Where is Melbourne Food and Wine Festival held?

Renowned chefs from the world over will arrive in Victoria this month to celebrate food, culture and community for the 30th anniversary of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF).

Running from March 25 to April 9, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will be held at Queen Victoria Market once again with a headline Sunday Lunch hosted by British television chef, journalist and food writer Nigella Lawson.

“I’m thrilled and honoured to be joining the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in March – the 30th birthday of a great festival in a great food city deserves a great celebration, and that’s exactly what the festival will be. I so look forward to seeing you there!” Ms Lawson said.

The event will be inclusive to all food types and dietary requirements, giving all Melburnians and tourists an opportunity to find a feast that will satisfy them.

“Outside, inside, big or small, meat-based or plant-centric, top-dollar or free, wild, family-friendly or both, this festival has a food and drink adventure for you,” MFWF creative director Pat Nourse said.

Partners for the event include primary partner Bank of Melbourne, and Visit Victoria acting as a destination partner.

“We’re excited, once again, to support the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in our 11th year as principal partner,” Bank of Melbourne state general manager Anna McLiesh said.

Opening events in Treasury Gardens include:

• Herald Sun World’s Longest Lunch – The first item on the ticket: three-courses curated by Attica’s Ben Shewry showcasing his unique and hands-on methods of cooking, taking place Friday, March 25, 12pm to 4pm.
• Dan Murphy’s World’s Longest Brunch – A brunch/lunch combo fit for fans of Melbourne’s contemporary Middle Eastern contributions to the city’s taste pallet. This will be the second consecutive brunch presented by Dan Murphy’s, scheduled Saturday, March 26 10.30am to 1pm.

Some other events hosted at Queen Victoria Market throughout the week include, but are not limited to:

• Snacktown, presented by Grampians and Pyrenees Wines – Two days of the best global eats from across the city, in one place.
• New Crush – Showcasing Victoria’s best drinks and drinks producers across beer, wine, cider, spirits and non-alcoholic.
• Welcome to the Jungle, presented by Wanderlust – A celebration of plants, from the indoor variety to Melbourne’s best plant-based eating and drinking experiences.
• The Big Spaghetti, presented by That’s Amore Cheese – Featuring pasta dishes across 10 stalls from the likes of Tipo 00, Mister Bianco, and more.
• The Convenient Store, presented by 7-Eleven –stocks a keen-eyed edit of Victorian food and drink, mixing the high and the low, offering a changing array of fresh and snacks from leading Melbourne chefs.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said, “We’re proud to support the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival as it celebrates thirty years of hosting Australia’s most renowned foodie event.”

“Melbourne is famous for its culinary scene and we support the festival because it brings people into our city to taste the best of what’s on offer – and that means more jobs in our local hospitality industry.”

CEO of the not-for-profit parent company behind MFWF Food + Drink Victoria Anthea Loucas said, “I’m super proud of this program which highlights the extraordinary food and drink experiences that make Melbourne so special.” •

The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival was devised and, initially, financed by leading Melbourne ad-man Peter Clemenger as a way to reinvigorate Melbourne after a failed bid for the 1996 Olympic Games. The first festival had just 12 events.

In 1990, the announcement of Atalanta as the venue for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games was a blow to the city and to the team who had put together Melbourne’s bid. It was especially bitter as stories emerged of IOC officials being bribed with cash and a range of benefits, although the official line was that the location would guarantee large television revenues.

Peter Clemenger was part of the Olympic bid team and believed, in the wake of the disappointment, the city needed a boost. In 1991 he began to approach potential sponsors but was unable to raise the money required to finance the event. He then made the decision to finance the festival himself.

Among the dozen or so events of the first Melbourne Food and Wine Festival was the World’s Longest Lunch. It was held at the MCG. At the time, I was working at Peter’s advertising agency, Clemenger Melbourne, and Peter bussed everyone on staff to the lunch. On a perfect day, as roadies were setting up for a Linda Ronstadt concert elsewhere on the famous turf, we enjoyed a superb three-course lunch.

The World’s Longest Lunch has become a regular event at the Festival and has been held at diverse locations including St Kilda Pier, the Albert Park Grand Prix track, the banks of the Maribrynong River and Lygon Street, Carlton. From 400 people at the first lunch, it has grown to more than 1500 people, seated at a 500m long table. As the Festival has spread beyond Melbourne itself, subsidiary Longest Lunches have popped up in regional areas.

The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, held in early March, now comprises hundreds of walking tours, special restaurant menus, masterclasses and events featuring a roll call of local and international celebrity chefs. From one man’s vision, the Festival has become a signature event on the Melbourne calendar and has helped the city become established as the foodie capital of Australia.

1993 Melbourne has world’s first McCafé »

« 1993 Fanny’s Restaurant closes

Tags: 1990s

Browse Timeline by Decade

1770s -1780s -1790s -1800s -1810s -1820s -1830s -1840s -1850s -1860s -1870s -1880s -1890s -1900s -1910s -1920s -1930s -1940s -1950s -1960s -1970s -1980s -1990s -2000s -2010s -2020s

What date is Melbourne Food and Wine Festival?

What is on in Melbourne March 2022?

How many people attend Melbourne Food and Wine Festival?