After his first taste of Narooma Oyster Festival last year nothing can keep legendary chef Colin Fassnidge away from this year's festival, not even a hectic filming schedule.
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The filming involves gruelling 12-hour shoots but he's not letting that stop him from returning to the festival which runs from Friday, May 5 to Sunday, May 7.
"I am actually filming the day before and I am filming on the Sunday so I have to leave the festival at 7am on Sunday.
"This year I will be causing trouble again, like last year, toasting a lot of people and I am doing a cooking demo," Mr Fassnidge said.
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Long South Coast connection
Although a relative newcomer to the oyster festival, Mr Fassnidge has been visiting the South Coast for years in his caravan and he cooked for Tilba Dairy's Erica and Nic Dibden nine years ago.
One of his most memorable oyster experiences, apart from feeding his daughter her first oyster, was with Steve Feletti of Moonlight Flat Oysters on his boat in Batemans Bay.
At one stage in his career, he used a lot of Mr Feletti's famous Clair de Lune oysters which "they take out to sea and then tow them inland" to give them their unique flavour.
While filming My Ireland with Colin for Channel 7, he visited Galway, where he raced the world champion oyster shucker.
"He beat me by one oyster and it still haunts me."
Ireland's oysters versus South Coast rock oysters
The rock oysters that the oyster festival celebrates are very different from the big flat agnasi oysters of his homeland.
"It is like chalk and cheese.
"It is a bit like wine and that is the beauty of it. It reflects the place," Mr Fassnidge said.
He was absolutely won over by the Narooma Oyster Festival last year.
"It's just got a great vibe, the people are lovely and I know the oyster farmers so I'm coming back again."
At this year's festival he will be cooking poached chicken in oyster nage.
"It sounds a bit rank but it is actually quite nice."
Mr Fassnidge will only be cooking 30 portions of the dish so get in early to get a seat at the front.
The always popular cooking demonstrations run from 10.30am to 3pm on Saturday, with Mr Fassnidge taking centre stage at 1.15pm.
He will also do the countdown to the South Coast's best fireworks display at 8.30pm on Friday.
Check out the jam-packed program and buy your tickets before they sell out.
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