Tenth Anniversary Noosa International Food and Wine Festival 2013 Program Announced

Mark Best

To celebrate it's 10th anniversary, the Noosa International Food and Wine Festival 2013 has pulled out all stops with a food, wine and lifestyle program to delight amateur cooks, serious foodies, lifestyle enthusiasts and families alike. From May 16 to May 19 many of the world's best chefs, Australia's celebrity chefs, wine makers and Australia's hottest entertainers will descend upon Noosa bringing their star power to Australia's premier food and wine event held on the Sunshine Coast.

New highlights for the 2013 Festival include:

•     The Gala Opening Concert, Edible Music, will be a world first combining the talents of several of Australia's most acclaimed musicians with ten of the world's foremost chefs from the S. Pellegrino World's Best Restaurants list.  Themed to the music of the QLD Virtuosi Orchestra under the baton of Guy Noble, the chefs will demonstrate their fabulous canapes as Festival guests sample these gastronomic delights culminating in a surprise grand finale.

•     The new Platinum Experience package will provide the ultimate Festival experience. Not only will guests have access to the exclusive Platinum Lounge with its private bar, restaurant and concierge services but they will be hosted at exclusive functions, meet and socialise with the star chefs, sit in premium seats and receive true platinum service throughout the four days of the Festival. See website for full details.

•     Two Qantas International Degustations featuring ten chefs from S. Pellegrino World's Best Restaurants list and six of Australia's leading chefs.

•     Salute to Ten Years Degustation featuring chefs from our first food and wine festival.

•     Three sublime Sunset Concerts with drinks and canapes at the iconic Noosa National Park Lookout in a special Festival marquee followed by dinner at three of Noosa's premium restaurants.

•     The new Barefoot Beach Marquee located on Noosa's idyllic Main Beach which will host some fabulous new events including:                                                                                    

1. Australian final of the World Class Cocktails Competition   
2. World Class Food & Cocktail Pairing Dinner  
3. Seafood Feast on the Beach

•      A Japanese/Indian Lunch with matched beers from Asahi and Kingfisher.

Festival favourites are still on the menu including Lifestyle Lunches, Riverside Picnics, Wine Masterclasses and Guest Chefs at Sunshine Coasts Restaurants.

 

Festival goers will have direct access to the S.Pellegrino World's Best Restaurants list chefs -

Mark Best (NSW), Andre Chiang (Singapore), Mauro Colagreco (France), Carlo Cracco (Italy), Peter Gilmore (NSW), David Kinch (USA), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan), Ben Shewry (VIC), David Thompson (Thailand) and Tetsuya Wakuda (Singapore/NSW) with performances at the Gala Opening Night, live cooking demonstrations or for a very special treat, join them for one of the Qantas Premium International Degustation dinners.

  

Once again there is a stellar entertainment line-up including Timomatic, Jane Rutter, Taryn Fiebig, Mahogany, Thomas Crane with Queen Bohemian Rhapsody, The Fabulous Singlettes and Martini Club.

 

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games, Jann Stuckey, welcomed the premier food and wine festival back to Queensland in 2013 and congratulated the event's organisers on a decade of success.

 

 "Through plenty of hard work and determination, the Noosa International Food and Wine Festival has gone from strength to strength over the last ten years and has grown into a much anticipated, culinary tourism event," Minister Stuckey said.

 

"In 2013 visitors will be offered a fantastic program which will showcase some of our best regional produce and also position the Sunshine Coast as a great event and holiday destination.

 "We are looking forward to welcoming some of the world's most revered chef's as we celebrate a decade of superb food, wine and remarkable talent.

 

"Events deliver economic and social benefits to all sectors of the community in which they are held and the Newman Government is proud to support major international events like the Noosa International Food and Wine Festival through Tourism and Events Queensland."

 

General Admission tickets this year are $40 (adult) or $20 (accompanied child under 13) and will include Celebrity Chef Cooking Demonstrations, Culinary Exhibition, Courier Mail LIFE Annexe, Food Critics Cooking Competition and the live entertainment.

 

A great way to experience the Festival is with a Weekend Gold Pass that includes VIP admission to Friday's Westpac Welcome Cocktail Party, Saturday and Sunday entry to hospitality pavilions and preferential concert seating. Cost is $330 per person.

Purchase your tickets before April 1, 2013 and receive a 10% discount (offer excludes tickets for Guest Chefs at Sunshine Coast Restaurants, Qantas Premier International Degustation Dinners, Sunset Concerts and the Platinum Experience).

Festival Director, Jim Berardo, is thrilled with the focus of the 2013 festival.  "We are proud to have built this event to something truly world class. The Festival originated to acknowledge and promote Australian produce, wine and talent. Now Australia has a real presence in the world of food and wine and we have recognised this by the overseas talent that we are bringing to the Sunshine Coast.

 

Andre Chiang

"As we get set to kick off our first decade of Noosa food and wine festivals, we have really tried to push the envelope to celebrate our tenth year with new iconic events and program inclusions that are so much more than just food and wine."

 

Visit the website for the full program and online ticket bookings www.noosafoodandwine.com.au or call (07) 5455 4455 for further information.