What's on in September: Melbourne

Asian Food Festival

All you can eat dumplings? Floating yum cha and Chinese dinner cruises? A massive Friday yum cha that closes three blocks of Chinatown to traffic? You had us at dumplings, Asian Food Festival. The first day of spring marks the start of this annual celebration of Chinese, Malaysian, Thai and Indian cuisines. The festival runs over six weeks and will include progressive dinners, banquet menus in each of the participating restaurants, and the "Biggest Yum" on October 11. The festival runs from September 1 to October 15.

Details: asianfoodfestival.com.au

True South joins Hare & Grace

True South's Head Chef Mauro Callegari joins Raymond Capaldi and the Hare & Grace team for an Argentinean feast. Featuring a set sharing menu and one beverage on arrival, dishes include Choripan (mini chorizo sandwich), espinilla de wagyu (braised grass fed beef) and churro, naranja plus choco (Churro, orange and chocolate) and more. Bookings are essential.

Details: Tuesday 3 September, $65 per person, arrive at 6.30 for a 7pm start at Hare & Grace, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne. For reservations please contact Jess on info@hareandgrace.com or 03 9629 6755.

Cooking and gardening workshops

The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen and Garden Foundation are offering three cooking and gardening workshops this September. Workshops include picking, cooking and eating with Melbourne chef, Matt Wilkinson, a vegetable layout and design class with Libertas Gardens and an Italian sausage making course. All proceeds go towards furthering the work of the not-for-profit Kitchen Garden Foundation in bringing pleasurable food education to Australian children.

Details: Pick and Eat, with Matt Wilkinson of Pope Joan, Saturday 7 September, $129, 9:30-1pm. Vegetable Garden Layout and Design, with Libertas Gardens, Saturday 7 September, $65, 10-12pm. The Big Fat Italian Sausage, with Teresa Oates, Saturday 14 September, $129, 9.30-1pm. All workshops are held at the Learning Centre at Collingwood College, Corner Cromwell Street & McCutcheon Way, Collingwood. For more information visit their website.

Seafood Frenzy

An evening of fresh seafood and wine. For one night only the Smith Restaurant will become a seafood marketplace. A variety of seafood will be served in the restaurant along with Australian wines and a glass of French champagne. Menu items include shucked oysters, panko crumbed crab cakes, kingfish sashimi, kataifi wrapped scallops plus seared calamari & atlantic salmon.

Details: Monday 16 September, $60pp, arrive from 6.30 for a 7pm start at The Smith Prahran, 213 High Street, Prahran. Reservations are essential on 03 9514 2444 or email events@thesmithprahran.com.au.

It's Showtime!

Yes, it's September and that means time again for The Royal Melbourne Show. Bypass the kiddie showbags this year and head instead to the Tastes of Victoria Pavilion (presented by Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria) where the state's finest producers, top chefs and restaurants will be demonstrating their wares; sample award-winning products and take masterclasses from the experts including Andrew McConnell, Philippa Sibley, Ian Curley, Nicky Riemer, Mike Patrick, Chris Badenoch, Joel Hales, Matt Dempsey, Matt McConnell and more.

Attractions also include pop-up restaurants from Albert St Food & Wine, Fonda Mexican, Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio and Union Dining. Pop-Up schedule: Albert St Food & Wine, Saturday 21 to Monday 23 September. Fonda Mexican, Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 September. Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio, Friday 27 to Sunday 29 September. Union Dining, Monday 30 September to Wednesday 2 October.

The new Brew Bar and BBQ is sure to be a Show favourite where Silver Creek Smokers will fire-up the BBQ to serve slow cooked specialties, including 16-hour smoked brisket straight off the pit, matched with brews from Victorian based Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) winners.

Details: Tastes of Victoria Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds, Saturday, 21 September 2013 – Wednesday, 2 October, 9:30am – 7:30pm. Ticket to Taste pass ($49) includes show entry, a Royal Melbourne Fine Food Deli Bag. For more information on ticket packages visit www.royalshow.com.au.

Legends feast at the Diggers Club

Join Clive Blazey (founder of The Diggers Club and winner of this year's The Age Good Food Guide sustainability award), Hermann Schneider (of legendary Two Faces restaurant fame) and Garry Crittenden (pioneering Mornington Peninsula wine legend) for lunch and industry-insider stories and lively discussion. Garry has delved into his personal cellar and selected some museum gems which will be matched with each course. Includes 3 courses with matched wines and dessert.

Details: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September 2013, 12.00–3.30pm at Heronswood, 105 Latrobe Parade, Dromana, Victoria. Book online at
diggers.com.au or call 03 5984 7900. Price: $129 per person.

Salami Fesitval: September 15 (read more here).

For the diary

Good Food Month is amping up, with high-profile events being announced ahead of the November 1 start. The Spice Smackdown ropes in chefs Shane Delia from Maha and Benjamin Cooper from city juggernaut Chin Chin to create four shared courses for a one-off dinner at Delia's Maha restaurant in the city.

There'll be three sittings on offer during one night. Chef Pete Evans will be spreading his healthy food message with Food is Medicine, discussing foods that heal, and options for healthy lunch boxes and nutrient-rich snacks, while chef Andrew McConnell will open a pop-up Supernormal Canteen in the space next to Cutler & Co on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy.

This will allow a sneak peek into what McConnell has planned for his newest restaurant at 171 Collins Street, which is due to open early next year.

Supernormal Canteen will run for Good Food Month from Tuesday, November 19, to Saturday, December 21, open Tuesday to Saturday.