Q: I was thinking of coming down from Sydney to Melbourne for a mega eating weekend. Should I come down for Taste of Melbourne (27-30 August) or should just visit the restaurants?
IWS, Balmain
A: I’ve never been a one or these big food events, elbowing my way into food and wine and avoiding stalls who pay to exhibit some fairly crap foods and paraphernalia that should really never see the light of day.
Nevertheless, backed by a big advertising and PR campaign Taste of Melbourne is getting reams of press coverage, none of it critically looking at the event and asking if it is worth it.
The big drawcard is the tasting of top chef’s signature dishes which you can see here. But the only chefs selling their food there that ring my bell are Movida, Jacques Reymond, Phillipe Mouchel and Circa, The Prince.
What is notable is who is missing from the Taste of Melbourne: Cutler & Co, Cumulus Inc, Bar Lourhina, Gills Diner, Grossi Florentini, The European, Sarti, Vue De Monde, Attica, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Ezard, Gingerboy, Longrain …I could go on and on.
What we have here is a “Nibble of Melbourne”.
Asking around quite a few people have quibbles on the payment system. First – unless you pick up one of the free vouchers – you have to pay $30 to enter an exhibition that companies are paying to present at. Then you have to buy vouchers called Crowns for the dishes, which cost between 8 and 14 crowns you wish to try. For $100 you can buy a VIP pass which includes $30 worth of Crowns and three free drinks. To pay $30 for entry and eat three cheap dishes (probably $25+) and have a drink will cost probably around $70 in total. And that could go towards a proper meal.
And I’ve heard from people you ended up not being able to cash in all their Crowns which went rattling home in their pockets.
In London this year there was a backlash again the corporate Taste of London. Respected food blogger Anthony Silverbrow said:
“So, it’s a rubbish event, hosted by people who don’t give a toss about those of us who are passionate about our food – sounds like a compelling combination.”
I’ve heard bad and good about the event. What do you think? is it worth the money? What was your experience at Taste of Sydney this year or Taste of Melbourne last year? Let me know.
Here’s one report from last year.
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I can give you free passes, then you can go for free and make up your mind if its worth paying for.
As an attendee, I had lots of fun, Crowns aren’t like real money so you spend heaps, good opp to try lots of interesting food at places I might not always be able to get to. It is expensive, the weekends are really busy. I would say go on Thu/Fri when you get to try everything and exhibitors have more time to talk to you.
As an exhibitor, it costs a bomb for a stand, and they only give you 90% of the crowns back (they keep 10%), which is approx $1000-$2000 per stand, Plus $30pp at the door….add it up!
Tomatom – I think in London people were divided about taste of London. It is an expensive event (taste of Melbourne is cheaper in real terms than the London one, the system re crowns operates the same way). What’s more, you could have a meal for a cheaper price by just going to a restaurant. What you would miss though is the atmosphere, the chance to sample food from different restaurants (in a big city like London with a huge array of restaurants this is a real bonus although maybe not such an issue in Melbourne where the number of restaurants although excellent is fewer and it is more likely you have been to lots of the top restaurants) also in London there was the chance to see demonstrations and meet some of the chefs who were manning their stalls which for the average person (like me) is not something you get to do normally. In summary, yes it is expensive but I really enjoyed my time there and think it was worth the money. If you want to see a more detailed review of Taste of London I have put it on my blog. Of course, although it is the same franchise I guess Taste of Melbourne could be quite different…
I went to the Taste of Sydney exactly for the drawcard of tasting from Sydney’s restaurants but left disappointed because the portions were pitiful for the price you were paying. And having to pay the entry free as well as for the food was a big quibble for everybody. Not to mention the crowds and the long queues to pay for these ‘nibbles’! What I did like was checking out the produce and gourmet stalls.
I’m actually heading to Melb with the original intention to go to Taste of Melbourne. But the fact I haven’t bought my ticket yet says something doesn’t it? Worth the money? Prob not but personally for me, prob more worth going to Melb instead of Syd.
Karen, Interesting comments and points. It’s not my thing I guess as I eat out a lot. I’ve got free passes but perhaps some others would like them.
I have never been before and am going this year for the first time. I am somewhat disgusted by having to pay an entry fee and then having to pay for the food too, but I am looking forward to sampling food from a number of different high end restaurants in one place.
I went to last years (which was the first) and had a very mixed experience.
First off, the product stalls (as opposed to restaurants) were pretty much repetitive at best and downright pointless at worst. Seriously, there’s only so many olive oils I can taste (“why yes, this one does taste grassy”) and jars of dukkah I can avoid buying and never using.
The restaurants, however, were a mixed bag. Some got it right and produced stuff that could be prepared on-order and worked in small portions, others fared a lot worse and chose dishes that really fell down. These tended to be pre-prepared (possibly elsewhere) and relied on high-turnover/peak periods for things to be fresh-ish and instead went cold/stale/etc.
The restaurants that failed were not necessarily bad restaurants, they just didn’t plan well for that sort of event/space.
I’m hoping that this year they’ve learned and it’s consistently good, rather than so patchy.
As to whether it’s worth the money? If food had been consistent – yes, if it’s as it was last year, I would say no.
Not really a definitive answer, but there you go.
I went to the Taste of Sydney had a really good time. I think it depends on your expectations. I looked at it as a nice day out / gourmet picnic with the added bonus of being able to mish mash food from all these fancy restaurants, some of which I have wanted to, but never dined at. I can be bias though as I had free entry. The Taste of Dubai looked really good.
I went to the Sydney one, I had a free pass, and I enjoyed a couple of dishes, but I’m glad I had a substantial meal before going! I think I would have been a bit gutted to pay the $30 entry fee, and then even more for small portions of food, as nice as they were. The highlight was the James Squire beer degustation, where we had a free dish from Balzac’s Matt Kemp, for that only it was worth it. I would go again only if I win another free pass!
I have a free pass (through work) so I’m going – had I not received the pass, I couldn’t afford to go. I am looking forward to it, but I have enough experience in these sorts of expos (from a stallworker, customer and organiser perspective) to keep my expectations fairly low.
Not sure I would pay the entry even if I could afford it – call me stingy, but ~$30 per ticket when the organisers are already making mega bucks from the exhibitors seems a bit off to me. And I tend to prefer that my money go to supporting the local restaurants directly.
I wonder if the ‘crowns’ will be available throughout the event or will we be forced to buy them all before entry (and probably overestimate the amount)?
I went last year, and thought it was an interesting event but pretty disappointing. My only real interest in going this year would be to see if it had improved. My quibbles with last year’s event certainly included the price (which, as you said, could pay for an actual sit-down meal); the fact that only a small number of the restaurants represented had actually designed a ‘menu’ that really suited the cooking/serving limitations of the event (this is where I’m curious to know if there have been improvements); there weren’t enough chairs and tables, so eating usually had to be done standing up; and the produce stalls were basically the usual suspects whose fares you can sample (without the entry fee) at your local farmer’s market.
I’m all for celebrating our wonderful restaurants and food culture, but I’m always a bit a bit sceptical about these ‘good food’ events. You have to wonder where the value is (for restaurants and punters alike) in trying to make chefs/restaurants ’showcase’ their wares, minus all of the things that make the experience of visiting their establishments great (ie, a kitchen, menu, staff, atmosphere, wine etc). The true purpose of the event seems to be: ‘which of our top chefs can cook something that’s still great when it’s a bit cold and has to be eaten off a paper plate while standing up after you’ve stood in line for it?’ And I must say, Circa was one of the places which did a great job of this last year. But that’s what it felt like – it was great in spite of the event, not because of it.
A friend who works in fine dining often complains that the people who come to his restaurant for the express lunch during food festivals are not people who dine out regularly. Or at all, outside of festivals. I think, in a lot of cases, people think that eating at fine-dining restaurants is way too expensive, so they go to these events instead because they seem more accessible – and sadly, end up spending just as much money for an inferior experience (and are then even less likely to actually go to any of the restaurants because they think it’s not worth it.)
At the risk of sounding like (even more of) a wanker, I did think that it was fairly telling that the most popular dishes (and I’m talking huge lines here) were for the Press Club’s chip souvlaki and for the Botanical’s wagyu burger.
Ed, hehe ‘others’ such as me? I think going would be an interesting experience for me – not just as a comparison b/w Syd and Melb but because I don’t have the opportunity to sample a huge selection of Melb restaurants at any one visit. But again the question of paying at Taste or using the money for a fab lunch is always up in the air.
Sadly I don’t think they give out free Taste of Melb passes to interstaters… *hint* …LOL
My husband and myself were seriously thinking of planning a holiday to Melbourne next year, around one of your food events.
We have the Taste of Tasmania here, {in Tassie}, but it does sound quite different to Melbourne, Sydney and even London.
No entry fee, lots of wine and food stalls but more producers than restaurants. We’ve been both attendees and worked at this event and have seen it from all sides. I must say I really enjoyed working there as we got to meet people from around the globe.
Sounds a lot like every where else though.
Hard to find seat, some stalls are wonderful, others not so much, potluck really!
We do love our Taste. It is now part of our traditional New Year.
But as elsewhere, people either love it or hate it.
If noise and crowds are’nt your thing, Taste of Tassie is not for you.
I went to Taste of Melb. last year and really enjoyed it – since I can’t afford a classy night out terribly often, my friends and I saw it as a great opportunity to try some iconic dishes from restaurants we probably otherwise might be waiting a year or two to visit. As far as value for money goes, no, it probably isn’t really up there if you regularly visit these sorts of restaurants anyway, nor if you were comparing the free samples at the various produce stands to your local farmer’s market.
I think it does reasonably well trying to be all things to all people, and you do actually get something for your entry fee if you’re smart about it. Last year my mates and I scored a half-glass sample of each little creatures beer from a soused attendant – which was the equivalent of 3 pots of beer each all up – most produce stands happily threw in an extra item or two or three, and in one case I bought some biscuits for $6 and ended up with another free sample of biscuits as well as a free fruit pudding.
I am a bit sad, looking at the restaurant list, that the list of restaurants who attended last year who are also attending this year is quite small, however it still looks like there will be some contenders. Hannababble is probably right in that the experience you have at this sort of festival is nothing like eating at the restaurant itself – but for some of us, several ‘inferior’ experiences can add up pleasantly to an enjoyable night out.
I wouldn’t compare it to a dinner at Ezard either, but I do think it’s a bit of fun, and fills me ideas of grand food worth saving my pennies for. Much like this blog, actually.
We were very keen to go last year and would not dream of going again. It was very crowded. we had to queue for food. It was not cheap and we gave away a few crowns when we left because we could not use them without buying more. Some stands ran out of some of the advertised foods. If you want hawkers food it’s fine BUT to queue to get ‘fine food’ on paper plates or cups and plastic cutlery, generally not at the ideal temperature and to have no place to sit really is a joke. It is not really a good representation of what these chefs restaurants can do.
We easily spent a couple of hundred dollars. If you like crowds go to the footy if you like fine food go to a decent restaurant
lol, if you dont want those passes feel free to pass them over this way! i’ll even write an indepth review of the thing
(hows that for singing for your supper?)
it’d be a good way to try out some nice things since its hard to eat at all of the restaurants.
Thanks everyone,
Some very mixed comments. It seems that the answer is that if you are coming interstate or don’t manage to eat out frequently it could be an interesting, although expensive event which may not be as polished as it could.
Interestingly,the event is still a fair bit cheaper than many Food and Wine Festival events.
Thanks to karenmareeg I have ten of those free passes for the Thursday/Friday. There’s three for Karen who’s coming down from Sydney. Jeanie. how many would you like and I think a post event review would be good.
I was working at one of the Producers’ Market stalls last year and, hence, was at every session. I sampled several of the dishes on offer – including some with which i was familiar from dining in the respective restaurants – and by and large felt let down. Limited facilities naturally not only compromised what restaurateurs felt they could offer, but the offerings themselves were inferior. Grossi Fiorentino’s risotto still sticks in my gullet as the worst gluggy mush I have ever had the displeasure of eating. Simpler dishes such as Fifteen’s sausages were better, though nothing to write home about. Classes and the other educational sessions had good reports (I did not attend any), though there was not enough space to seat all those who wanted to go.
Other gripes were the cheap mall-style eating areas and the obligatory use of crowns to sample anything from the restaurants. Many people were left with a couple of crowns that did not amount to enough for another dish and just had to wear the extra expense. Overall, a disappointing and poorly organised event – I would recommend that IWS go to the restaurants and enjoy the overall experience these places offer with their customised kitchens, nice crockery and waitstaff, not to mention decent wine lists.
Oh no! I’ve just bought premium tickets and am a bit worried now after reading some of these comments… where does everyone get these free tickets from?
Em,Thanks for those comments it sounds like some of the food just wasn’t good enough for the price. I think the left over Crowns is a big gripe for everyone.
Maddy, I think they are in various shops. I have a few I was sent if you’d like any. Or if anybody would like some tickets – contact me.
Many exhibitors, incl us, were very happy to take the left over crowns at the last minute, there were heaps of good deals to be had at end of day. eg bottle of beer, piece of cheese, etc, for a few leftover crowns. So they definitely don’t have to be wasted!
Bit up in the air about going after reading these reviews – the cost of entry + food seems a bit expensive for what it looks like you get.
Ed if you could throw some tickets our way we’d definitely put them to good use
The idea of ‘crowns’ ie disney dollars is enough to get me off side.
And Fenns comments seem to ring alarm bells too regarding the quality of what would be on offer. My friend went to the gordon ramsay show and had his food there and it was well below acceptable for the price you’re paying. As with others here, I’d say the cost of going would be better spent going to the actual restaurants themselves and enjoying a full meal.
Hi there Ed , I would love 2 tickets if possible . I am happy to pick them up too !
It would be an awesome experience … Cheers
I attended Taste of Melbourne last night and had a fantastic time! The selection of fine wine, boutique beer, cheese, dukkah, chutney’s and restaurant samples were amazing! More than worth the $30 (evident when you find yourself sampling stunning reserve wines from some of the Yarra Valleys best wineries) entry I cant wait to see what next year will bring. The Crowns are not as troublesome as some people say, you have an option of $10 and $30 booklets which can be spent on delightful dishes from some of Melbourne’s best restaurants. It would be great to see some more of Melbournes Restaurants appearing such as Grossi and Ginger Boy, hopefully they will get on board next year saying this I was more than happy with those that were available – Cirque De Prince and Nobu are definitely worth a look in. I highly recommend attending Taste and will be back for more next year.
I was there two with Jackie from Eating with Jack and it was better than expected and I now understand if you don’t get to eat out in Melbourne a lot it is worth it. I can’t comment on the Crowns as theyall gave me free stuff but Movida’s Squid and Chorizo was sensational . The highlight was Giorgio’s fior de burrata that Toby Puttock from Fifteen gave me – locally made mozzarella.
The beer from Red Hill is worth it too.
I’m told also that last night wasn’t as busy as it gets and on Sunday it may be feral.
Reuben, that sounds almost like a paid advert
– joking.
Went last year and thought it was OK – but got freebies and that always makes it more enjoyable.
Wasn’t going to attend this year as the number of restaurants seems to be down, but having received the freebies – may as well try it. Will see.
lol – maybe I should ask for some freebies… hmmmm
I too went last year, on a weekend night. It was crowded but I went when the doors opened and still managed to taste/ sample the food I wanted to.
I have to agree with some of the comments above, that it is quite a pity to showcase food in masses like this as restaurants, and as we all know, can do way better than this. Also, I don’t find the food being cheap at all and that I’d rather eat at restaurants.
Having said all that, this Event is great in one way that the public in general get to interact with some of the great culinary minds and also, sample foods of all sorts at a single location and at the same time. Yes it can be expensive but I think it’s good to sample foods from some newer restaurants.
Haha I have so clicked on the wrong link, from Google Reader hahaha. My bad Ed! hahaha