The Good Life
Advertising enquiries: adcopy@echo.net.au | 6684 1777 Editorial enquiries: goodlife@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au/good-life
Food Festival Frenzy
A summary of Sample 2017
Story and photos by Vivienne Pearson
Main Day: Saturday 2 September, 8am–4pm, Bangalow Showgrounds. Entry cost: $5 (children free)
The leadup to Sample Food Festival 2017 (Sat 2 September) seems like a good time to reflect on the rising popularity of food festivals. To make sure it isn’t just we at The Echo who are noticing this trend. I asked Tourism Australia their view. ‘We know from our research that food and wine are now important drivers of destination choice, and that is certainly translating into an increasingly popularity among travellers for food festivals,’ says Leo Seaton, from the peak body for international travellers to Australia. Figures show that good food and wine are the prime emotional factors for choosing a destination for more than one-third of international travellers, and that half of all travellers are hungry for food-and-wine events (Tourism Australia’s pun, not mine!). Interestingly, for international visitors, Australia does not rate so highly as a food-and-wine destination before they visit here for the first time. Once they have, Australia is rated only behind France and Italy as a top-quality destination for food. This means that Australia’s reputation for great food does not necessarily precede it, something Tourism Australia is working on changing since this research was conducted (2013). It also, one hopes, means that there are a lot of restaurants enjoying positive reactions from customers whose expectations have been completely exceeded! You may think that international visitors are not the prime audience for Sample and other local food festivals. In the main you are right though Sample organiser Remy Tancred tells me that she knows of many visitors to Sample visiting from overseas, particularly New Zealand and China. She also says that these visitors, as well as those from farther-away places in Australia, tend to come to both the main festival day as well as lead-in lunches and dinners. Remy’s figures show that nearly half of Sample’s visitors are from northern NSW. Another quarter travel for the day or the weekend from a slightly wider circle – from NSW’s mid north coast up to southeast Queensland. The northern rivers currently sits at number three for regions within NSW that Australians are considering visiting because of our food and wine (after the Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains). This is according to 2015 research conducted by
$5 and $10 tasting plates on offer from 23 local eateries, including Scratch Patisserie, Harvest Café, Puremelt Chocolate, Luscious Foods, Town Restaurant, Macadamia Castle and Ilias The Greek. All plates compete for the Golden Fork awards, judged by Paul West, Ben Williamson, Samantha Gowing and Matt Golinski.
Sample 2016 Destination NSW, which identifies that one in six Australian travellers, mainly aged 25–44, describe themselves as passionate about food and wine and actively seek out events where they can learn and Choc Davidson’s Plum Macca interact with growers Mess – tasting plate from Town and chefs. Restaurant 2016 This fits with Tourism Australia’s view about why people like events such as Sample. ‘Great food-and-wine experiences are about people, produce and place. Festivals are a perfect combination of all three,’ says Leo Seaton. Perhaps most importantly for locals, events such as Sample give a boost to our local economy. Tourism Australia’s website notes that food and wine (and I’ll assume this also covers coffee and beer!) now account for one in every five dollars spent by international tourists in Australia. Destination NSW agrees that events such as Sample are important for local economies, with Sample Food Festival recently awarded funding as a regional flagship event. ‘This funding is designed to be spent on advertising to encourage more people from outside the area to visit and stay for a few days to enjoy the region and the festival,’ explains Remy. Tourism Australia has more than 150 food-and-wine festivals listed on their database and tell me they suspect there are
More than 150 stalls – local food producers and other lovely ‘lifestyle’ stalls. Cooking demonstrations each hour 9am–2pm, including the My Mayor Rules cookoff (Byron v Lismore and Kyogle v Richmond Valley). Celebrity Cooking stage mystery box challenges 9 / 9.45 / 10.30am, including Samantha Gowing, Matt Golinski and Clayton Donovan. Music onstage 12–3pm. Animal Shows at 9.30 and 11am. Other events: Ahead of the Curve – Kerry O’Brien MCs a panel of successful local businesspeople – Wed 30 August 5pm, Bangalow Hotel ($20) Fab Ladies Wine Soiree – Five course dinner by Gavin Hughes with accompanying wines – Thurs 31 August 6.30pm, Byron at Byron ($130) *SOLD OUT* Salt of the Earth Lunch – the traditional ‘Sample Lunch’ – Friday 1 Sept 12 noon, Byron Bay Golf Club ($130) Signature Flavours Dinner – four chefs present their signature dish – Fri 1 Sept 6.30pm, Byron at Byron ($150)
many more. These range from the small to the huge – such as the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, which features more than 200 events, WA’s Taste Great Southern that runs over 18 days, and a nine-day Harvest Week in Victoria’s Daylesford and Macedon area. My personal favourite of those I browsed is Innisfail’s Feast of the Senses, dedicated to tropical and exotic fruits and last year achieved a successful Guinness World Record for the longest banana split! It seems that, increasingly, people are travelling on their stomachs.
