While I miss the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, I also appreciate how lucky I am to be able to call Australia home. We’re a nation of sun-loving foodies who know how to have a good time, and the Noosa Eat & Drink Festival was that personified. It’s an annual event held over four mouth-watering days that celebrates amazing food, drinks and entertainment… and it’s right here on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Right on my doorstep, in other words! Here’s how I spent my time at Noosa Eat & Drink Festival recently…
Cheers to beers
First up, I was fortunate enough to be hosted by the very fabulous Boiling Pot Brewing Co, where master brewer Pedro De Luca gave me a behind-the-scenes look (and more than my fair share of tasters!) at how they make their range of craft beer.
As a wine-drinker, it’s not often that I’m impressed by beer, but I was more than pleasantly surprised to taste some truly delicious tipples at Boiling Pot. They’ve succeeded in making me a convert!
A cooking lesson with Terra Firma Dining
Chefs Charly Pretet and Alan Dawes from Terra Firma Dining took the time to give me a lesson on all things fire cooking. This humble style of cooking saw them take amazing local produce and slowly roast it over hot coals in a highly impressive open fire pit installation. It takes the tradition of an Aussie barbecue to a whole new level.
And I can happily say the crackling on their pork was out-of-this-world good!
Kitchen tours and talks with top chefs
Andrew Tomlin, head chef at Season Restaurant, and Adam Wolfers, executive chef at Gerard’s Bistro in Brisbane, gave me a kitchen tour, too. I love seeing the inner workings of how a dish comes together – and the Wagyu beef I tried was absolutely incredible. I’m still dreaming about it!
Another highlight of my time at the food festival in Noosa was chatting to Andrea Ravezzani, the owner and head chef at Noosa Waterfront Restaurant & Bar. I found out all about (and got a sneak peek of) the amazing ingredients he was using for his dishes at the Long Lunch, the pinnacle event of the festival.
After that, it was some sundowners to round off the day (all that eating is thirsty work, you guys!), where I got to meet friends, both old and new.
All in all, I had one epic adventure, as you can see on my short video right here. Here’s to next year’s Noosa Eat & Drink Festival!
