The Kangaroo Island FEASTival will be launched Friday 22 February from 4pm at the Adelaide Central Market with Maggie Beer, Andrew Fielke and Paul Wood showcasing Kangaroo Island’s exotic food produce alongside the FEASTival’s extraordinary events.
This year the FEASTival has developed a signature style, with Director Nick Hannaford pushing the boundaries with new event concepts such as wading knee high in water for oysters and fizz, blending ‘Film & Food’ dining, mystery picnics and the FEASTival’s own Table Surfing dinners. All to ensure guests will be treated to new and exciting experiences on Kangaroo Island.
The official launch of the Kangaroo Island FEASTival will highlight the food of Kangaroo Island as cooking demonstrations and produce tastings as part of Food SA’s Regional & Seasonal program which highlights local producers.
Local distillery Kangaroo Island Spirits will serve up their ‘Raptor’ and Tom Yum cocktails alongside local Goose and Abalone tastings to get things started.
Kangaroo Island marron, haloumi, relish, olive oil, and eggs will then star in the cooking demonstrations by Andrew Fielke and Paul Wood while Maggie talks about her special recipe and her own FEASTival event.
The six day FEASTival of culinary and wine adventures features over 15 extraordinary gourmet events inspired by Kangaroo Island’s stories, locations and the people behind its enviable food and wine.
Renowned restaurateur and MasterChef Judge George Calombaris will launch the festival with an exotic dinner of local delicacies in a marquee at the water’s edge in Kingscote. South Australian food icon Maggie Beer (The Cook and the Chef) will showcase the island’s pig on a spit and Marron (freshwater crayfish) at a Roman Banquet.
Among the usual food festival master classes and themed dinners the FEASTival program includes unique Pop-Up Dining events and FEASTival’s own FilmFood evening, in partnership with the Adelaide Film Festival.
Australia’s leading native food chef Andrew Fielke will create a progressive film and food dinner where each course is inspired by a short film artfully sourced by the team at the Adelaide Film Festival.
Joining the celebrity chefs, local Kangaroo Island food identities – like Southrock Lamb’s Andy and Kate Gilfillan – are opening up their own homes to throw Table Surfing lunch and dinner parties for FEASTival visitors.
Join a casual ‘oyster and fizz’ lunch where the oysters are served from little fishing boats floating by. Take a mystery fishing charter for a two part progressive lunch. Or enjoy fish and chips at the Utes and Boots Picnic in a location that’s only revealed on the day.
Kangaroo Island’s own distillery owners Jon and Sarah Lark will reveal the secrets of gin making over a casual dinner, Dudley Wines hosts an interactive dinner with local producers and Islander Estate wines will feature as part of a gourmet meal aboard beautiful luxury yacht Lady Eugenie.
Sunday 28 April will be FEASTival’s big day out, featuring the hotly contested Kangaroo Island Signature Dish Competition, judged by Maggie Beer, Andrew Fielke and Manuela Darling-Gansser. Other events include food stalls from the Penneshaw Farmers Markets, fishing and squid catching competitions, fish smoking demonstrations and a junior chef master class for adults – taught by local school children.
FEASTival producer Nick Hannaford, whose own career includes co-founding Queensland’s award winning rainforest dining experience Flames of the Forest where he catered a private dinner for Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, says: “Growing up on the Island I respect its natural beauty and emerging food and wine industry, so it’s crucial that each event is sensitively designed to balance the location, food, wine, and personalities. I just then add that little touch of theatre!”
Tickets on sale now at www.tourkangarooisland.com.au/kifeastival
Kangaroo Island FEASTival runs from April 25th to 30th, 2013
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