The Sunshine Coast’s food scene is taking centre stage at The Curated Plate Festival, featuring over 100 events and involving more than 300 local producers and suppliers.
The festival will run for ten days from the 28th of July – the 6th of August, and highlight the region’s outstanding produce. One unique event at Mapleton Public House will showcase four young chefs creating a four-course degustation using one winter vegetable, emphasizing sustainable agriculture.
Sustainability is also a focus at Palmwood’s Homegrown Cafe, offering a Zero Waste Garden To Plate Lunch.
The Sunshine Coast’s reputation as Australia’s Craft Beer Capital will be celebrated with events like a Beer & BBQ Degustation Dinner at Moffat Beach Brewing.
Pine Co, a local pineapple farm, will showcase its sweet pineapples, which are a highlight of the festival, and Tiffany’s Maleny will host “A Hinterland Feast”, featuring a pineapple ravioli with a coconut parfait.
The festival aims to provide a farm-to-plate experience using the region’s rich soil and close proximity to local producers. Lee Montague, Tiffany’s Executive Chef, emphasises using seasonal ingredients and staying true to recipes with a lot of love.
After enjoying the festival, visitors can relax at Maleny Country Estate’s new cottages with rustic charm and stunning views.
Seafood also plays an important part in the Sunshine Coast’s economy, and we’ll be seeing a lot of it!
The festival will be hosting a series of seafood-centric events that are sure to excite diners. At Mooloolaba, Saltwater Eco Tours will be taking guests on a 2-hour cruise along the Mooloolah River in their heritage-listed vessel, “Spray of the Coral Coast”. On board, diners can enjoy a six-course meal that showcases the freshest ingredients mixed with ancient indigenous history and culture. This event is called “Bush Tucker by the River”.
Another event that’s sure to be a hit will take place at The Nautical Restaurant at Maroochydore. They will be hosting a special lunch called “Scale to Tail – A Shucking Goodtime”. Diners will be invited to go into the kitchen with executive chef Tim Searle. He’ll teach guests how to slice a fish and shuck an oyster. Ask as many questions as you like, learn about the different flavours of oysters, and then enjoy a delicious lunch paired with wine and cocktails.
To see a broad selection of the fresh seafood the coast has to offer, head down to Mooloolah River Fisheries at Mooloolaba. Trawlers deliver straight to their jetty out the back and it’s here you can pick up the famous Mooloolaba prawn, as well as many other delightful seafood treats. They’ll even cook the seafood and serve it too!
With so much on at this year’s Curated Plate Festival, you should stay a night or two. 84 The Spit is a terrific choice that’s right next to Mooloolaba Wharf, the beach and has absolutely jaw-dropping views of the whole Sunshine Coast. There’s a terrific range of apartments including a 5-bedroom penthouse.
Enjoy your morning brew? Well, Montville Coffee are offering workshops to make your very own blend – that’s completely personalised to you.
Sean is the head roaster and master of cupping (you’ll have to watch to find out what this is!). He’ll be running these classes throughout The Curated Plate at their new location in Baringa – and will talk through the entire process… from concept to cup. You’ll even take home a bag of your very own blend!
Workshops are available on:
- Friday July 28th30-11.30am
- Friday August 4th30-11.30am
Montville Coffee has given our Curator Blend the seal of approval – and so to celebrate this episode and The Curated Plate, they’re running a special promotion for WEEKENDER viewers from 5.30pm Sunday June 18 for the next 7 days.
Just visit the Montville Coffee website and purchase your freshly roasted bag of ‘Alana’s Curator Blend’ to be delivered directly to your home and you will receive a complimentary 250g bag of their award-winning Sunshine Coast blend too!
Continuing on with our tipple tour – you can also book a Kombucha making workshop, led by dietitian and nutritionist Tania, at The Fermentier in Kunda Park. Classes start with a sample of their foods before you start fermenting! You even get to take home your own Scoby.
Plus, transport is sorted. Liz from Tasty Tours will pick you up from home AND drop you off as part of the experience.
Workshops are available on:
- Friday July 28th30am-12.30pm
- Saturday July 29th 30am-12.30pm
- Friday August 4th 30am-12.30pm
- Saturday August 5th 30am-12.30pm
Prefer something with a little more malt? Luckily, the Sunshine Coast is the craft beer capital! For one day on Saturday July 29th, eleven different bars in Mooloolaba will be offering a roving craft drinks experience… each serving up a Sunny Coast sampler – a celebration of local distillers and brewers.
WAT Den is one of the newer locations to join this unofficial pub crawl… they too are also offering their own event – a chocolate pairing with your choice of whiskey or tequila. This masterclass is on Saturday August 5th from 3-4.30pm. Book it here.
And to top it all off, here’s a little bit about the passionate foodies behind the delicious cuisine landing on your plate this winter!:
Beth O’Leary – Woombye Cheese
“I’ve been obsessed with cheese for about ten years,” Beth beamed. “In 2019 we took our children out of school and travelled around Australia and I knew secretly where every cheese maker was so in that year we visited over 30 across the country.”
“When we came home, I thought to myself ‘yes, this is what I need to be doing’”
That she did, taking over the award-winning Woombye Cheese.
“We make 2000 litres a day usually,” she said. “We do make about 1000kg a week so I suppose 200kg a day of cheese.”
It’s not just about volume though, when it comes to quality, Beth’s got the Midas touch.
Woombye’s Blackall Gold Washed Rind recently won Champion Cheese at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards meaning it’s officially the best cheese in the country right now.
You’ll have the opportunity to sample it for yourself with Woombye Cheese collaborating at a number of events throughout The Curated Plate including the Paddock to the Curated Plate market at Cotton Tree on Sunday 30th July.
Jamie and Natalie Dalton – Frozen Sunshine Ice Blocks
“The name came to me at about 2 O’clock in the morning, I don’t know where from, but it encapsulates what we do; freezing bits of the Sunshine Coast and putting it into a product,” Jamie explained.
Making their debut at the Eumundi Markets 8 years ago, these colourful ice blocks are packed with local produce, plus they’re dairy and gluten free.
“Some of the best stuff using some local product is mango swirl and passionfruit tart, we make a really great chocolate ice block as well,” Jamie said. “We utilise some amazing berries down Caboolture way, we’ve got some local lemon juice it’s just nice to be able to make something with the community.”
Frozen Sunshine will be the dessert option at some Curated Plate events such as the Meet the Sunshine Coast Makers progressive late lunch as well at the CRAFTed Conference ‘Rum Fire Dinner’.
Kristina Kucan – Silver Tongue Foods
“I LOVE overindulgence, less is not more, more is more, when it comes to cheese and platters,” said Kristina. “I think it’s the Croatian in me – no one eating any of our platters will go home hungry!”
“We’re just obsessed with enjoying life through food!”
Kristina is hosting The Wheel House Picnic, a gourmet lavish spread set inside a heritage listed boat shed on the banks of the Maroocy River.
The picnic features a generous gathering of local delicacies.
“All the recipes that we produce are based on my family heritage recipes so the lavosh is based on my family recipe obviously tweaked it to put little pretty flowers that are locally grown.”
The feast is a visual one too with Maroochy River views on the side.
“Come here for a sunset or a sunrise picnic,” she said. ”We thought what a great way to share the space with some food, with some friends, have an intimate setting, enjoy the views, relax, switch off from the outside world in one of the most beautiful places on the coast!”
Find the full list of The Curated Plate Culinary Festival events here:
https://thecuratedplate.com.au/events/program
