The Taste of Tasmania

From workshops on cheese making with Franklin's Analiese Gregory and crafting the perfect sausage with The Agrarian Kitchen's Rodney Dunn to bush tucker tours and exclusive dining events, The Taste of Tasmania, unveils a tantalising first release of 15 events in the Festival's new culinary program.

With events tailored to suit foodies of all skill levels and ages, the new ticketed program promises to take tastebuds on a journey of discovery and give visitors to Australia's oldest and largest food and wine festival an opportunity to learn the secret cooking techniques of some of Tasmania's finest chefs.

The Taste of Tasmania Festival Director Brooke Webb said "Tasmania has some of the most incredible chefs and produce in the world and The Taste festival has always had a strong tradition of connecting the best food producers, wine-makers and distillers directly to the community. This year, we wanted to go further and give people to chance to connect with the Tasmanian story on a deeper level through a program of exclusive, not to be missed, hands on experiences and events hosted by the leaders in our culinary scene "

Programmed by food writer, stylist and consultant Michelle Crawford, the culinary program perfectly blends dining, learning, play and a touch of indulgence "The culinary program presents a wonderful opportunity for Festival to showcase the work of our world-leading chefs. Fire is an element that features heavily in the program with many of the events demonstrating all the incredible things that can be done over hot coals or a grill. There's also a great selection of exclusive dining experiences that offer unique experiences in exclusive spaces." said Crawford.

Get hands on with a huge array of workshops in the new culinary program. Franklin's Head Chef Analiese Gregory and Flowerpot Cheese's Bruce Kemp present an exclusive Cheese Making Workshop where groups will immerse themselves in cheese goodness and learn to make paneer, burrata curd, and triple cream brie and more.

For the carnivores, The Agrarian Kitchen's Rodney Dunn has things covered with a sizzling hot How to Make Sausages class. From mincing meat, stuffing casings and tying off snags like a true butcher, the class cumulates in a big ole' BBQ of the freshly prepared sausages coupled with salads and relishes from The Agrarian Kitchen.

Mini Masterchefs are also catered for with Yum Cha for Kids. Led by Cygnet's dumpling diva Sally Ives, this workshop will guide children aged 8-12 through the joys of dumpling making. A skill young ones can learn that will benefit the whole family!

Prefer if someone else does the cooking? Matthew and Nick's Community Breakfast will hit the spot. Matthew Evans of Fat Pig Farm and Nick Haddow of Bruny Island Cheese Co. fire up the breakfast barbie to serve up their favourite farmer-style brekkie fare. Served up mess-hall style, all profits raised from the event go towards supporting Colony 47, which provides support services for vulnerable Tasmanians.

Get ready to go rogue with Chef Sarah Glover as she brings her Wild Adventure Cookbook to life in Where the Wild Things Are. This is a real life "choose your own adventure" set in an outdoor kitchen. Guests will enjoy tastings of Sarah's fearless, fresh and foraged creations cooked over coals on a massive charcoal barbeque.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Hobart's waterfront precinct, crowds of all ages will gather this summer for Australia's oldest and largest food and wine festival – The Taste of Tasmania – as it returns for its 30th birthday celebrations.

Running from Friday 28 December 2018 - Thursday 3 January 2019, The Taste of Tasmania program is an adventure for the senses. Boasting over 30 diverse events, there will be fine dining events, cooking classes, workshops, demos and tastings from world-famous chefs, first-rate Tasmanian vineyards and distillers, and superb local producers, all supported by a vibrant theatrical array of free entertainment.

This year's culinary offerings are proudly 100% Tasmanian, with over 110 stallholders showcasing delicacies from all over the state. Seafood, cheese, berries, cool-climate wines, craft beers and ciders, gin, whisky and much more will be on offer from established and emerging producers eager to present their wares.

The line-up of talent in the culinary kitchen program includes Tasmania's leading and most influential chefs, including: Luke Burgess (Garagistes), Rodney Dunn (The Agrarian Kitchen), Analiese Gregory (Franklin), Matthew Evans (Fat Pig Farm), Matt Breen (Templo), Nick Haddow (Bruny Island Cheese Co), Oskar Rossi and Federica Andrisani (FICO), Alice Chugg and Vladimir Panevin (Etties), Steve Cumper (The Fern Tree Tavern), Adam James (Rough Rice) and many more.

With over 120 live bands, circus, street, cabaret and dance performers, as well as a twilight cinema, the festival's family-friendly entertainment will delight young and old alike. To ring in the New Year, the picturesque harbourside will transform into a speakeasy celebration under the stars, where visitors will dine on flavoursome food offerings, enjoy the vibrancy of live music, witness theatrical wonders, and nab a front row seat to the glittering New Year's Eve fireworks – classic moments that will make priceless memories.

Entry to The Taste of Tasmania is FREE, with premium events (including New Year's Eve and the culinary program) being ticketed.

The Taste of Tasmania is the not-to-be-missed summer event, where the culture of incredible produce and beverages converge with awe-inspiring activities, markets, movies, and music in one of Australia's most breathtaking regions.

Tickets to the early release culinary program are on sale Tuesday 16 October at www.thetasteoftasmania.com.au

The full festival program detailing free live entertainment, children and family events, list of stall holders, launches Tuesday 20 November 2018.

The Taste of Tasmania
WHERE: Princes Wharf, Hobart, TAS, 7000
WHEN: Friday 28 December 2018 – Thursday 3 January 2019
www.thetasteoftasmania.com.au