Free Noodle Bar in Fremantle Aims to Win Over Induction Cooking Skeptics

A free noodle bar has popped up in Fremantle, Western Australia, as part of an effort to win over skeptics of induction cooking and demonstrate that ditching gas doesn't mean sacrificing culinary delights.

The Electric Noodle Bar, run by the advocacy group Electrify Fremantle, is part of Fremantle Design Week and aims to show people that living without gas can be both easy and delicious. Wilf Johnston, one of the organisers, said that the event is about showing, rather than telling, people how living without gas could work.

"I think sometimes people need to tangibly see something, not just read about it on social media or online or a brochure," he said.

"Actually seeing something happening, and in this case smelling and tasting, really brings it home that it's possible to do this stuff."

Electrify Fremantle is a volunteer group that encourages households to convert their appliances to run on electricity, which can be powered by renewable energy. For many people considering giving up their gas connection, cooking seems to be a major concern.

The electric noodle bar, where chef Amanda Auwdina prepares vegetarian noodles, aims to demonstrate that switching to an induction cooktop doesn't mean losing access to fast, intense heat. Johnston showcased the capabilities of induction cooking, highlighting the variety of cookware that can be used.

"We've got a flat-bottomed wok on a normal induction hot plate, which is great for everyday use," Mr Johnston said.

"We also have a curved induction wok burner, which is fantastic, which you use with a round wok, and the temperatures there you can get up to are easily adequate to get that nice wok flavour."

Johnston noted that induction cooking is becoming increasingly popular, citing research that shows 40 per cent of households in Hong Kong now use induction stoves. The group hopes to spark broader conversations about giving up gas and highlight the benefits of electrification.

"Normally when you talk about home electrification, you tend to get the people that are already on the journey and have already thought about it a lot, and that's great," Mr Johnston said.

"But for everyone else who might not be thinking about this, that's been our real target."

The organisers argue that giving up gas stoves has several benefits, including environmental advantages, easier cleaning, and cost savings. Research by consumer organisation Choice found that induction cooktops transferred energy into cookware with about 85 per cent efficiency, compared to gas-powered cooking elements which operated at 32 per cent efficiency.

Johnston believes that full electrification of homes across Perth is inevitable and that gas will eventually be phased out. He pointed to the example of Albany, where gas will be phased out over the next three years.

"I think it's interesting because the [Perth] gas network is not owned by the government, it's owned by a private company," he said.

"What we saw in Albany is that it just wasn't viable anymore, and I think over time, logically, you have to think that that is likely to be the case across the board."

"Nothing stops people using bottled gas, if that's really something that people want to keep doing."

"But I think the viability of the gas network will be called into question in the coming years for sure."