”

It isn’t a ticketed event – rather, people can bid for the dinner for eight, which will take place on April 2.

Welgemoed and White will cook and wine writer Tony Love will match wines. Bidding starts at $10,000.

While in town, White will also host a Q&A and book signing, and cooking demonstration in the festival hub, Town Square.

Visit tasting australia.com.au

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