Melbourne’s Food and Wine Festival celebrates 30 years

Renowned chefs from the world over will arrive in Victoria this month to celebrate food, culture and community for the 30th anniversary of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF).

Running from March 25 to April 9, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will be held at Queen Victoria Market once again with a headline Sunday Lunch hosted by British television chef, journalist and food writer Nigella Lawson.

“I’m thrilled and honoured to be joining the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in March – the 30th birthday of a great festival in a great food city deserves a great celebration, and that’s exactly what the festival will be. I so look forward to seeing you there!” Ms Lawson said.

The event will be inclusive to all food types and dietary requirements, giving all Melburnians and tourists an opportunity to find a feast that will satisfy them.

“Outside, inside, big or small, meat-based or plant-centric, top-dollar or free, wild, family-friendly or both, this festival has a food and drink adventure for you,” MFWF creative director Pat Nourse said.

Partners for the event include primary partner Bank of Melbourne, and Visit Victoria acting as a destination partner.

“We’re excited, once again, to support the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in our 11th year as principal partner,” Bank of Melbourne state general manager Anna McLiesh said.

Opening events in Treasury Gardens include:

• Herald Sun World’s Longest Lunch – The first item on the ticket: three-courses curated by Attica’s Ben Shewry showcasing his unique and hands-on methods of cooking, taking place Friday, March 25, 12pm to 4pm.
• Dan Murphy’s World’s Longest Brunch – A brunch/lunch combo fit for fans of Melbourne’s contemporary Middle Eastern contributions to the city’s taste pallet. This will be the second consecutive brunch presented by Dan Murphy’s, scheduled Saturday, March 26 10.30am to 1pm.

Some other events hosted at Queen Victoria Market throughout the week include, but are not limited to:

• Snacktown, presented by Grampians and Pyrenees Wines – Two days of the best global eats from across the city, in one place.
• New Crush – Showcasing Victoria’s best drinks and drinks producers across beer, wine, cider, spirits and non-alcoholic.
• Welcome to the Jungle, presented by Wanderlust – A celebration of plants, from the indoor variety to Melbourne’s best plant-based eating and drinking experiences.
• The Big Spaghetti, presented by That’s Amore Cheese – Featuring pasta dishes across 10 stalls from the likes of Tipo 00, Mister Bianco, and more.
• The Convenient Store, presented by 7-Eleven –stocks a keen-eyed edit of Victorian food and drink, mixing the high and the low, offering a changing array of fresh and snacks from leading Melbourne chefs.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said, “We’re proud to support the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival as it celebrates thirty years of hosting Australia’s most renowned foodie event.”

“Melbourne is famous for its culinary scene and we support the festival because it brings people into our city to taste the best of what’s on offer – and that means more jobs in our local hospitality industry.”

CEO of the not-for-profit parent company behind MFWF Food + Drink Victoria Anthea Loucas said, “I’m super proud of this program which highlights the extraordinary food and drink experiences that make Melbourne so special.” •

For more information: mfwf.com.au