Good Taste
Eating Out Guide echo.net.au/good-taste
BALLINA
BYRON BAY
Ballina RSL Club
Blake’s Table
1 Grant St, Ballina 6681 9500 www.ballinarsl.com.au Open 7 Days Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks
Friday 25 August from 6pm Spinnakers Function Room Shared style menu – Tickets $69 Complimentary Welcome Beverage Meet and greet local producers from the Ballina Farmers Market.
continued
Success Thai Mon-Fri 12-3pm Dinner 7 days from 5pm. 3/109 Jonson St, Byron Bay 6680 7798 www.facebook.com/ pages/Success-ThaiFood/237359826303469
Jonsons Restaurant Bar
BYRON BAY
Safya Cafe and Restaurant Open Mon–Fri 6.30am– 4pm Sat–Sun 7am–4pm Corner of Fletcher St & Bay Lane, Byron Bay
Cafe: Specialty Coffee with Egyptian-inspired all-day breakfast, brunch & lunch Restaurant: Traditional Egyptian shared-style dining NOW OPEN for dinner from Thursday to Sunday
Trattoria Basiloco Open Wed to Mon from 5.30pm Closed on Tuesdays See menu, book a table, or order takeaway at www.basilo.co 30 Lawson St, Byron Bay 6680 8818
The Rocks @ Aquarius Breakfast/Lunch 7 days from 7am 16 Lawson St, Byron Bay Reservations 6685 7663 therocksbyronbay.com.au
28 August 23, 2017 The Byron Shire Echo
Wood-fired pizzas & real Italian cuisine with a Sardinian twist Famous for seafood, meats and pasta dishes. We do special events functions.
The Rocks @ Aquarius has been beautifully renovated, and boasts a wide array of locally sourced brekky dishes, Byron Bay Coffee and fresh juices and smoothies to enliven the senses and prepare you for the day ahead. Late riser? Join us for lunch 12–2pm, when you can grab a selection of burgers, salads, fresh rolls. Here at The Rocks, we are a fully licensed cafe, which means you can enjoy an ice-cold beer, a sumptuous wine or a handcrafted cocktail with your meal!
SPECIAL $12 LUNCH AND DINNER MENU All your favourites every lunch and dinner Experienced Thai chefs cooking fresh delicious Thai food for you. Fully Licensed and B.Y.O. for wine. Welcome for lunch, dinner and take-away. The place to be seen
111 Jonson St, Byron Bay 6685 6754
Join us and experience one of our diverse spaces Streetside, hidden garden, plush indoor hub or our window bar Mouthwatering food & creative cocktails
IG - @Jonsonsrestaurantbar FB - Jonsonsrestaurantbar
BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER Hours: 6.30am – late, 7 days (Dinner: Tuesday – Saturday)
Slo-Mo Joes Open 6 days Tues–Thurs all day 11am–10pm Fri–Sun all day 8am–10pm Bay Lane (at Fletcher St end), Byron Bay 6685 7502
Main Street Open 7 days 11.30am until late Call to make a reservation or for takeaway orders 18 Jonson Street 6680 8832
Now serving beer, wine, cocktails and great bar menu of ribs, wings and sliders - From 11am Plus our fresh, healthy, slow-cooked soups and meals to eat here or take home Life is short – lick the bowl For meat lovers and vege/ vegans too!
Gourmet burgers created by chefs Cocktails, wine and beers served all damn day. Group bookings available, please email mainstreetburgerbar@gmail.com for reservations.
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: adcopy@echo.net.au | 6684 1777 | echo.net.au/good-taste
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo