When: Thursday, November 16 to Sunday, November 19, 2017
Where: Margaret River and surrounding towns.
To make a booking and to peruse the complete list of events, click here.
The South Westernmost part of Australia will come together once again to showcase and celebrate the great foods and beverages that this region has to offer.
Margaret River Gourmet Escape, presented by Audi, returns this November with so much on show that the organisers had to add an extra day to the program. The festival will celebrate the Margaret River wine region’s 50th anniversary, while serving up an appetising line-up of new events and talent, including home-grown culinary royalty, Curtis Stone.
Curtis (of acclaimed Maude & Gwen Restaurants, Los Angeles) will join more than 50 of the world’s leading food and wine personalities, including chefs from the World’s Best Restaurants: Andre Chiang (#14 Restaurant Andre, Singapore), Alex Atala (#16 D.O.M., Brasil), David Thompson (#28 Nahm, Thailand), Ashley Palmer-Watts (#36 Dinner by Heston, UK) and Rodolfo Guzman (#42 Borago, Chile). They will converge on Margaret River and collaborate with the country’s best as they showcase the region’s exceptional food and wine.
One of the many wine estates in Margaret River. Image: Jean-Paul Horre.
As a way to tip the hat to the region’s 50th anniversary of commercial wine production, world renowned wine critic Jancis Robinson will be in attendance at many events across the four-day weekend. The festival will exhibit a selection of key wine events including the Cape Mentelle International Cabernet Tasting and Long Lunch; the Cullen Wines 32nd International Chardonnay Tasting; plus fringe events including the ‘50 Years in the Making’ Tasting at Vasse Felix and the Leeuwin Art Series Dinner. Jancis will be joined by some of Australia’s most respected wine personalities and journalists including James Halliday, Huon Hooke and Nick Stock
And for the revellers in food, Asia’s Best Female Chef, May Chow (Little Bao, Hong Kong) will join highly acclaimed chefs including Pierre Koffmann (UK), Danny Bowien (Mission Chinese, USA), Kyle Connaughton (SingleThread Farm, USA), and Kris Yenbamroong (NIGHT + MARKET, USA) in the Gourmet Escape line up for the first time.
Visitors can also expect some extraordinary dining collaborations; Fermoy Estate will host a dinner featuring Clayton Wells with Mejakawi (Bali); and Alex Atala (Brazil) joins forces with Porteno (Sydney) at Larry Cherubino.
The heartbeat of the festival, the Gourmet Village, will have a fresh feel for 2017 with the main stage hosted by multi-talented comedian, actor/presenter and musician Matt Okine, plus music programming throughout the day including a secret closing act on Sunday evening. New attractions include The Lurpak Cookery School and a ‘Giniversity’ along with returning favourites such as Wusthof Knife Skillery, Around the Barrel, Icon Tastings and Battle of the Breweries.
The famous Gourmet Village during the Margaret River Gourmet Escape. Image: Supplied
Also making its debut in 2017, The World’s Best Chef’s Table is an exclusive and very intimate, once in a lifetime restaurant experience nestled in the heart of the Gourmet Village. Guests can pull up a stool and savour a glass of the region’s best wine alongside some of the world’s most coveted chefs from the top 50 list as they create a dish showcasing incredible WA produce. Once the masterpiece is complete, the lucky group will enjoy the meal alongside their culinary idols.
Tickets are strictly limited and expected to sell out quickly.
