The expert’s guide to Victoria’s best regional food events to book right now

Wedged between Melbourne Cup weekend and the flurry of December, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival’s just-launched regional dining program is a banquet of events from November 10 to 19. The program spans the Yarra Valley, Ballarat and Gippsland, with a showcase Village Feast on November 18 in seaside Inverloch, two hours east of Melbourne.

A number of Sydneysiders are steaming south for the festivities, including Good Food’s Adam Liaw, who will collaborate with local chef Thi Le (Anchovy, Jeow and Ca Com) at one of 10 Village Feast food stalls.

Clayton Wells (previously of Automata and now at MOD Dining at the Art Gallery of NSW) is collaborating with Mark Briggs from Sardine Dining in Paynesville at another stall. “My parents live in Gippsland,” says Wells. “It’s a beautiful part of the world. This is all about showcasing a great part of Victoria, digging deep into local produce and having a chat to people who come along. You want to create that connection.”

And Village Feast is also a rare opportunity to sample the stylings of Barbados-born Paul Carmichael (ex-Momofuku Seiobo), who is teaming up with Nick Mahlook and his Lakes Entrance-based Sodafishcrew. Mahlook says they’ll be using the south Gippsland produce he knows so well, particularly seafood, and steering it towards the Caribbean.

Special access, hands-on events and bespoke tastings are a feature of the regional festival. Dining in the Mines (November 10) is a highlight of the Ballarat program, with snacks and smelting underground followed by dinner at the Charlie Napier Hotel. There’s a rosé theme for the Chandon x Drom Brunch (November 12), which intersperses Yarra Valley sparkling with cult croissants.

Down Home with Rachel and Bill, an afternoon party in Yarragon, West Gippsland, on November 17 includes music, wine and snacks with hosts cheese maker Rachel Needoba, from the Butterfly Factory, and vintner William Downie.

“We are really lucky as Victorians and visitors that these places are so close to Melbourne,” says the festival’s creative director, Pat Nourse. “Jump on the train to Ballarat, head to the Yarra Valley, road trip to the splendid jewel of a town that is Inverloch. It’s a good time, teeming with talent, celebrating beautiful food and drink.”

Pat’s picks

A Spring Supra with Gippsland winery Momento Mori and Gray & Gray restaurant. November 18. “I’ll definitely be booking this for a touch of Georgian culture in Gippsland,” says Nourse. Think polyphonic singing around a laden table, with guidance from a traditional toastmaster.

Blend Your Own Pinot at Fleet Wines, Leongatha. November 19. “This sounds ridiculously incredible,” says Nourse. “You start with great base wines and walk out with bottles of wines that you’ve made yourself. How’s that for a flex at your next dinner party or BYO session?”

World’s Longest Lunches at Ballarat and Yarra Valley. November 11. “Always nice for something traditional and relaxed,” says Nourse. “But if you want something a bit out there, consider the Interstellar Wine Worlds party (also November 11) hosted by Jayden Ong and showcasing movers and shakers of the Yarra Valley wine world.”

For more details on the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Regional Edition (November 10-19, 2023), visit melbournefoodandwine.com.au