Melbourne fans of UK cook Nigella Lawson have got another shot at catching their culinary hero this month. Lawson will join cook, author and broadcaster Alice Zaslavsky for Drinks with Nigella on Saturday March 26, after selling out nearly 500 seats at a lunch event happening the next day as part of the 30th Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
The pair will discuss Lawson's creative process, how one ingredient can act as a springboard for other recipes and ideas, and unglamorous yet downright delicious food.
"A conversation with Nigella Lawson is never just about the food," said Zaslavsky in a statement. "It's a meditation on writing, on art, on life. What a joy it will be to sit down with her to share ideas and clink glasses."
While many of the headline events of the Festival program have sold out, there are still tickets available to plant-based party Welcome to the Jungle led by Shannon Martinez and a series of long Friday lunches at Melbourne's top dining rooms, called High Steaks.
Free events abound, too, and might be the best way to catch the big-name talent if you missed out on their ticketed events. Queen Victoria Market will host two weekends of talks and demonstrations by the likes of Sichuan food authority Fuchsia Dunlop, The Clove Club chef Isaac McHale, Firedoor's Lennox Hastie, Spring's Skye Gyngell and author Emiko Davies.
Several free events, such as The Big Spaghetti and Snacktown, will take place around the demonstrations, with stalls from some of Melbourne's favourite restaurants.
Tickets for Drinks with Nigella go on sale at 10am on Friday, March 11. Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, March 25-April 9. Tickets and the full festival program available at melbournefoodandwine.com.au
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