Margaret River Gourmet Escape

There’s a new Australian food and wine festival that’s raising the bar to unreachable heights with international talent (hello Mr Blumenthal!), one of the most picturesque locations on earth  (Margaret River Wine country!) and events you’ll be scrambling to get into (Gourmet Beach Barbecue with Matt Moran!). 

It’s the Margaret River Gourmet Escape, which marks its first year with a star-studded line-up converging on Australia's most beautiful wine region. Heston Blumenthal is jetting in along with super critic AA Gill and Rene Redzepi, the chef and owner of the number one restaurant in the world, Denmark’s Noma. Several local legends will also join the dozens of food and drink celebs making their way to the weekend festival.

Kicking off with a VIP party at Smiths Beach, the Gourmet Escape festival will centre on the Gourmet Village at Leeuwin Estate Winery where there will be wine tastings, masterclasses and plenty of excellent WA produce and vino to try. Plus, there will be Satellite Events like Gourmet Beach BBQs hosted by the likes of Matt Moran and Peter Kuruvita of Sydney’s Flying Fish. Visitors won’t want to miss the Heston Icon Dinner in the gardens of Voyager Estate, where Blumenthal will be honoured with the inaugural Gourmet Escape Hero Award and guests will dine on a menu designed by Neil Perry, Peter Gilmore and Tetsuya Wakuda.

Book an ‘Escape to the West Gourmet Adventure’ through Blue Holidays, the holiday program of Virgin Australia. The package includes return airfares to Perth, three nights accommodation and a Gourmet Village premium ticket including festival currency. Full package starts from $716pp twin share.

For more event, ticket and  travel package information head to Margaret River Gourmet Escape and for tickets visit Ticketek.