Chef Trice whips up recipe for success

Strawberry sorbet and ranch dressing are fuelling Cairns Taipans import Travis Trice’s standout NBL season.


When Travis Trice landed in Cairns in August he needed two things.

Stick deodorant and Hidden Valley ranch dressing.

“Everywhere I went, nobody had ranch dressing,” the Ohio native says smiling.

“You guys don’t really do stick deodorant either.”

Roll-on anti-perspirants can be replaced but the condiment issue was more of a concern.

A city-wide search ensued before a suitable substitute could be found.

“I had to go around and try different dressings before I settled on one,” he says.

“I’ve got five different off-brands of ranch in my house that are just sitting there.

“But Paul Newman [dressing] is my go-to now.”

In his quest to spice up his salads, Trice discovered strawberry sorbet.

“I go through like a litre of it a week now,” he says. “It’s definitely clutch.”

This season Trice’s off-court diet has been supplemented by some healthy servings of step-back jump shots and tasty drives to the basket on the court.

The former Michigan State guard scored 31 points against the New Zealand Breakers at home on Sunday, outplaying visiting guards Kirk Penney, David Stockton and Corey Webster.

But Trice says all the ingredients will have to come together to keep up his good form.

“There’s a lot that goes into it,” he says.

“I’ve got to thank my teammates. They did a great job of finding me. The thing about our offence is it’s open opportunity. It could be anyone’s game on any given night.

“[Head coach Aaron] Fearne ran some sets for me early. It was definitely a team effort.”

Having spent four months living in Cairns, Trice says he’s settled into the community.

“I love it here,” he says.

“The weather’s nice. It’s not too hot but they say it’s going to get hotter. I like the city the best. It’s a good vibe. Everyone’s laidback and friendly.”