Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2023: 10-day food, drink program revealed

A celebrity sausage sizzle and an after-dark cheese and wine night — here are five must-try Melbourne Food and Wine Festival events.

All Are Welcome bakery’s Boris Portnoy is celebrating the launch of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2023. Picture: David Caird

Melbourne’s cafe culture has already earnt a crust on the world stage.

Now our city’s favourite food festival is toasting to our best bakeries.

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will celebrate carbs in all their glorious forms at the Baker’s Dozen; a free, weekend-long event part of the 10-day extravaganza which returns on March 24.

Boris Portnoy, of Northcote’s All Are Welcome bakery, will slice his famous city sourdough alongside Lune’s croissants and Holy Sugar’s cakes when Federation Square becomes a mega open-air market on the final weekend.

While we won’t catch Nigella fever this year, homegrown-hero Curtis Stone will give locals a taste of his newly Michelin-starred LA restaurant, Gwen.

All Wolf-Tasker from Daylesford’s The Lakehouse will headline this year’s World’s Longest Lunch.

AFL star Christian Petracca and radio queen Chrissie Swan will also be among the local talent putting snags to white bread as part of the inaugural Celebrity Sausage at the festival’s Federation Square hub.

The long-running festival is a highlight in Melbourne’s ‘Mad March’ calendar, with two of its drawcard events — the World’s Longest Lunch and Brunch — selling out late last year.

Lakehouse’s Alla Wolf-Tasker AM headlines this year’s longest lunch, with Beatrix Bakes’ Natalie Paull behind the brunch.

Food and Drink Victoria chief executive Anthea Loucas Bosha said: “We are thrilled to be back after an incredible 30th anniversary year. Our 2023 program highlights the extraordinary food and drink experiences that make Melbourne so special.”

Tickets go on sale February 3 to the general public, with a pre-sale from today.

To see the full program visit: mfwf.com.au

5 MUST-DO EVENTS

1. Gwen by Curtis Stone

Local boy turned global superstar Curtis Stone will bring his newly Michelin-starred LA restaurant, Gwen, to Melbourne for one night only at his new Grace by Curtis Stone Events space on March 20.

$295pp inc drinks.

Anthony Femia from Maker and Monger. Picture: Nicki Connolly

2. Cheese-a-palooza

Prahran Market’s Maker and Monger will host the ultimate up-late cheese and wine sesh on March 30. Cheesemonger Anthony Femia will share his faves with the crowd from 6.30pm.

$102 pp

3. Westside wander

Unearth the hidden foodie gems of Melbourne’s west with a series of movable feasts through Sunshine, Williamstown, Footscray, Werribee, Caroline Springs, Yarraville and more.

Various prices.

Dees star Christian Petracca will create his dream sausage sanga. Picture: Michael Klein

4. Celebrity Sausage

Radio queen Chrissie Swan, newsreader Virginia Trioli, comedian Rhys Nicholson and AFL star Christian Petracca will create their dream sausage sandwich with serious sizzle from 10.30am on April 1-2.

Free entry

5. Baker’s Dozen

Lune, Baker Bleu, All Are Welcome, To Be Frank, Monforte, Holy Sugar, Bread Club, Tarts Anon, The Flour, Kudo and Totti’s at Lorne will share a whole lotta loave at the two-day event from 10.30am on April 1-2.

Free entry