The Age Good Food Month has begun. Here's what to book

The time has come, Melbourne. The Age Good Food Month presented by Citi launched last night, Tuesday the 25th of October at Age Good Food Guide Cafe of the Year, Higher Ground.

A number of the star talent were in attendance including legends Jacques Reymond and Stephanie Alexander who will be starring in the sold out From the Vault dinner.

The first feature event kicks off tonight at Supernormal where May Chow, the international bao star from Little Bao, Hong Kong will be serving up her PJB ice cream bao and truffle fries at a ping pong and beer party where actual Olympic table tennis players will be battling it out.

On a national talent front, next week, Duncan Welgemoed from Adelaide's Africola will be joining forces with Morgan McGlone (Belle's Hot Chicken, Harpoon Harry) at Fancy Hank's for the ultimate meaty Sunday session.

This will be followed on Tuesday by a pop-up of Brisbane's hottest contemporary Middle Eastern restaurant, Gerard's Bistro. Chef Ben Williamson will be taking over Movida Aqui for one night and serving his greatest hits, including his suckling pig with spiced walnut and sheep's yoghurt and possibly the best chicken wings in Australia.

Events are selling fast. Here are the features to book before it's too late. The full program is online now at goodfoodmonth.com/melb.

Beer pong meets Little Bao at Supernormal

Team Supernormal is turning their entire restaurant into a ping pong championship arena where icy beers, big beats and snacks from Supernormal and May Chow of Hong Kong's Little Bao will be making the rounds. Want to test whether beer makes you better at ping pong? Tables await you. Want proof you're not as good as you think? Table Tennis Victoria will be bringing actual olympian Melissa Tapper to demonstrate the tao of pong.

Supernormal, 180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Oct 26, 6-10pm, $95 includes all snacks and drink tokens (beers and cocktails)

Gerard's Bistro pop-up at Movida

It's a full restaurant swap. After a successful Movida pop-up at Brisbane's Good Food Month earlier this year, chef Ben Williamson of Brisbane's longstanding dining hero is coming to Melbourne and taking over Movida Aqui.

500 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Nov 8, 6.30pm, $150, includes full menu and matched Yalumba wines.

Southern Sunday Session

Pretty much anything could happen when Duncan Welgemoed from Africola in our great Southern Land (Adelaide) and Southern "Belle's Hot Chicken" Morgan McGlone christen Fancy Hank's new city rooftop, Good Heavens. But we can guarantee flamed meats, peri chicken, smoked clams, DJs, cold beers and good times.

Good Heavens @ Fancy Hanks, 79 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Nov 6, noon-4pm, $55.​

Fergus Henderson @ French Saloon

You may have heard of Fergus Henderson – he's the chef who literally wrote the book on Nose to Tail Eating. Join him here for a chat and a drink then a feast-style dinner of meat-centric dishes including whole rolled suckling pigs, cooked by the French Saloon team.

French Saloon, 46 Hardware Ln, Melbourne, Nov 26, 6.30pm, $160. FINAL SEATS

Young Chefs lunch

Five gun up-and-coming chefs from the city's best restaurants (Town Mouse, Ezard, Oter, Lakeside Mill and Press Club) including the Age Good Food Guide's Young Chef of the Year will each cook a course for a lunch at chef Florent Gerardin's hot new contempo-French restaurant, Oter. Take a seat and take notes.

137 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Nov 20, noon-3pm, $190 includes five courses plus welcome snacks and matches wines.

Ceviche and pisco pop-up, with Virgilio Martinez

Pastuso's Alejandro Saravia is hosting Virgilio Martinez (Central, #4 on the World's 50 Best list), turning the Terrace Restaurant into an open Peruvian-style market where three stations will serve up nine variations on the nation's champion citrus-cured fish dish, ceviche, while the bar pours wines and cocktails made on pisco –​ pride of Peru. Drink, graze, meet Martinez and get a signed copy of his book, Central.

The Terrace, Alexandra Ave & Anderson Street, Melbourne,Nov 25 6.30pm, $100 all food and drinks; $145 including Central (RRP $85).

Exclusive Preview of Longsong

Can't wait to see the long-awaited and hotly anticipated bar above Longrain captained by Hobart's hero David Moyle? They're flinging the doors open months ahead of schedule for an exclusive preview of the drinks and Thai-inspired snacks you can expect in early 2017.

Longrain 44 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, Nov 18, 5pm-9pm, $60 including snacks, cocktails and drinks.

For the full program and ticket sales see goodfoodmonth.com/melb