Competitions for every taste on the menu at Fine Food

 

Food industry professionals keen to prove they are the best in their field, will be competing live in front of 27,000 of their peers at Australia's premier trade exhibitions Fine Food and Hotel Australia.

The competitions involve top restaurants, TAFE colleges, small and large bakeries, chefs, pastry cooks, apprentices, State teams, up and comers, new names competing head-to-head for titles, thousands of dollars and even the right to represent Australia  overseas.

 

The Australian Culinary Challenge Victoria (formerly Melbourne Culinary Challenge) is set to be bigger and better than ever, according to organisers the Australian Culinary Foundation. It will once again comprise an artistic display arena as well as a hot, live arena for both individual and team events plus some interesting new competitions and is sure to arouse the creative spirit in talented chefs, apprentices and front-of-house personnel.

Top billing in the ‘Challenge' is the 2008 Fonterra Victorian Open Kitchen. This competition will involve 12 restaurant teams competing live in 3 kitchens over the four days for $10,000 in prizes.

 

New this year will be the Tabasco Hottest Chef competition and the intriguing Dilmah HighTea Competition.

 

When you add the artistic display arena and the Australian TAFE Culinary Trophy competition, visitors can be assured of an action packed program that is sure to educate and entertain.

 

The Great Aussie Meat Pie Competition is recognised as the most prestigious competition on the baking industry calendar. It really is the BIG one and attracts enormous media attention from all over Australia. This year over 1,500 entrants from Australia and New Zealand will submit their best pies to the judging panel.

The competition is divided into the ‘Good Old Aussie Meat Pie' and the ‘Gourmet Pie' competition. The gourmet section comprises red meat, poultry, game, seafood and vegetarian. Pie-makers will compete for the right to the titles ‘Best Aussie Meat Pie Maker in Australia' and ‘Best Gourmet Pie Maker in Australia'.

 

The Dairy Farmers Best of the Best National Pizza Challenge is Australia's only national premier pizza competition and is open to every independent pizza making establishment.

Competition for the title of ‘Champion Pizza Maker' is fierce as State finalists compete in a grand final pizza cook-off live at Fine Food. Victoria will be represented by Angelo Sanfilippo from the Boathouse in Moonee Ponds, winner of the traditional section and Kris Bailey from The Pantry in Brighton who won the state final of the gourmet section.

 

Fine Food will also host Bakeskills, the Australian baking industry national team competition. A highly popular event amongst ‘up and coming' bakers and pastry cooks, it offers competitors the unique opportunity to test their skills against their peers nationally. Team representatives from VIC, SA, NSW and QLD will compete over four days in a specially constructed bakery on the show floor.

 

Wine & Spirits is Australia's only true international trade show for the wine, beer and spirits industry. It presents a unique opportunity for over 100 local and international importers and distributors to showcase their products to a highly qualified trade audience within Australia's largest food industry trade event Fine Food. Visitors from licensed premises will see all the very latest liquor products and services side-by-side with food products and equipment that could be applicable for their business.

 

Wine & Spirits will also host a program of Free Seminars conducted by respected authority Rob Hicks. These seminars will educate restaurant and catering staff on the finer points of wine and give them knowledge they can impart to customers.

 

What:                  Fine Food Australia

Where:               Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre, Southbank

When:                 Monday 22^nd to Thursday 25^th September 2008

Time:                  10am - 5pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

                            12noon - 9pm Tuesday

Admission:        Trade visitors are advised to register on http://www.finefoodexpo.com.au/ prior to 15^th September. If you are not registered, entry will cost $30 at the door.
(Entry is restricted to members of the retail, hospitality and foodservice industries. Persons not in this category including children will not be admitted.)