Feast on Q is a state-wide round-up of new and interesting developments in food and wine in Queensland.

Inside this issue: � Bronze for Barambah � Ballandean celebrates vintage start � Australia�s Favourite Restaurant Manager back to Siggi�s � Soul Food Kitchen Gospel Brunch � New in Port Douglas � Olivado Moreton Bay Seafood Festival � Great Barrier Feast on Hamilton Island � An Asian twist on Sundays � What�s on

Bronze for Barambah Barambah 2005 First Grid Cabernet Sauvignon won Bronze at the 2007 Macquarie Bank Sydney Royal Wine Show in February.

The success of the Barambah Wines brand was celebrated by owners Steve and Jane Wilson, wine maker Peter-Scudamore Smith MW and marketer Manda Duffy.

'Truly fantastic news, this is our second bronze for this wine and to just miss a silver medal in this field is something special - it's still young so we have great expectations for it in the future', said Manda Duffy.

More information: www.barambah.com.au Manda Duffy 0407 787 990 manda@barambah.com.au

Ballandean celebrates vintage start The Italian heritage of the Southern Downs shone through when Golden Grove Estate at Ballandean celebrated the start of vintage the Italian way with a Sicilian Vintage Lunch in February.

Sam and Grace Costanzo and their sons, hosted 180 eager wine lovers who enjoyed traditional Sicilian recipes, wine tasting, a three course lunch and traditional Italian songs by local singers. The blessing of vintage and grape stomping were highlights of the day.

More information: www.goldengrovee.com.au Media contact: Sam Costanzo +61 7 4684 1291; sales@goldengrovee.com.au

Australia�s Favourite Restaurant Manager back to Siggi�s Philippe Beylot, one of the country�s most celebrated restaurant managers has made his return to Stamford Plaza�s Siggi�s Restaurant on the eve of the restaurant�s 20th anniversary.

�We�re delighted to have him back on board, Philippe represents the best of the best when it comes to food and wine knowledge and service � this is truly a coup for the city of Brisbane,� said Stamford Plaza General Manager, Pat Phenekham.

Philippe managed Siggi�s restaurant for ten years before being head hunted by Hayman Resort, another leading hotel of the world. In his time at Siggi�s, Philippe teamed up with Chef George Diamond to win numerous awards, including �Best Fine Dining Restaurant in Australia�.

Philippe has more than 20 years experience in the industry with career highlights including working in the two Michelin starred �Restaurant des Rois� at La Reserve on the French Riviera, Hotel des Bergues in Geneva and Chez Moi in London.

More information: www.stamford.com.au Media contact: Deborah Hoey 0415 244 898 deborah@kdpr.com.au

Soul Food Kitchen Gospel Brunch Noosa�s first ever Gospel Brunch will feature a sensational Soul Food buffet and live music including a gospel performance by Delilah.

Gospel music combined with comfort foods of the �south� is a sure fire way to bring people together according to organiser Victor Kimble. Victor says a Gospel Brunch invokes memories of a table piled high with good home cooking on Sunday with family, friends, neighbours and strangers gathered around � singing along, laughing, eating and having a plain old fashioned good time being together.

�One thing is for sure � Soul food and Gospel music go hand in hand with that warm feeling of comfort you get when you remember good times,� Victor said.

The Soul Food buffet featuring pancakes, grits, sausages, eggs, bacon, jambalaya, biscuits (scones) and gravy, fried chicken, salads, fruits, pastries and more will be held at The Kin Kin Restaurant and Cooking School in Kin Kin on the Sunshine Coast, 11 March from 10am to 1pm. The cost is $50 per person.

More information: www.soulfoodkitchen.com.au/soulfoodevents.htm Media contact: Victor Kimble [victor@victorssoulfood.com] 0415 456 832

New in Port The restaurant scene in Port Douglas has expanded with three new twists on the famous food and casual lifestyle of this tropical haven.

Just a stone�s throw from Four Mile Beach, The Beach Shack on the corner of Barrier Street and Triton Cres combines laid back Queensland style with delicious cuisine and some of the best pizzas in Port. Head to the cosy bar area bar for exotic cocktails and enjoy the retro radio soundtrack. It�s a place to leave your pretensions under the table with your thongs and enjoy the modern Australian/Italian feel.

