Overview
Like most of our big annual events, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival copped a COVID-19 walloping last year, with its 2020 edition postponed at the last minute, before eventually being cancelled altogether. But now, you can dust off those stretchy pants and get your head back in the food game, because the festival is set to make its much-anticipated return next month. And if the just-dropped MFWF 2021 program is anything to go by, you're going to need a bigger appetite than ever before.
This year, the long-running food festival shows off a newly expanded offering, featuring a lineup of events running from Friday, March 12 to Wednesday, March 31, another two-week calendar of festivities warming up winter and a lineup of regional-focused happenings rounding out the fun in spring.
It all kicks off next month, with a program of both signature events and new favourites. The super-popular World's Longest Lunch is back to take over Treasury Gardens on Friday, March 12, as culinary heroes Stephanie Alexander, Philippe Mouchel and Jacques Reymond plate up an al fresco feast for the masses. Then, in a MFWF first, the World's Longest Brunch descends on the space the following day, with Lune Croissanterie's Kate Reid and Nathan Toleman (one of the minds behind cafe hits like Three Bags Full, Top Paddock and Higher Ground) paying homage to Melbourne's fierce love of breakfast food.
Kate Reid and Nathan Toleman, by Sharyn Cairns
To follow, a calendar of more than 50 other March events includes a yum cha feast at revered Cantonese restaurant Flower Drum, a memorable art-meets-food experience from Black Star and Rain Room, and a globe-trotting collaboration between Lankan Filling Station's O Tama Carey and Matt McConnell of Bar Lourinhã.
And, for those itching to explore more of the city's dining scene after a year spent cooped up at home, there are 12 food crawls showcasing the best of the western suburbs. You might unearth tasty neighbourhood finds like Zymurgy, Harley and Rose, and Chibog on the West Footscray Crawl, or treat yourself to the multicultural flavours of the Sunshine Crawl, dropping by local gems like Xuan Banh Cuon, Gojo Café and SalamaTea.
As for the MFWF events happening later in the year, there'll be more details to come — in the meantime, check out the initial March program and start plotting a bumper, food-filled month to make up for last year's hiatus.
The March program of events for MFWF 2021 runs from Friday, March 12 to Wednesday, March 31. Jump over to the website to check out the full lineup and to grab tickets from 9am on Friday, February 12.
Top Image: MFWF 2019, by Daniel Mahon