Food Festival - Whats The Show

A Feast for the Palate-Good Food & Wine Show Brisbane

27/10/2025 Jules Hart🆕

Good Food & Wine Show – Brisbane Rating

★★★★★

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With over 300 local and national exhibitors, the Good Food and Wine show returns to Brisbane (Oct 24-26), and after two decades it doesn’t fail to deliver.

From the moment we joined the entry queue, the energy buzzed in anticipation of what our tastebuds would be dazzled with. The well prepared and seasoned regulars came armed with empty shopping trolley bags to fill with goodies.

Once inside, the layout is very organised, with a large physical map also offered as digital/hard copy form. Merchandise is very practical with tasting glass lanyards, aforementioned trolley-style shopping bags and large totes for stocking up. An Australia Post booth is a clever addition to offer postage for those purchases you’d rather not haul around for the day.

Figuring I have two options for my approach, either going in with a definite plan or allowing my senses to guide me, I take the latter approach and veer off to the Cheese corner. I was happily halted by the Smelly Cheese Co display and enjoyed a Raclette ($15) a generous serve of traditional melted French cheese scraped onto sourdough bread. Cheesy heaven!

Navigating away from the cheese corner, I sample ‘Tipsy Tea’s’ vodka iced tea which offered a refreshing reset to continue my mobile tasting journey. At about this time I felt like a walking human charcuterie board-sampling, sipping and nibbling my way through a range of flavours all vying for attention. If you can’t satisfy your tastebuds with food or drink at this event, then it might be time to question how fussy you are!

The Harvey Norman Kitchen offers free live on-stage demonstrations from some well-known culinary icons. Chocolate Queen Kirsten Tibballs engaged us with her warm and playful energy and there was a sense that we were guests in her own kitchen with her sharing tips for the perfect choux pastry and chocolate Chantilly cream. Host Alistair McLeod kept the atmosphere lively with his humorous asides and even cameraman Ben had a playful rapport with Kirsten giving the demonstration a behind-the-scenes vibe. Generous giveaways added to the fun, including a challenge to name the dessert with a Brisbane tribute-my favourite being the cheeky “Sunny Choux Drops”.

Just when we were on the verge of our mid-afternoon lull, Miguel Maestre’s session, provided a true to life ‘fiesta en la cocina’ with a lively atmosphere, with music playing for his guests. A dash of playful chaos added to the mix with the audience dancing quite literally for the chance to catch flying bags of crisps. In his demonstration of the ‘2-minute noodle’ challenge, quick fire tips created a frenzy of energy. Special mention to the multi-media team for adding quick-witted on-screen puns with the aim of tripping up Miguel and adding to the fun.

Overall, there was a robust crowd present, and given everyone’s many opportunities to satisfy their hangry undertones, people were polite and pleasant.

And finally at the end of the day the free slushie station at the Smooth FM stall is a refreshing pitstop before heading home!
Watch out for next years show release dates and get those trolley cases ready!

To book tickets to Good Food & Wine Show – Brisbane, please visit https://goodfoodshow.com.au/.

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A Gastronomical Heaven

27/10/2025 Virginia Gray🆕

Good Food & Wine Show – Brisbane Rating

★★★★★

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The ‘Good Food & Wine Show’ needs to be on your radar. Installed at the Brisbane Convention Centre over 3 days, 24-26 October, it was a wonderful addition to the many attractions Brisbane and Southbank have to offer. Minimal queuing to enter, although a couple of feather flags to indicate you are on the right track would have reassured those new to the area.

Upon entry there were helpful items like wine glass lanyards, so you didn’t put your glass down and lose it and helped free up your hands. Shopping trolleys for those serious shoppers, honestly take a wheeled bag – there is so much to choose from, luckily some stalls offered free shipping. The stalls and walkways coped with the crowds and the large spacious hall ideal.

There were special ticketed offers and masterclasses. A great gift idea – from cheese, chocolate, wine and even pasta making. Tasting rooms, free experiences, celebrity chefs. Think Christmas and birthday gifts – either produce or tickets for next year.

With stall holders from all over Australia and New Zealand on offer was such a wide variety of good food and great wine – from Olives to Martinis- cheese to nuts – gourmet meats and some very tasty and innovative ideas this show had something to offer everyone.

Did I try the chocolate infused French wine – you bet I did – and although not a fan of hazelnut, I was converted, the wine as we say was divine, light bubbly, chocolatey with a subtle hazelnut. The stall holder was passionate and protective and imports the wine for distribution after stumbling across it doing an OE in Europe.

With wines from the Granite belt – a reminder of what a great wine making country we live in and to get out West more often, Adelaide and the Hunter Valley, it was a reminder don’t leave home until you’ve seen the country. Sparkling Pinot Noirs and refreshing Pinot Gris and everything in between.

Then the boutique spirits – gin (Sambuca is a favourite), peanut butter whiskey (my new favourite ice cream topper), yup everything you can imagine someone has put it in a bottle.

The cheese stands just made you wish for a 7-day weekend, a back deck with a park view or a balcony overlooking the sea, surrounded by those you love to indulge with.

Try as I might I could not make it around every stall and the 3-day flexi pass is probably the best bet if you are going to make a weekend of it, as you need the time and tummy room to savour this gastronomical extravaganza.

Salute – or gānbēi!

However, you say it – put the Good Food & Wine Show on your to do list next year. Or maybe try to get to a Christmas Market in Sydney and Melbourne.

