Title of Proposal:
Two Men and an Alfa
Logline:
“Two Men & An Alfa” is a modern, fast-paced and highly energetic cooking / lifestyle show.

Synopsis:

At the beginning of each episode Duilio and Darren will head off in Duilio’s 1972 fully restored red Alfa Romeo convertible to collect produce, meet growers and food producers, and set up their portable kitchens in some of the most beautiful locations in the world whilst using many of the local ingredients they have collected. The red ‘Alfa’ car will be the Two Fat Ladies motorbike and Jamie Oliver’s scooter. It will be their vehicle that gets them from location to location which in turn adds some romance and style to the show.

The environment around Hervey Bay is an absolute paradise and is one of the most unpolluted and beautiful locations in the world. An abundance of fresh local produce and several unusual food items will be highlighted : an organic duck farm, a pearl farm, fresh and succulent goat meat, freshwater barramundi and marron (small lobster), an organic winery, a sea cucumber and soft shell farm, a cod and barramundi farm, the famous Bundaberg rum and ginger beer factory – the list goes on and on – in fact, an assortment of some of the most fascinating food and beverages you are ever likely to come across.

Locally caught seafood such as scallops, mud crabs, prawns, fish and marron will be highlighted in each episode. Fresh meat, beef, lamb, pork and chicken will all be sourced by Darren as he tells viewers how to tell a good cut of meat from another. Duilio and Darren will head out on prawn and fishing trawlers helping fishermen with their catch and cooking on board.

Other local produce will include cheese, exotic fruits and vegetables, herbs, organic eggs, sea cucumbers, macadamia nut ice-cream, etc. Duilio and Darren will visit various growers and producers and discuss with them growing and manufacturing techniques and new ways of using organic and recycling approaches as the world begins to face ever-increasing realities of cancer, disease and drought.

Key elements in the show will be Entertainment, Fun, Information and Innovation. Duilio and Darren will crack jokes at each other’s expense, and will take every opportunity to criticize the other, but always in a light and humorous way. Their sense of fun will be infectious and the audience will be glued to their television sets as they are entertained and delighted by the antics of their on-screen presenters. The audience will also be informed about the food as it is being prepared. What is in it, where it comes from and what is healthy about eating it, and the medicinal benefits of many herbs. French cooks, for example, were the first to regularly feature mushrooms in traditional recipes. Mushrooms are a valuable source of anti-oxidants which help fight against ageing.

Through research, the program scripts will be peppered with food ingredients facts, the how, why, when and where information elements.

To give both Duilio and Darren some more character a special portable kit for each will be designed for each to take with them on their cooking odysseys. Duilio will have a complete set of herbs and spices which are all neatly packed in a portable briefcase or satchel whilst Darren has a foldable multi-holster of knives of all sizes which he is constantly sharpening. This will add another dimension to their already well-defined characters; Duilio, the Italian perfectionist and connoisseur contrasting perfectly with Darren, the Aussie larrikin, sardonic and laid-back. They will provide the show with the perfect ‘Yin and Yan’.

After cooking a meal of fantastic freshly – caught barramundi or tuna on board their fishing vessel, Duilio and Darren will often pull up at one of the powder-white, crystal blue island beaches, set the table and then enjoy the meal in the company of friends and in the magic and majesty of one of the world’s great unspoilt environments.

The series will highlight the local meat, seafood and produce industries and the people who have been responsible for their success : from fishing and seafood exporters, olive oil, sugar cane, citrus, mango and macadamia farmers to the expanding meat and poultry industries. The emphasis will be on fresh food and ingredients.

The series will take the audience to these areas and show off the fabulous, natural and abundant produce that comes from them…..this will then dovetail into how the various produce is used by our two chefs in the featured recipes as they are being prepared and cooked.

In addition, each episode will look at local artists in the area – whether they be painters, potters or stainless steel sculptors. Wherever possible we will use their creations to serve or complement our food dishes. Also there will be interviews with other chefs in the area who will present a quick n’ easy favorite dish of theirs.

Constant camera moves, two cameras, underwater and lipstick cameras, crane shots, close-ups and wide-angles, spontaneity, jump cuts, whiz pans and speed changes & various post-production techniques will give this series a modern, dynamic and distinctive look.

In short, this will be a television cooking series which will set the new benchmark for this type of programming.