During the 'Connecting Through Culinary Experiences' panel discussion, Calchera joined with Straight to the Source's Tawnya Bahr, Rowlee Wines owner Nicole Samodol and Crystalbrook Byron and Vincent Area Director of Marketing Pascale Rocher.
They discussed NSW being home to amazing seasonal produce and how storytelling can elevate culinary experiences.
“It's important for chefs to know where their food comes from and equally important for producers to know where their food is going," Bahr said.
Rocher highlighted the growing appreciation of farm-to-table dining, with Crystalbrook having a commitment to reducing food miles and promoting sustainable farming practices.
"Forest restaurant at Crytalbrook Bryon has achieved goal of 80 per cent of their products being sourced from within three hours of the region," she said.
Calchera and Pearls of Australia Managing Director James Brown discussed the multi-billion-dollar potential of agritourism for the NSW visitor economy.
Calchera noted that visitors want authentic agritourism experiences that connect them to the destination and also to their families. She said the most important thing was to make experiences bookable (a set price that can be booked online and paid ahead). Creating experiences that are sensory and 'Instagram-worthy' was also perceived as highly desirable.
Brown suggested linking up with other producers and farmers to maximise the visitor experience offering in regional areas.
"The Central Coast Makers Trail, for example, was started by a group of passionate producers with the same barriers who started sharing each other's information," he said.
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