There are high hopes a 10-day culinary experience on the Sunshine Coast will become Queensland’s best food festival.
The Curated Plate, which started in 2019, is an annual celebration of local producers, restaurants, experiences and chefs, and unique natural assets, from the sea to the hinterland.
The festival program is developed via local businesses that come together to tell their stories through food and unique events.
Sunshine Coast Council issued a media release inviting industry partners to put forward event concepts for this year’s festival, to be held from July 26 to August 4.
Some of last year’s events included the Asian Food Festival at Spicers Tamarind, Glasshouse Long Lunch at Yanalla Farm with Sunshine Coast Foodie, Trawler to Table by Creative Tours, Saltwater Eco Tour’s Bush Tucker by the River and Italy vs France hosted in Montville at The Long Apron.
Sunshine Coast Council head of economic development Chris Le Serve said the council continued to support The Curated Plate, with a view to it becoming recognised as Queensland’s premier food festival and to continue to attract visitors to the region in an off-peak tourism period.
“Working with our local food and agritourism industries, this signature event forms a central pillar of our Major Events Strategy and showcases the region’s fantastic culinary offering and promote the Sunshine Coast as an attractive destination to visit,” he said via council’s release.
Food and Agribusiness Network CEO Nicole McNaughton said the Sunshine Coast’s unique location within a UNESCO Biosphere corridor, combined with visitors’ appetite for food tourism, created a recipe for success.
“The Sunshine Coast is home to a truly diverse range of makers, growers, producers, distillers, brewers and supporters – who are all passionate about their produce, products and region,” she said.
“With more than 900 food producers and makers calling the Sunshine Coast home, we call it Queensland’s Sunshine Pantry.
“We know visitors travel with their stomachs, so The Curated Plate is a fantastic opportunity to open the doors to our pantry to visitors and locals alike.
“By offering some unique experiences, signature events and a far and wide invitation to sample our restaurants and venues, it will showcase the quality and abundance of our food and drink products, as well as our producers and chefs, and our destination.”
Spicers Tamarind Retreat general manager Ryan Dillon said The Curated Plate was growing into an iconic event for the Sunshine Coast.
“It provides us the opportunity to connect with an extraordinary array of amazing local producers, innovative drink creators, inspired foodie talents, gifted artists,” he said.
“As part of The Curated Plate, a community of culinary lovers travel from across the country to join us in the Maleny region’s stunning natural environment, for our signature Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival event.”
Chefs, venue managers, local producers and tourism operators that can offer a food-related experience, incorporating local product, have been encouraged to visit TCP Partners for more information and to apply. Applications close on February 29.
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