Acclaimed Sunshine Coast chef Peter Kuruvita appointed Creative Director for The Curated Plate food and drink festival

Curated Plate food and drink festival

Renowned Sunshine Coast chef, Peter Kuruvita, has been appointed Culinary Director for The Curated Plate food and drink festival, which will be held from July 25 to August 3, 2025.

The Festival celebrates the best of the region’s local produce, restaurants, chefs, and craft brewers and distillers, set against the backdrop of the Sunshine Coast’s stunning ocean and Hinterland landscapes.

Launched originally in 2019, The Curated Plate has grown substantially over the years, attracting more than 7000 attendees to 85 events in 2024. The festival’s success was recognised when it won the award for Best Small Regional Event at the 2024 Australian Event Awards.

Peter Kuruvita has over 40 years of experience as a chef, restaurateur, author, TV presenter, culinary tour leader, and spice merchant. With his Sri Lan                   kan origins, and culinary roots in many of the best restaurants in Europe, America and Australia, Kuruvita brings a rich mix of global and local skills to the Culinary Director role.

Mr Kuruvita said he was keen to start talking to local operators about their concepts for The Curated Plate.

“I’m excited to become more involved in The Curated Plate in 2025, particularly to provide guidance and share my knowledge and skills with local chefs and producers, if that’s what they would like,” he said.

“I hope to influence and guide the festival program to ensure we curate the best possible festival of events to showcase both local chef talent and produce and promote the Sunshine Coast as a fantastic food and drink destination.”

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the festival created opportunities that translated the region’s exceptional produce into memorable food experiences.

Peter Kuruvita

“We are looking to create a program full of diverse experiences for locals and visitors with extraordinary events that take place in unique settings, from our farms to beaches, from our breweries to distilleries,” she said.

“Food and agribusiness has been identified as a key high-value industry in our Production Economy, which is one of the six high value economies identified for growth as we target a $33 billion economy by 2033.’’

The event program is currently being developed with more details to be announced in the new year.

Further information: https://thecuratedplate.com.au/