We are in the midst of a food obsession fed by a gluttony of cooking shows and a surplus of celebrity chefdom. Isn't it great! We seem to have a voracious appetite, with finesse and restraint of course, when it comes to all things food, making this year's
Good Food & Wine Show the place to be.
While it's on in five different states at different times of the year, ours runs from the 4th to the 6th of June at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (or the old 'Jeff's Shed'). It's easy to get to by car or public transport. Click
here for more details.
So, what goodies can we tuck into? Well, there are around 100 food and wine stalls to browse, taste and buy from. Bring a trolley – or buy one there.
If that's not enough, some of the biggest celebrity chefs on our TV screens will be donning aprons and whipping up some magic in the
Celebrity Theatre.
My favourite is
Manu Fieldel, who co-judged My Kitchen Rules with Pete Evans. Not only is he a great chef, warm, sincere and not big-headed like some, he's cute too.
There are a bunch of hands-on experiences you can try, like the Cheese Masterclass for all things cheesy (in the very best sense of the word, of course), or the Chocolate Masterclass for all things gooey and glistening.
Learn some great new dishes in the
Gourmet Garden Cooking School with the highly talented Dominique Rizzo, and master the art of coffee making or cup-cake decorating at the
Sunbeam Academy.
While these experiences are extra, there is more than enough indulgence included in your very reasonably-priced ticket to keep you enthralled. I recommend making a full day of it to get round everything at your leisure.
Tip: This type of show attracts thousands of people. For the most civilised and enjoyable experience, go when others aren't. For instance, Friday is less crowded than the weekend, and mornings are usually less crowded than afternoons.
Hope to see you there. I can't wait.
