Crave Sydney International Food Festival

Australia's largest food festival hits Sydney in October. , presented by Citibank, is a whirlwind of 500 spectacular food and wine events across the city and regional NSW, appealing to everyone from serious foodies to families and even global superstar chefs.

This year's exciting program launches this weekend in The Sydney Morning Herald and on www.cravesydney.com, and proves Sydney and regional NSW are the places to be in October for food lovers. Brilliant new events such as Kitchen Garden, Surprise Saturday Lunch and the world famous Dîner en Blanc (White Dinner) join favourites such as Breakfast on Bondi, Night Noodle Markets, Barbecue Madness and the fabulous World Chef Showcase.

"We have a fantastic Italian spotlight this year and I am excited not only about the incredible international chefs coming to Sydney, including two of the top five chefs from this year's World's Best Restaurants list, but also the opportunity to celebrate our fantastic food culture through special dinners, lunches and other one-off food experiences in our own backyard," said Festival Director Joanna Savill.

"There are literally hundreds and hundreds of events to get involved in across Sydney and regional NSW including pop-ups and parties, Good Pub Grub, Cocktail of the Month, late night Sugar Hit desserts, 100 Mile Meals, community festivals, quirky Hats Off dinners and everyone's favourite, Let's Do Lunch, offering special meal deals at some of Sydney and NSW's top rated-restaurants."

Highlights of the festival include:

* World Chef Showcase (October 6&7) - star chefs such as Massimo Bottura, Roberto Petza and Gabriele Bonci (Italy), Jordi Roca (Spain), and Christina Tosi (US) join local legends to showcase their talents in intimate cooking sessions.

NEW to the World Chef Showcase is Talks and Thoughts, covering the issues and ideas in today's food (and drinks) world. Presenters include David Chang (Momofuku Seiobo and Lucky Peach magazine), Ruth Reichl (former New York Times restaurant critic) and Nicholas Lander (restaurant reviewer with The Financial Times and author of The Art of the Restaurateur).

* Breakfast on Bondi (October 14) - join Opera Australia's Lorina Gore and breakfast king Bill Granger for sunrise, surf and symphony on Bondi beach - a magical way to start the day. New in 2012: reserved seating areas and pre-ordered bills brekkie!

* Barbecue Madness (October 6) - the festival starts with a sizzle at The Sydney Morning Herald Growers' Market at Pyrmont as hatted chefs such as Kylie Kwong and Rockpool's Phil Wood get grilling with growers' produce.

* 100 Mile Meals (October) - think global, eat local! Enjoy a long table lunch at dozens of 100 Mile Meals across regional NSW, celebrating the best local produce. All ingredients come from just down the road or a nearby paddock - with brilliant local wines.

* Night Noodle Markets (October 3-5, 8-12, 15-19) - Sydney's favourite outdoor food event is extended across three weeks and till 10pm nightly. The new Noodle Box hospitality area has a dedicated bar, canapé menu, live jazz, a Malay village feel courtesy of Chinta Ria restaurants... and no queues!

* Kitchen Garden (October) - 10 different opportunities for the GYO (Grow Your Own) crowd. Go on a Garden Tour with Peter Gilmore at his new growers' farm or check out the vegetable beds at Bowral's Biota Dining and Berry's Hungry Duck.

* Street festivals (throughout October) - with dozens of great street-based events this year, there's never been a better time to explore Sydney's multicultural food scene. Seven new community festivals include the Jewish Food Festival at Eveleigh (October 14); The Lanes of Parramatta (October 18 & 19); Paddington's Pub Precinct Barbecue Madness (October 6); Meander Manly (October 23); Eat, Drink Neutral Bay (October 28); and Signature Dish events in Cabramatta and Canley Vale.

A number of amazing one-off events round off the Food Festival in 2012 including Dîner en Blanc (the White Dinner) on October 18, a globally renowned secret dinner. 1,200 people will assemble at one of Sydney's most iconic locations, undisclosed until the evening of the event. Attendees must bring their own white table, white table decorations and... wear white. Of course!

A Moveable Feast on October 20 sees Sydney's brand-new fleet of food trucks roll into George Street for one evening only. Traffic will be closed off between Park and Bathurst streets for film screenings, music, seating on the roadway and lots of amazing eating.

A fantastic array of Showcase Dinners will see visiting international chefs take over the kitchen at Sydney's finest restaurants: Massimo Bottura at Marque, Jordi Roca at Sepia (Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year 2012) and Italy's best pizza chef, Gabriele Bonci, at Ormeggio at the Spit.

Crave Sydney International Food Festival (October 1-31) is a month-long celebration of extraordinary food experiences. It is one of five signature events on the NSW Events Calendar, created by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.

The full Crave Sydney International Food Festival program is published on August 18 in The Sydney Morning Herald and on line at www.cravesydney.com.