This September, AGFG is bringing the nation to the table with the AGFG Spring Dinner, a one-night celebration held on Tuesday 15 September. Hundreds of venues across Australia are taking part, each one turning the spotlight away from the plate and onto the people who filled it: the wine growers, boutique produce farmers, fishers and makers who shape the country's culinary experiences every day.
Spring is the season when this work becomes impossible to ignore. New-season vegetables arrive at the markets, vineyards begin to bud, and coastal waters start delivering their best catches of the year. The AGFG Spring Dinner exists to make sure that moment doesn't pass unnoticed. It's a chance for diners to enjoy a memorable night out while directing their appreciation toward the primary producers who rarely get to take a bow, the unsung heroes of Australian cuisine.
Participating venues have built menus specifically to tell these producer stories, and the range on offer shows just how many ways there are to celebrate a harvest.
At Meribella in Terrigal, NSW, the 12 Chef Hat Award venue is marking the night by celebrating the growers, fishers, farmers and makers who shape its modern Australian menu, with a dedicated one-night event on 15 September.
In St Leonards, NSW, bistro Annata, also a 12 Chef Hat Award holder, is running a four-course set menu built around spring produce, available from 2 September through to 30 November for those who want more than one night to enjoy it.
Melbourne diners can head to ISH Restaurant in Fitzroy, VIC, where the modern Indian venue is offering an exclusive five-course set menu for $99 per person, complete with a spring welcome drink, on 15 September.
ALEX&Co. in Parramatta, NSW, is using the evening to showcase the produce and stories behind its new menu, with bookings available for the 15 September event.
Over in Toukley, NSW, BB's Soul Kitchen is bringing Southern flavour to the celebration with a three-course American menu featuring NOLA BBQ Shrimp & Grits and Memphis Smoked Brisket, on 15 September.
Sydney's Bar Hanami in Surry Hills is joining the celebration with its own AGFG Spring Dinner event on 15 September, bringing its Asian-inspired menu to the occasion.
South Australian venue EDI'S KITCHEN in North Adelaide is presenting a limited-time seasonal dinner that puts fresh South Australian produce front and centre, alongside premium seafood, flame-grilled meats and vibrant spices, with bookings open for 15 September.
In North Perth, WA, Zuccaro Trattoria Pizza Bar is celebrating the produce and stories behind its Italian menu with a special evening, with bookings available for 15 September.
And on the Gold Coast, Hidden Bay Thai in Runaway Bay is offering a $45 per person set menu (minimum two diners) that includes a mixed entrée, Massaman Beef, Cashew Chicken and rice, finished with a fruit platter and soft drink, available on 15 September.
From a five-course degustation in Fitzroy to a Southern-style feast in Toukley, the AGFG Spring Dinner proves that celebrating primary producers can look completely different from one venue to the next, while still sharing the same purpose. Each participating venue has built its evening around the same idea: good food starts long before it reaches the kitchen, with the people who grow, farm and fish it.
Diners looking to take part can find the full list of participating venues and book directly through the AGFG Spring Dinner event page.
