Australian cook Ben Borscht pushes smashed peas in new content campaign for Birds Eye
Masterchef contenstant Ben Borsht, along with Birds Eye, is calling all Australians to ditch the over-hyped, overdone smashed avo in favour of Australia’s more affordable, reliable and often forgotten green alternative – smashed peas.
In vying for the title of Australia’s favourite home TV cook, Borsht gained a public following for his simple, home-style dishes however it was his disastrous fish and pea combo that led to his second-place finish. He’s now back in the kitchen with new stripes as Australia’s first pea ambassador, ready to free the pea from freezers across the country and make amends for his pea flunk.
The offending finale dish – deep-fried whiting and whole peas with parsley and garlic emulsion – resulted in Borsht getting a roasting on social media and so his path to redemption is quite rightly, partnering with Birds Eye Aussie-grown peas.
Says Borsht: “I eat and cook with peas all the time. Obviously, I’m devastated that I didn’t do them justice. The pressure got to me. If I could do it all again, I would have treated the peas with a bit more respect for sure.”
In collaboration with Birds Eye, Borsht has developed a selection of bespoke brunch recipes raring to usurp the avocado on toast trend.
Says Borsht: “We’re reintroducing Australia to smashed peas in a way they’ve never seen them before. A pack of peas where you can eat like a king for a week or one expensive avocado – it’s a no brainer.
“And the truth is, about three in four Aussie households have peas in the freezer but we just aren’t sure how to use them beyond bangers, mash and mushy peas. We’ll change that.”
The nutritional value of peas is high, according to accredited practicing dietitian Kim Tikellis. Peas are a nutrition powerhouse, packed with nutrients such as fibre, protein, folate and vitamin C. Plus peas are kinder to both your wallet and your waistline than trendy creamy avocado.
Birds Eye, Australia’s number one producer of frozen foods, snap freeze its farm-fresh Aussie peas within hours of picking to lock in all this goodness and maximise their sweet flavour.
Peas are always on hand, quick to prep and one of the most affordable all-season ingredients and, according to Borsht, they’re a treat with fresh herbs like mint and watercress. Borsht’s pro tip is to sauté them first in butter before crushing.
Accompanying the campaign, Borsht and Birds Eye have launched a nationwide search on social media to find Australia’s favourite smashed peas on a cafe menu.
Creative: Liquid Ideas
Photographer: Steven Woodburn
Videographer: Jordan Watton
2 Comments
Ground breaking creative.
I just found a cure for insomnia