The Living Room Restaurant & Lounge Bar on Wharf Street in the heart of Port Douglas� restaurant precinct offers water views with a mouth watering menu featuring modern international flavours created by a renowned team of chefs.

Port�s only cross between a pub, an outdoor cinema and a restaurant, the Funky Cow at 123 Davidson Street, is making a mark with fine, affordable Australian cuisine. Already well known for its garden setting, the restaurant now offers free flicks with cinema under the stars for a �gold coin donation�.

More information: Beach Shack +61 7 4099 1100 www.the-beach-shack.com.au The Living Room Restaurant: +61 7 4099 4011 www.thelivingroomportdouglas.com.au Funky Cow Seafood & Steakhouse +61 7 4099 6585

An Asian twist on Sundays Bayside restaurant Waterlily at 109 Margate Parade, Margate, has a great alternative to a regular lazy Sunday brunch with an extensive yum cha menu of local favourites from China town, plus a stunning waterside view.

Yum Cha takes its meaning from the Cantonese translation of drinking tea, referring to the custom of eating small servings of different foods while sipping Chinese tea. It is a tradition usually carried out on weekends. Now instead of heading to the China Town mall in Fortitude Valley, you can enjoy this treat looking at the beach at Margate.

Available on the last Sunday of every month from 11:30am to 2:30pm, it�s the perfect excuse to go for a drive and have something a little different from bacon and eggs.

More information: Leanne Christmas +61 7 3283 3366 Media contact: Meg O'Keeffe +61 7 3839 7828 meg@redcarpetprojects.com.au

Olivado Moreton Bay Seafood Festival Relax and unwind, enjoy the sea air and feast on succulent seafood and wine at the Olivado Moreton Bay Seafood Festival 2007, right on the waters of Moreton Bay at the Raby Bay Foreshore Park, Cleveland / Raby Bay on 9 � 10 June (Queen�s Birthday Long Weekend).

Chill out to headline act The Black Sorrows while munching on Queensland's famous seafood including Moreton Bay Bugs, prawns and oysters. Food, cooking, celebrity chefs, music and all kinds of activities run over two days of entertainment, education and fun. Learn more about the Bay, conservation and lifestyle by the Bay. Join in the excitement of jet-ski and thundercat races. Watch as the Redland�s best chefs of the region battle it out �tong-to-tong� in the Signature Dish live cook-off finals creating their very own seafood sensations to be crowned the region�s Best Chef using local produce.

There will be cooking demonstrations where you can learn from the experts how to prepare and cook fresh seafood to exacting standards, mud crab tying, oyster shucking and mud crab racing. Watch the experts as they vie for the title of best mud crab wrangler and oyster shucker, then cheer on your favourite in the mud crab races!

More information: www.moretonbayseafoodfestival More information: Janine Crawford +61 7 3286 5411 janinecrawford@kija.com.au

Great Barrier Feast on Hamilton Island Some of Australia�s most acclaimed chefs and winemakers will share their secrets at the annual Great Barrier Feast on Hamilton Island over the Queen�s Birthday Long Weekend from June 8 to 11.

The weekend event will be hosted by food experts Curtis Stone (of Surfing the Menu television fame) and celebrity chef pals, Tobie Puttock of Restaurant Fifteen and Naked Chef acclaim, Jimmy Shu from the internationally recognised Hanuman restaurants and Frank Camorroa, from Melbourne�s Mo Vida, who is widely applauded for his brilliant authentic Spanish food.

Wine enthusiasts will have the opportunity to blend their own wine, under the watchful eye of an expert winemaker from New Zealand�s Dog Point vineyard. They can also learn top tips of how to compile their own cellar in a workshop by Darren Jahn from Oatley Wines as well as the secrets of balancing the tastes of the vineyard and the market garden by award-winning author of Balance � Matching Food and Wine Lyndey Milan. All inclusive packages start from $1986 per person twin share.

