Kevin Rudd dines upmarket at The Lodge
Article from: Sunday Mail
April 26, 2009 12:00am
WHILE Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he's sharing the pain of Australians battling the recession, that doesn't extend to his table at the Lodge.
The Prime Minister and his wealthy wife Therese Rein prefer the high-end products of one of Canberra's most upmarket boutique delicatessens when they dine at their official residence.
The provedore Manuka Fine Foods, formerly part of the exclusive Jones the Grocer franchise, regularly delivers to the Lodge.
An investigation by The Sunday Mail reveals the Rudd family has two favourite cheeses: the French Beaufort raw milk and the Italian Taleggio, at $128 and $75 a kilo respectively.
When it comes to their bread, they prefer sourdough kibble at $6.30 a loaf.
Shelley Thomson, the owner of Manuka Fine Foods, confirmed yesterday the Rudds were good customers, with Ms Rein often dropping in with a shopping list.
"They're very big cheese-lovers. They're both very well educated (in food tastes) and have a very good appreciation," Ms Thomson said.
Another favourite of the PM and his family is Tetsuya's smoked salmon, home-made Simon Johnson pasta and Maggie Beer condiments.
Admitting that working families are "doing it tough" at the moment, Mr Rudd observed only last month: "My belief is that we will come through this crisis together because we're all in this together."What do they expect?
Board and lodging goes with the job and they can afford it .
