Byron Bay brays for foodie attention
The northern NSW town is about to host our food and wine royalty.
This year’s inaugural Byron Bay Fine Food & Beverage Festival will help confirm the region’s status as a top destination for food tourists.
So says Rockpool Group director and high-profile chef Neil Perry, who will be a special guest at Saturday’s event.
Perry says he is thrilled to be shining a light on the region’s exciting culinary scene, with the event the first of its kind for this pretty pocket of northern NSW.
“In addition to its awesome physical beauty, Byron Bay boasts so much talent. The festival will bring together some of the region’s most passionate producers such as Salumi Australia, Brookfarm and Stone & Wood,” Perry says.
“In addition to the regional producers, you have chefs like Ben Devlin from Paper Daisy and Darren Robertson and Mark Labrooy (Three Blue Ducks) who are all doing really great things.”
Organiser Remy Tancred says her vision for the festival is for it to become one of Australia’s leading premium food and beverage events. “I have designed the festival program to appeal to foodies both near and far,” says Tancred, who also founded the hugely successful Sample: A Taste of Northern NSW, in nearby Bangalow.
“Integral to the festival is the fact I want to showcase our homegrown talent. I also see it as an opportunity to celebrate some of the country’s finest producers, chefs and artisans from outside the region and have them all together under the one roof,” she says.
Tancred says the food and beverage scene in the northern NSW coastal region owes a lot to the verdant pastures that surround it. She adds the festival has attracted a passionate network of artisans and producers who represent the pinnacle of quality such as Nimbin Valley Dairy, First Food Co, KombuCody Seaweed, Bun Coffee and Brookfarm Macadamia Nuts.
“The only thing we can’t grow is grapes, which is why I’ve invited 12 wineries to complement what we grow in the back yard and have all these great offerings in the one spot,” says Tancred.
“The area is known for everything from its world-class macadamia nuts, local coffee and tea, craft beer and cider, to its great indigenous producers showcasing native Australian ingredients.”
The parklands around Elements at Byron will be transformed for the festival, where visitors who have grazed around the enclave can immerse themselves in masterclasses such as Churn Some Butter with Pepe Saya, or Salts of the Earth with Olsson Salts. Additional festival highlights include the launch of Brookie’s Slow Gin, which is infused with Davison plums and uses local macadamia nuts as one of the botanicals, and live music featuring a line-up of local acts.
While the gala dinner Perry will preside over sold out within 40 hours of being advertised, there are still tickets available for the one-day festival event where 12 top Australian chefs will be serving signature dishes for $10 a plate in the restaurant marquee.
Tickets are $20 and include festival entry, a tote bag, wine glass, festival program, masterclass and live music access, and an opportunity to meet some of Australia’s top food and beverage royalty.
byronbayfood.com.au/sample-food-festival/