12 not to be missed features at this year’s Fine Food

With a new home and an action-packed program, Fine Food Australia has plenty to offer in 2015. 

This year, Australia's largest foodservice tradeshow will call the Sydney Showground in Sydney Olympic Park home. As usual, the event will offer attendees an extensive line-up of food and equipment suppliers to visit on the show floor, as well the much-loved annual events, including the New Product Showcase, Official Great Aussie Pie Competition, and the Australian Culinary Competition. 

The show has also added a number of new and exciting features to the timetable. Fine Food has, for the first time, partnered with the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, bringing the winners of the Sydney Royal Award to the event, where they will share the secrets of how they came to be recognised as amongst the industry's best suppliers. 

Bulla has also partnered with Fine Food as platinum sponsor, launching the Bulla Pastry Stage which will feature renowned pastry chefs including Kirsten Tibballs, Anna Polyviou and Marike Van Beurden. This stage will put the spotlight on sweet creations and cooking techniques relevant for pastry chefs and bakers, with session topics including textures in plated dessert, fruity modern cakes and hand-made chocolates. 

The Nestl Golden Chef's Hat Award, Australia's longest running culinary competition for young chefs, has also announced that the 2015 National Final will be held on the show floor at Fine Food this year. Held over two days (20 and 21 September), the National Final will see finalist teams cook-off in purpose built kitchens. The competition, which is celebrating its 50th year, has this year received the highest number of registrations in its history, and is offering the winning team a trip to South Africa for a once-in-a-lifetime food safari experience. Click here to see the 2015 finalists.

"We're delighted to be hosting the National Final at Fine Food for the first time," says Fine Food Australia event director, Minnie Constan. 

"It promises to give many more foodservice professionals an insight into what the competition is all about and will offer the finalist chefs an invaluable opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a live industry audience." 

12 not-to-be-missed show features 

1. Ask the Experts 
Fine Food attendees can book in a session with industry experts and gain invaluable industry advice on a whole range of topics including design and functionality needs, staffing and legislation issues. 
 
2. Australian Culinary Challenge  
Chefs of the highest calibre will compete to showcase their talents and will be judged by a panel of international, interstate and local judges. The competition sees teams of three competitors from each state battling it out in a live kitchen. Participants will pit their skills against each other and the clock, competing for a share of up to $20,000 in cash and prizes. 
 
3. Bake Skills Australia  
Apprentice bakers from each state are invited to compete in a live bakery challenge across 26 different product categories including specialty and artisan breads. 
 
4. Comcater Demonstration Stage  
Comcater will be hosting a variety of demonstrations at their stand covering techniques such as frying, smoking, chilling, vac packing and blending. You can also get tips on how to increase turnover and maximise profits in a small space. 
 
5. Export Ready Showcase  
Export ready products will be on display and this year the Showcase will put the spotlight on new and innovative products from around Australia. It will be located alongside the New Product Showcase in the entrance area at Hall 5. 

 6. Nestl Golden Chef's Hat Award Final  
The National Final of Australia's longest running culinary competition for young chefs will be held on Sunday 20 and Monday 21 September. Finalist teams will cook-off live in front of an industry audience in purpose built kitchens. 
  
7. New Product Showcase  
This is an interactive initiative showcasing the best new products to hit the food industry in the last 12 months.  

 8. Official Great Aussie Pie Competition
A much-loved event, this annual competition is open to all pie making professionals and attracts thousands of entries from bakers across Australia. Ten categories of pies are appraised over a four day period by a team of 16 judges from the baking industry. 
 
9. Talk and Taste Stage  
Hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, the Sydney Royal Award Winners will talk about their products and the processes they went through to win this prestigious award. 
 
10. Talking Food Stage   
A new stage with a range of speakers covering topics from current industry trends to practical advice for running your business. Topics covered on the Talking Food Stage will differ every day to ensure you gain as much information as possible.  
 
11. Tricks of the Trade Seminar Series 
Hosted by Oscar Hospitality, the series will show you how to streamline nutrition and hydration whilst dealing with the complexities of food nutrition across a variety of conditions, individual diets, age groups and cultural backgrounds.

12. Women in Foodservice morning tea 

Now in its second year, the Women in Foodservice charity event will be returning to Fine Food this year, bringing together the leading ladies in the hospitality sector for a morning of networking and inspiration. 

This year the guest speaker will be Anna Polyviou, executive pastry chef at Sydney's Shangri La Hotel, who also recently starred on Channel 10's MasterChef program with her popular carrot cake dish. 

Polyviou will be joined by chef and food consultant Laura Neville as well as Joanna Savill, food writer and former editor of the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. 

The Women in Foodservice charity event will take place at the Nexus Room, Pullman Sydney Olympic Park, on Tuesday 22 September from 10:30am – 12:30pm. 

Tickets are $85 per person, and are available now from www.finefoodaustralia.com.au/women. 

All profits after operating costs will be donated to food rescue organisation, OzHarvest, and the P.A.R.T.Y Program, which works to prevent alcohol and risk-related trauma in youth.

When: 20-23 September 
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm daily 
Where: Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park 
Register online: www.finefoodaustralia.com.au.  
Free online registration ends Friday 18 September, then tickets are $30 at the door. 
Fine Food Australia is strictly a trade only event. Children are not permitted.