To book tickets to Good Food & Wine Show – Brisbane, please visit https://goodfoodshow.com.au/.

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Good Food and Wine Show

22/07/202522/07/2025 Carmen Jenner🥉

Good Food & Wine Show Rating

★★★★★

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As the name suggests, there are endless artisanal indulgences to choose from at the 2025 Good Food & Wine Show. This year was no exception, and so much more. With over 200 stalls under the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (PCEC) vast roof from 16th to 18th July, the hardest part was deciding where to start.

You could follow your nose and join the anaconda lines at the Smelly Cheese Co for gooey raclette scraped over sourdough ($15). Or visit an old favourite with a wine tasting from the Margaret River Region. Not that there was anything wrong with any of these options.

However, I preferred stumbling upon the unexpected, like Wee Smoky, a smoke-filled whisky designed for mixing, and some elusive black garlic from Black Garlic & Co. Or a sample of Manuka Wood Smoked Olives from Kiwi Artisan, along with some black lime salt from Australian Black Limes, inspired by Middle Eastern black limes. A robust selection of wines from other Australian regions, such as the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale Wine Region, conjured up dreams of a decadent escape to South Australia.

But if you’re indecisive, the masterclasses offered at one of the tasting rooms or the Gin Lover’s Class (at $89 per person) from Sonos Sound Bar, were a good place to loosen up before embarking on the heavy decision-making.

If you were keen to up your culinary game, there was plenty of inspiration served up in the Kleenheat Kitchen as talented chefs cooked live, including James Cole-Brown (Head Chef from South Cottesloe’s Gibney), Brian Cole from Hearth Restaurant (The Ritz-Carlton, Perth) or BBQ-master duo from CheatMeats. The ultimate showman and celebrity chef, Miguel Maestre’s appearance in the Harvey Norman Kitchen was a delightfully raucous affair during his Fiesta En La Cocina demonstration.

The $185 admission into the VIP Lounge included lunch, premium wines, a spot at the Cellar Secrets Tasting Room and plenty of treats, as you’d expect from your temporary VIP status. But if that wasn’t in the budget, you could certainly get your money’s worth at the free wine and gourmet tasting booths, not to mention the free cooking demonstrations, with the general admission price of $49.95 or $79.95 multi-day pass with a tasting glass.

I couldn’t leave without a truffle and some Truffle Honey from Great Southern Truffles in WA’s Great Southern Region, a region abundant in premium produce that I now intend to visit more often.

The Good Food & Wine Show continues to spread the tasty joy in Brisbane (24th -26th October), at the Sydney Christmas Market (21st – 23rd November) and the Melbourne Christmas Market (5th – 7th December). With the 2026 dates announced for Melbourne (29th – 31st May) and Sydney (19th – 21st June), keep an eye out for Perth’s 2026 dates.

To book tickets to Good Food & Wine Show, please visit https://goodfoodshow.com.au/.

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Good Food & Wine Show

22/07/202521/07/2025 Manuela Kacomanolis🥉

Good Food & Wine Show – Perth Rating

★★★★★

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As we entered the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre for the Good Food and Wine Show I didn’t know where to start, there were so many stalls. With our complimentary tasting glasses in hand, it was time to start sampling.

Maps are provided, setting out all the different stalls but we thought we would be a bit adventurous and make our way around, allowing the sights and smells to draw us in.

Alcohol tasting was first-up. The show isn’t just about wine there are many other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Gins, liqueurs, whiskies and kombucha drinks of all different flavours, even Vodka Iced Tea. I think I must have tried all the different liqueur flavours from Cello, in the end, the lemon and amaretto liqueurs were the winners.

As for the wines, there was one large aisle devoted to the Barossa Valley wines. A big drawcard to South Australia for wine lovers.

For those wanting to dial the experience up a notch, there are the Tasting Rooms where for $34 you join a small group of up to 14 people for an interactive guided tasting with a Wine Selectors wine expert.

If you have never flown business class but wanted to know what the food is like, you could purchase a VIP ticket to the Singapore Airlines VIP Lounge. The food and beverages are inspired by the First and Business Class in-flight experience. The VIP service includes 5 alcoholic beverages, a lunch prepared by award-winning chef, Andrew Ballard and a special take-home gift.

Back to the general entrants, there are still so many stalls to experience that you won’t be disappointed. One of the most popular stalls was the prawns on the stick which were selling 2 sticks for $10.

Smelly Cheese Co was also popular with their delicious, melted cheeses.

The Harvey Norman Kitchen delivered an impressive line-up of chefs and culinary icons. You could learn how to make Flamenca Eggs with Miguel Maestre and soup dumplings with Brendan Pang.

I thought it particularly clever having Australia Post setup in the corner (and no they were not handing out any free stamps or envelopes) it was for those who perhaps bought more than what they intended and rather than lugging all the purchases around they can head to the Pick Pack station and have the wines posted.

I have been to the Good Food and Wine show a few times throughout the years. Unfortunately, one of the setbacks I found about this year’s show was the closing time. I found it odd that the show’s starting time and closing time for Friday and Saturday were 10am to 5pm. I thought 5pm was far too early to end such an event. I’ve been to the show in the past on a Friday night and I loved it. It was something to look forward to after work. Likewise, I think the show would be popular on a Saturday night given that alcohol is a big part of the show. Hopefully they might reconsider the closing times in the future.

To book tickets to Good Food & Wine Show – Perth, please visit https://goodfoodshow.com.au/.

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