Comfort Food Cabaret

At the mention of Comfort Food Cabaret, this reviewer grabbed the opportunity to see this show. Promising to combine everyone’s favourite food with music, this show dishes up the goods in spades.

Michelle Pearson serves a tantalising feast for all five senses - singing and cooking her way through a three-course meal, plated up and fed to the audience. Heaven.

There was an audible excitement in the audience on opening night of this very different cabaret show, as we were all treated to the most amazing aromas flooding the lovely Market Kitchen above Adelaide’s Central Market. An innovative and creative concept, this show, according to Pearson, is a culmination of a journey to combine her two greatest passions in life - performing and cooking - her “two world’s colliding”.

Every part of this show is a delight. Pearson and her two-piece band, Aaron Nash and Michael Ciramella, perform beautiful renditions of ‘I’m feeling good’ (cleverly adapted to include food references), ’At last’, ‘I need a hero’, ‘Turn me on’, ‘I’m so excited’ and many others. As always, Pearson is a joy to the ears – sensual and pitch perfect, with a belt to envy.

Throughout the show Pearson gives Nigella Lawson a run for her money, narrating her life story and childhood memories in a food journey. She cooks a beautiful three course sampler dinner for the audience, ably assisted by her ‘sous-chef’ Lauren Quinn.

A particular story to look out for is the one about the ‘apricot chicken horror incident’.

From the moment the kitchen alarm rings to commence the show, the audience is taken on a food excursion - sometimes nostalgic but always passionate. Michelle Pearson’s angelic voice is in stark contrast to the wickedness of her culinary products. A night not to miss.

Shelley Hampton

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