Coogee Set To Celebrate Its Fine Food And Wine

By Sarah Healey on November 5, 2013 in News

Photo: Eddie Jones

With the weather warming up we’re more inclined to leave our hibernation and enjoy the sunshine, celebrating with friends and family in the great outdoors instead of in front of the telly or at the pub. It’s time to put the ugg boots away, pull out the picnic blankets and get down to the parkland at Goldstein Reserve for the inaugural Taste of Coogee Festival. The Coogee Chamber of Commerce has extended the invitation to the local community to enjoy an array of local food, wine tasting and live entertainment from 10am until 4pm on Sunday, November 3.

The festival is the first of its kind in Coogee with a full range of local restaurants, cafes, delis and gelataria jumping at the chance to showcase the fresh seasonal produce and range of international cuisines they have to offer. There’ll be around 80 stalls on the day, so punters will certainly be spoiled for choice. La Spiaggia, Coogee Fine Foods Deli, Barzura, Sauce Bar and Grill and Le Cupcake Lounge are just a few eateries set to tantalise the tastebuds on the day.

“Coogee was previously a very pub-driven suburb and it used to get a lot of people down there getting drunk on the weekends. Now it’s much more of a dining area,” Sauce Bar and Grill owner BJ McHatton told The Beast.

Chefs from a number of restaurants around the area will be on stage to teach you the tricks of their trade, including a demonstration from former MasterChef contestant Mindy Wood. There will also be food tours to local restaurants and a variety of local bands and DJs performing throughout the day to keep the atmosphere in good spirits.

If you’re over eighteen, there’s the opportunity to sample some of Australia’s finest wine, beer and cider, and cocktail bars will present an assortment of sophisticated thirst quenchers. If you’d like to participate in the wine tasting you will need to bring your identification to in order to purchase a wristband with tear off coupons, which can be used to redeem drinks from the various stallholders. A comprehensive alcohol management plan has been put in place on the day to prevent any unruly behaviour and only RSA certified staff will be serving and selling alcohol.

“We’ve worked really hard with the police and Randwick Council to ensure that it’s going to be a really well-monitored event, which is safe and family friendly. We want to eradicate the old stigma of Coogee only being about beer and pies,” Mr McHatton said.

There’s also a traffic management plan that will assist in the smooth flow of vehicles, but using public transport is encouraged rather than driving to the beach.

Parents are encouraged to bring their children down to enjoy the day as entertainment will be aplenty with slides, jumping castles and face painting to put big smiles on their little dials.

All profits from the day will be will go towards supporting the charity Caretakers Cottage, which are situated on Bondi Road. Caretakers Cottage provides support and accommodation to homeless children and young people around Sydney.

For more information about the Taste of Coogee Festival, visit www.coogeebeach.net.au/coogee-gastronomy-festival.