Five Highly Indulgent Events Happening at the Sunshine Coast's Curated Plate Food Festival
Head north for four days of foraging degustations, movies on the beach and more.
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Australia is certainly not wanting for exceptional food and drink regions — and epic festivals that show them off. But one area that has flown under the radar for much too long is the Sunshine Coast. And it's high time we celebrated all of the culinary goodness that's being served up north. That's exactly what's on the docket when The Curated Plate launches its inaugural season on Thursday, August 8.
Across four days, the brand new food and drink festival will see the region's best chefs and producers joined by Australian and international industry legends in a series of long lunches, degustations, food markets, tours and much more. The region's multifaceted ecosystem and rich volcanic soil makes its produce some of the best in the country — and that produce will be on display like never before. Here are our picks for the five happenings that you just cannot miss.
Matt Stone, Oakridge Wines
AUGUST 9: WILD FORAGE DINING
The Sunshine Coast's bountiful native produce is centre stage for Wild Forage Dining — an intimate beachside dinner that will bring together three chefs for an evening of sustainable eating. The four-course feast includes wine pairings and a one-of-a-kind experience to boot.
The lavish four-hour dinner is hosted by some seriously heavy-hitting chefs starting with special guest Zaiyu Hasegawa, who runs Toyko's two Michelin-starred restaurant Den (which was awarded the number two spot on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2018). Cooking alongside Hasegawa is Sydney's hatted Chase Kojima (Sokyo) and Matt Stone, who is currently the executive chef of Yarra Valley's hatted Oakridge Wines. Tapping into a big culinary trend, and showcasing some the region's best wild ingredients, the trio will go foraging, then let the local produce that they gather dictate the menu on the night.
Wild Forage Dining will take place at Mooloolaba Beach from 5.30–9.30pm on Friday, August 9. Tickets cost $350 per person and can be purchased here.
Dan Jarrett, Spicers Den
AUGUST 10: SPICERS DEN
If you miss out on the Wild Forage dinner — or just can't get enough of Michelin-star chef Zaiyu Hasegawa's cooking — you have another chance to taste his famed kaiseki-style (multi-course haute cuisine) at Spicers Tamarind Retreat in Maleny. For this dinner, Hasegawa is teaming up with executive chef Daniel Jarrett at the exquisite hinterland restaurant within Spicers Tamarind Retreat.
The duo will be joined by Gelato Messina's Donato Toce, and together they'll whip up a five-course degustation. Each dish will be based around 'hyper-local' seasonal fruits and vegetables and paired with a locally produced wine.
Spicers Den will take place from 6.30pm–9pm on Saturday, August 10. Tickets cost $290 and can be purchased here. And, if you just can't bear to leave your luxurious surrounds, Spicers is also offering special villa accommodation packages during the festival.
Troy Rhoades-Brown, Muse Dining
AUGUST 8: SEASONAL STARS
Seasonal fare will be on full display at Mooloolaba Beach when one of the world's finest chefs comes to town for Seasonal Stars. Lauded chef Raymond Blanc OBE runs the highly acclaimed Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxford, UK, which has retained its two-Michelin stars for a whopping 34 years. As a result, Blanc is one of the most respected chefs in the UK, having also been appointed an honorary Order of the British Empire (OBE), which recognises his services to the British food industry.
Joining this show-stopping chef in the kitchen is some serious Australian talent — namely Sunshine Coast's own Alejandro Cancino (Lola's Pantry, ex-Urbane) and Hunter Valley's Troy Rhoades-Brown (Muse Dining). All three chefs are known for their commitment to regional and seasonal produce, hence the event's name. Together, they will dish up a decadent four-course dinner with an oyster amuse-bouche and matched wines, too.
Seasonal Stars will take place on Mooloolaba Beach at 5.30pm on Thursday, August 8. Tickets cost $350 per person and can be purchased here.
AUGUST 9–11: THE FOOD FAIR AT BLACK SWAN PARK
Maroochydore's Black Swan Park will be taken over by an abundance of culinary delights for three days straight during The Curated Plate festival. The Food Fair will offer up the best local produce in the region, with the Sunshine Coast's makers and producers in tow for a chat, too. Eat your way through pop-up restaurants, tastings and food workshops. There'll also be roving entertainers aplenty expected across the weekend. For more information, keep an eye on this space, as the full lineup will be announced in early May.
The Food Fair will run from 4pm–late on Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10, and from 12.30–9.30pm on Sunday, August 11. Entry is free as long as you pre-register. Pre-registration will open in May.
AUGUST 8–11: THE BEACH CINEMA
Moffat Beach's Eleanor Shipley Park will get its own Curated Plate treatment as a beach cinema pops up nightly across the festival period. This al fresco cinema will, of course, be food-themed, with specialty burgers, brews and even Gelato Messina on offer — the gelateria is collaborating with local producers on exclusive sweets for the candy bar. Plus, you'll have the added benefit of enjoying the breathtaking sunset views across the ocean.
The film lineup and food menu are due to be announced in May — keep an eye out to be the first to snag seats.
The Curated Plate will take place on the Sunshine Coast from Thursday, August 8 to Sunday, August 11. Tickets are on sale now. For the full program and to register, head here.
Top Image: Troy Rhoades-Brown, Muse Dining
