Three Blue Ducks Nimbo Is Launching a Monthly Italian Long Lunch Series in the Snowy Mountains
This new winter series will take diners on a journey through some of Italy's lesser-known culinary landscapes.
From its picturesque spot at the foot of the Snowy Mountains, Three Blue Ducks Nimbo is getting ready to take diners on a paddock-to-plate journey through the many delicious regions of Italy this winter. This June, the acclaimed regional restaurant will launch Regioni d'Italia – Chef Frankie's Italian Food Tour, a monthly long lunch series that celebrates the diversity of the nation's culinary traditions. The first lunch takes place on Saturday, June 28, and they'll be happening until the end of October.
At $69 per person, each edition includes a snack and three share-style courses, with each menu showcasing flavours from specific Italian regions. Wines will celebrate the best of both worlds, with each lunch featuring a specially curated wine list highlighting Australian producers of Italian varietals.
Cut Above Productions
The series begins with an ode to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the alpine-meets-Adriatic region where Head Chef Frankie Mauro grew up. His deeply personal menu will feature dishes inspired by his family heritage and anchored with bold mountain flavours. Highlights include slow-cooked pork sausage with pickled turnip — which Mauro name-checks as "one of my favourite things in the world to eat" — house-made pumpkin gnocchi with cultured butter and sage, and gubana, a traditional northern Italian fruit-and-nut cake soaked in rum.
"Friuli, where I'm from, has food that's rich, bold and shaped by the mountains," says Mauro. "My dad's side of the family were farmers, so we were raised around hunting, butchering, and curing meat. These dishes carry memories for me, and it's special to be able to share that with guests."
The regional road trip won't stop at Friuli. Future events will spotlight the food of Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany and more, allowing diners to explore some of Italy's lesser-known culinary landscapes.
"This series is a chance for me to show that Italian food is about so much more than pizza and pasta," says Mauro (pictured below). "Each region has its own identity, its own ingredients, its own soul."
Three Blue Ducks Nimbo is located within Nimbo Fork Lodge, a boutique hotel near Tumut and a scenic four-hour drive from Sydney. The riverside property boasts luxe farmhouse-style cottages and suites, perfect for anyone wanting to turn their Italian dining journey into a full weekend escape.
Regioni d'Italia – Chef Frankie's Italian Food Tour will take place on the last Saturday of each month from June to October 2025. The series takes place at Three Blue Ducks at Nimbo Fork Lodge, 330 Nimbo Road, Killimicat. For more information, head to the venue's website.
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