Highlights of the 2015 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival program

A new series of classes making its debut in 2015 aims to teach participants "to do one thing exceptionally well" in just one hour. Helmed by figures such as Benjamin Cooper of Chin Chin and Kong, Pope Joan's Matt
Wilkinson, and pizza world champion Johnny di Francesco of 400 Gradi, the Essentials series at the Langham on March 7-8 will include masterclasses on pickling and fermentation, making salads sexy and perfecting pizza. Ethical farmer and meatsmith Tammi Jonas will show how to make your own bacon. Tickets are $50 and single-session bookings are allowed.

The program is studded with collaborations with iconic locations, individuals and institutions but also offers the chance to discover lesser-known but quintessentially Melbourne sites, or to see familiar places in a new light. Take, for example, 312 Drummond Street in Carlton – an address that might not ring many bells until you're reminded that the site that is now home to the acclaimed Town Mouse restaurant has housed Embrasse, Mrs Jones, Three Two One and Donnini's. On March 10 the Donnini family will join Andrew McConnell, Brent Savage, Nicolas Poelaert and incumbent Dave Verheul, and each will deliver a nostalgic interpretation of a dish from their time behind the pass at The Little Restaurant That Could; the dinner will be $190.

More unravelling of Melbourne's restaurant DNA will take place on March 5 when Stephanie Alexander joins Annie Smithers of du Fermier, Nat Paull of Beatrix Bakes and Nicky Riemer of Union Dining for what's billed as Ladies Night. All worked at the legendary Stephanie's Restaurant, and the $140 reunion meal will be a celebration of their time there. It will be held at Riemer's Union Dining in Richmond.

One of Melbourne's hidden treasures, the extraordinary Johnston Collection is a private museum of fine art in an East Melbourne terrace, and the legacy of one man's obsession with objects of beauty. On March 10-11, the exhibits will include the spectacle of a tablescape inspired by 18^th- century still-life paintings, created by contemporary artist Kate Rohde. Still Life With Cheese tours are $95 and include cheese tastings matched to wines with affineur Anthony Femia of Spring Street Grocer's cheese cellar.

Another gracious house well known to food-loving Melburnians is the Prahran mansion, which for many years was home to Jacques Reymond's eponymous restaurant. Still beautiful in its new incarnation as a modern fine diner run by Reymond alumni Thomas Woods and Hayden McFarland, Woodland House will open its doors on March 8 to reveal itself as you've never seen it: the venue for a pumping party. It will be (almost) access-all-areas, with an oyster bar in the courtyard, a Japanese charcoal grill and woodfire oven in the back yard, plus an ice-cream trolley. Woodland House Party, $120.

The Crawl 'n' Bite series returns in 2015 to explore the CBD's laneways and sample a selection of some of Melbourne's hottest restaurants. Yes, you could do this on your own – but then you probably wouldn't eat at three places in one night and get to meet the brains and hardworking hands behind eateries such as Nieuw Amsterdam, Pastuso, Supernormal and Stokehouse City. There will also be wine and cocktail crawls where you might visit Brooks, Tonka or Pei Modern, or bars such as Whisky and Alement, The Noble Experiment, Eau de Vie and Bar Ampere. Various dates, $56 (restaurants) $66 (cocktails and wine).

Among more family-oriented events is the Melbourne Zoo's African-themed Lunch with the Lions on March 1. Bring children for a morning meeting with three lion brothers, and learn about how their species is faring in the wild. Then settle into lunch with African-inspired food and drinks; there will be African music, face painting and a chance to play African drums. A family ticket (two adults, two children) is $150.