The Baker and the Winemaker: A Celebration of Levant Heritage and Shared Indulgence
Unveiling Limited-Edition Knafeh Dessert in Collaboration with The Bearded Bakers
A rich cultural heritage meets bold culinary innovation in a one-of-a-kind collaboration between Levantine Hill Estate and the multi-talented Bearded Bakers. For a limited time only, guests can enjoy a specially created Knafeh dessert, made to pair exquisitely with Levantine Hill’s 2020 Estate Mélange Botrytis dessert wine - a sensory experience steeped in Levantine tradition and Australian terroir.
“This is a story of shared roots and modern interpretation,” said Paul Bridgeman, Chief Winemaker at Levantine Hill. “With the Bearded Bakers and the Knafeh, what we’re doing together is about honouring tradition - but also asking, what can we project from that heritage into the now?”
Knafeh - an iconic and warming Middle Eastern dessert made with a base of semolina and a crisp topping - has been brought to life at Levantine Hill with a refined twist. Designed in close collaboration with The Bearded Bakers, this dish was created to harmonise with the luscious 2020 Estate Mélange Botrytis dessert wine, that features a bouquet of beeswax and orange marmalade, melding with flavours of orange poppy seed cake, cumquat and cardamom panna cotta.
“We designed this pairing as a kind of sympatico - a meeting of old-world flavours with new-world expression,” Bridgeman explains. “There are notes in the wine that pair beautifully with our take on the knafeh - honey from our estate hives, orange blossom and rose petals - that beautifully echo the aromas of the botrytis wine. It’s a celebration of food friendliness and cultural resonance. And of course, served with gold leaf – our Levantine Hill touch.”
For the Bearded Bakers, the dish is deeply personal.
“Knafeh is such a symbolic dessert - not just to my family, but to many families across the Levantine community,” says Joey Elissa of The Bearded Bakers. “We've celebrated countless moments over Knafeh, and now it’s beautiful to share it with the rest of the world in this new way.”
The limited-edition dish blends authenticity and innovation, drawing directly from Levantine Hill’s terroir. “We’ve drawn inspiration from their land, the honey from their own bees, and local rose petals.” Elissa adds. “We’ve stayed true to the original spirit of Knafeh, but brought a modern twist. Think a lighter, creamy centre inspired by crème brûlée, with a beautiful crunchy top and the fragrance of rose, pistachio and honeycomb.”
Levantine Hill itself draws its name from “the Levant”, the ancient lands along the Eastern Mediterranean coast. Levantine Hill’s culinary team serves up mediterranean-inspired a menu, which combines time-honoured traditional flavours with a contemporary celebration of local produce. This collaboration - The Baker and the Winemaker - brings that legacy to life, not only through ingredients, but through shared philosophies around family, community, and storytelling.
Both The Bearded Bakers and Levantine Hill found common ground in more than just flavour.
“Levantine Hill and Knafeh Bakery share the same values,” says Elissa. “It’s about family, legacy, and celebrating where we’ve come from - on one plate, in one glass.”
Bridgeman agrees: “We’re taking lessons from the Old World and infusing them with the creative freedom of the Yarra Valley. Together, we’ve conceived something truly next level.”
Available at Levantine Hill Restaurant for a Limited Time Only
The Knafeh and 2020 Mélange Botrytis pairing will be served exclusively at our Yarra Valley cellar door and restaurant for four weeks only in the month of September 2025.
Bookings are essential. Limited quantities available.
Book here
For media and image requests, email enquiry@levantinehill.com.au