More information: www.hamiltonisland.com.au or 13REEF (137333). Media contact: Susan Boyd 0412 365 122 sboyd@infrontcommunications.com.au Hydrate at a funky watering hole The Gold Coast�s chic new lounge bar, Hydrate at Crowne Plaza Royal Pines Resort, offers an extensive and innovative bar menu like nothing ever seen before on the Coast.

With modern, clean lines and panoramic views of the golf course creating a cool vibe and relaxed ambience, the beverage menu features 20 sensational martinis that add a twist to old favourites and explore new territory with flavours and textures. The lounge has an extensive wine list with champagne by Moet Hennessy and premium beer and spirits offering one of the Gold Coast�s best drink selections.

The martini menu innovation is the brainchild of resort Food and Beverage Director Greg Zahn and Bar Manager Tristan Anderson who have both worked extensively overseas and witnessed the rebirth of this timeless cocktail. Hydrate�s signature martini, The Belvedere Chocolate Martini, as the name suggests indulges the sweet tooth with a velvety milk chocolate Hershey Kiss finish; and it will possibly leave you with a conspicuous chocolate grin!

More information: Justin Philip +61 7 5597 8721 jphilip@cproyalpinesresort.com.au Media contact: Kathryn Ral kathryn@tallpoppypr.com.au 0411 498 337 What�s on Tarong Mine Wine and Food in the Park Festival 10 March Sample local wines and chat to the winemakers of the South Burnett wineries, taste the fare from local restaurants in the huge food court and browse through the country market stalls. Includes the finals of the PCA Regional Cuisine Cook-Off, an event where the local chefs showcase their talents. Memorial Park, Kingaroy. More information: www.winefood.southburnett.com.au

La Serenissima 10 March All the colour, romance and intrigue of sensuous Venice will be revealed in suburban Brisbane with La Serenissima organised to raise funds for Festitalia, Brisbane�s Italian Festival. The Venetian- style masked ball will have four courses of traditional Italian tastes and the Italo-Australian Centre at 23 Foster Street, Newmarket will be transformed into a Venetian Palace for the event. More information: +61 7 3356 8433 Media contact: Jacqui Flint +61 7 3210 1473 jacqui@jkpr.com.au

Feast of the Senses 16 -24 March A sensual celebration of exotic produce, art and entertainment from the Tropical North. Food and wine tastings, live cooking demos from local and celebrity chefs, exhibitions and forums. Showcases the fabulous variety of exotic fruits, seafoods, meats, wines, flowers and more. Edith and Rankin Streets, Innisfail. More information: Tollfree 13 2523 www.feastofthesenses.com

Oz Goes to Asia 17 March Go wild with Australian ingredients to the bustle and fragrance of an Asian kitchen at Wild Lime Cooking School at Worendo. Try lentil pancakes from Korea, laksa from Malaysia, quandong tempered chilli glaze on roo fillets and a salted wild lime salsa. Sample fresh Vietnamese papaya salad and icy wild lime sorbet. More information: www.worendo.com

WIN Television Airlie Beach Food & Wine Festival 29 April The restaurants of Airlie Beach join together to celebrate the diversity of the region�s fine food combined with an extensive range of Australian wines. Food stalls with gourmet delights prepared by chefs from the finest restaurants in the area and wines from the best winemakers and regions in Australia. The Esplanade, Airlie Beach. More information: +61 7 4964 1999, www.airliebeachhotel.com.au

A Celebration of Australian Food and Wine - Noosa Style 18 - 20 May The ultimate in food and wine with produce sourced nationwide and Australia's leading chefs, growers, producers, wine makers, restaurateurs and food and wine enthusiasts in attendance. This festival is not only about eating and drinking, with hordes of talented Jazz and Blues musicians roaming Noosa�s boardwalks and stopping in at restaurants and cafes. More information: +61 7 5455 4229, www.berardos.com.au

A Feast of Nutrition 27 - 31 May Learn about true nourishment, real food and optimal nutrition from Gwinganna�s Nutritionist Libby Ellis. Seminars cover how to make sense of the huge amount of nutrition information that floods our everyday lives while chefs present cooking demos. More information: www.gwinganna.com