The third annual Feast for the Senses is flying the flag for sustainability now that COVID-19 has led to the cancellation of this year's traditional Living Smart Festival.
MasterChef Australia 2019 finalist and Warners Bay local Stephanie de Sousa will present a three-course vegetarian meal at Rathmines Theatre on Saturday, November 28.
The feast coincides with Lake Macquarie City Council's Meat Free Challenge, which is part of the Living Smart Festival - Beyond 2020 program. The meal will showcase seasonal ingredients, sustainably farmed and locally sourced, in keeping with the festival's core themes.
"I am super excited - after the year we have had - to break out and cook an exciting and sustainable menu again for Feast for the Senses," de Sousa said. "I cannot wait to get my cook on."
The menu looks the goods. Think whipped labna with smoked and charred red bell peppers; Sicilian green olive, honey, beer and rye lavosh; and conchiglioni pasta shells filled with wilted spinach, fresh dill, lemon and ricotta and served with roasted tomato and sweet onion passata sauce.
Kalamata olive and fresh rosemary focaccia bread will accompany the main, alongside dressed salad greens, and dessert is limoncello and mascarpone with amaretti parfait.
Complementing the menu will be Tamburlaine Organic Wines and a talk from Hunter Valley winemaker Mark Davidson.
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Food & Wine is told the event is being held at Rathmines as a one-off, due to COVID-19. The event will return to its home at Speers Point Park in 2021.
Current health guidelines stipulate a maximum of 30 people for outdoor events, while indoor events with a comprehensive COVID-19 plan can proceed with one person per four square metres. To maintain COVID-safe measures, seats will be allocated based on ticket transactions, so guests are encouraged to purchase tickets all at once as a group to ensure they are seated together. Unfortunately, seating changes will not be possible on the night.
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Guests are encouraged to arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
This is an over-18s event. Tickets are $65 per person at eventbrite.com.au and include a three-course meal and drink on arrival, as well as live entertainment. There will be a cash bar for additional drink purchases.
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