Tummies get ready to rumble

Perth has always been neglected on the gastronomic map of Australia - and to be completely honest, this has not been without good reason. For too long, this sleepy city has produced an alarmingly large proportion of poorly conceptualised restaurants which underwhelm in service and food but overwhelm in price and lack of interest.

But things are changing - and slowly the city is beginning to awaken from the culinary comatose that has plagued it for much too long. Talented chefs and artisanal food stores are injecting the much needed adrenaline into the veins of Perth's food scene, and with it, energising the people who live in it with the realisation that this city also has much to offer.

And whilst I am under no delusion that Perth has a long way to go in achieving the same food culture that is so prevalent in sister cities like Melbourne... I remain hopeful. So it is with much excitement that I await the arrival of the Good Food and Wine Show right here in my adopted city.

In its third year here in Perth, the event will showcase over 150 food, wine and beverage exhibitors. Of course, a definite huge draw card to the show is also the celebrity chefs that will be "performing" cooking demonstrations over the 3 day event. I say "performing" in inverted commas because whilst I am excited at the prospect of seeing Gary Mehigan, George Colombaris (both of Masterchef fame) and Matt Moran whip up culinary delights with hopefully a bit of humour and wit thrown in, other segment descriptions have already started to make me cringe.

Take Manu Feildel's "Spinning plates" segment - "He is the fun, feisty, fancy Frenchman from My Kitchen Rules, now see him juggling his culinary skills with his circus skills." So he's going to be spinning plates whilst cooking up a meal at the same time... right... NEXT!

Nevertheless, events like the Good Food and Wine Show are well worth supporting... afterall, it's publicity that leads to interest... interest that leads to awareness... and awareness that ultimately leads to choosing and demanding the right food direction for this city.

http://www.goodfoodshow.com.au/index.asp
In Perth July 2-4