Foodie fun as fest goes regional

A TEN-day regional edition of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will showcase the tastes of Ballarat next month.

Festival directors have partnered with the City of Ballarat and have engaged local hospitality venues to develop a unique dining calendar between Friday, 18 and Sunday, 27 November.

Restaurant Mr Jones is set to put on an art-driven dining experience, the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute’s basement will be the setting for a five-course meal from the chefs at Peasant, and Underbar is teaming up with Geelong’s Igni to deliver a foodie offering.

For City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney, the region’s hospitality sector is booming, and needs to be shown off, both at home, and to wider Victorian audiences.

“Ballarat’s food scene continues to grow and evolve every year, so partnering with the powerhouse Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will get this message out to their foodie audience,” he said.

“It’s also the perfect excuse to invite someone you love to Ballarat and show them a different side to our city, all the while supporting an industry that is part of the lifeblood of the future of this wonderful place we all call home.”

The Festival’s regional program is set to include partnerships between The Turret and Kilderkin Distillery, and Drive Café and Eastern Peake.

Events are also planned for the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Mitchell Harris Wines, Carboni’s Italian Kitchen, The Shared Table, and The Canberra Hotel.

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival creative director Pat Nourse said he’s excited by what the city has to offer.

“If you love good eating and great drinking, Ballarat is going to be top of your to-do list for your next getaway in regional Victoria,” he said.