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/.
