A world of culinary talent to descend on Melbourne

The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival returns in 2024 with a program that will include 300 events across the city and beyond.

The festival, one of Australia's leading gourmet events, will run from March 15-24.

The event will kick off with the return of some festival favourites, including the World’s Longest Lunch to be led by superstar chef Andrew McConnell (Gimlet, Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co, Supernormal) and the World’s Longest Brunch with new-wave Indian food champions Harry Mangat (Biji Dining), Helly Raichura (Enter Via Laundry) and Mischa Tropp (Toddy Shop).

“We’re thrilled to be back in 2024 with a truly special program," says Anthea Loucas Bosha, CEO of Food + Drink Victoria, the not-for-profit parent company behind MFWF.

"From the king of Melbourne hospitality, Andrew McConnell, leading the World’s Longest Lunch to three of the state’s best proponents of new-wave Indian cooking taking the change on World’s Longest Brunch - that’s just the first two days of the festival.

“Our Global Dining Series has been supercharged this year, with a breadth of talent from around Australia and the world coming to Melbourne for a series of one-off dinners, collaborations and residencies.

"Our final weekend has us back at our festival home, Fed Square, where Melbourne’s best bakers and patissiers will be on show.

"Melbourne is always one of most dynamic places to eat and drink, and for 10 days in March Melbourne will be the world’s eating and drinking capital.”

Guests include Garima Arora bringing the food of Gaa, her Bangkok post-Noma take on Indian food, while Sarah Cicolini brings her trattoria Santo Palato from Rome to a pop-up in North Melbourne, both open for the length of the festival.

 

Hanoi-based Sam Tran brings a taste of Gia to Aru, Dan Hong (above) goes sweet-casual at Pidapipo and Neil Perry brings a taste of his Margaret restaurant to Omnia.

Andrew McConnell said: “Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is one of the most important events in the calendar. MFWF is crucial to continuing and reinforcing Melbourne’s reputation as the cultural and gastronomic capital of Australia."

There will be a range of events at Fed Square (all heavily sponsored).

Tickets for the 2024 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival go on sale Thursday, February 1. See https://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/

Melbourne Food & Wine Festival spreads its wings

The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival has expanded its offering with a 10-day regional program offering eating and drinking right across the state of Victoria.

The festival kicks off with The Village Feast, a two-day (November 19-20) festival in the Gippsland village of Thorpdale that will feature an opening night collaboration dinner taking the team from wine-bar favourite Embla to winery restaurant Hogget; a campfire degustation from Farmer’s Daughters chef Alejandro Saravia, plus his deli, serving an all Gippsland deli menu; pop-up food outlets from chefs including interstate talent such as Danielle Alvarez and Analiese Gregory.

There will also be a celebration of Gippsland milk with That’s Amore and Gippsland Jersey; cakes by Mali Bakes; pub favourites at Art Deco watering hole The Travellers Rest Hotel; and entertainment including Mia Wray, Grace Cummings and Dorsal Fins on the main stage curated by Always Live, a new state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by Visit Victoria.

Early bird tickets are $32 for adults with free entry for children aged 12 and under.

“We’re thrilled to be back in regional Victoria as we continue to celebrate 30 years of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival,” says Anthea Loucas Bosha, CEO of Food + Drink Victoria, the not-for-profit parent company behind Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

“This program highlights the extraordinary food and drink experiences that make Victoria the best place in the world to eat and drink [a huge, contentious and very parochial statement] from our two-day takeover of Thorpdale for the Village Feast, a series of one-off dining events in Ballarat, and taking our popular Crawl and Bite tours to Victoria’s High Country.”




Other events that are part of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival’s dedicated regional program include:

· Victoria’s High Country Crawl and Bite, taking intimate groups of food lovers between a handful of great venues at a time, stopping for a bite, drink or taste at each in villages including Beechworth, Bright and Rutherglen.

· Ballarat Unlocked, with the region’s best chefs at some of the city's historic buildings in a Festival dining series.

· Signature Escapes, a series of itineraries put together in concert with producers, restaurateurs and hoteliers to showcase the best of the regions.

Tickets go on sale from Friday at mfwf.com.au.