On a blue sky Saturday morning with a glass of proseco and gourmet plate Noosa residents and tourists kicked back and listened as celebrity chef Matt Moran passed on the tricks of cooking perfect seafood.
The first of the festival’s many celebrity chefs to take the stage at the Village Festival at Lions Park Noosa Heads Matt grilled Moreton Bay bugs with garlic butter before steaming some coral trout.
“I wanted to do something you could take away and cook yourself,” he said.
His top tips were to use as much local product as possible and not to overcook the seafood.
While chefs and food experts fronted stages across the village local food producers prepared their home grown food.
Dale Spencer of Eumundi Meats was frying up his own sausages on the barbecue. One of only six butchers in Australia to be selected to compete in the World Cup Butchers in Sacromento, California in September 2020, Dale will pit his skills against those of butchers in 20 countries globally.
Heads of Noosa owner Craig Masterton was pouring his award winning beers. After launching only four months ago Heads last week picked up awards at the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) for its Japanese Lager, Summer Dusk, Bock and Pilsner all winning medals, the Summer Dusk winning gold.
As guests streamed into the village others were taking their seats for the Long Lunch served by local restauranteurs along the length of Hastings Street.
And others were exploring an array of dining opportunities across the hinterland.
Sunday the rain poured down and the grass became soaked and muddy but that didn’t deter crowds from pouring in. People ducked under the many shelters across the venue and quick thinking organisers Tourism Noosa handed out ponchos at the entrance.
