Tasmania's superpower is its fresh produce

The rugged island is home to creative mixologists and chefs who make local ingredients shine

- Smitha Menon

In a dining hall bathed in sunlight, I dig into a plate that represents the essence of springtime in Tasmania: sweet peas tumble off a bed of salted fish, finished off with a sprig of tarragon. Bright and tart with just a hint of sweetness, these peas were plucked a few minutes before they made their way to my plate at The Agrarian Kitchen, chef Rodney Dunn's restaurant and garden in Tasmania's verdant Derwent Valley.

Ten minutes before we sat down to our meal, Dunn took us on a tour of the garden and greenhouse, where he plucked Lacey Lady Peas off the stem and watched in delight when we squealed in surprise as we bit into them.

"It's easy to be creative with your cooking when your produce does more than half the job for you," he laughed as we walked through the garden, once an exercise yard for ward prisoners. That the restaurant sits on land that was once a mental asylum is just an example of how the restaurant embraces regenerative practices and thinking across its space.

Tasmania is fast emerging as a hot new food destination for a number of reasons. Over the past couple of years, soaring rents in mainland Australia have prompted chefs and creative food folk to flock to Hobart, Tasmania's capital, to launch their ventures. This symbiotic blend of talent and Tasmania's naturally bountiful fresh produce, owing to its unique geographical history, has led to this little island of rugged mountains, ancient forests and dramatic coastlines becoming a unique food mecca.

Over lunch, Dunn explains how the island's unique location has helped the survival of heirloom varieties and lesser-known artisanal techniques that have given rise to a food culture that's respectful of the land. Here, a burgeoning food movement is producing award-winning whiskies, best-in-class wines and artisanal cheese and chocolate, apart from offering a range of restaurants to explore.