How will we impress the World’s 50 Best judges?

The group of media and influencers who chair the voting panels for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards will visit South Australia from 6 to 8 April 2017.

With the support of Tourism Australia and the South Australian Tourism Commission, the 26 Academy Chairs, many of whom are considered influential food journalists, will visit vineyards in the Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley, meet with local producers and South Australian chefs, and dine in some of the state’s best restaurants as part of their two day annual general meeting.

The official Academy Dinner, a key event in the two day program, will be held on Friday 7 April at Hentley Farm, one of South Australia’s best restaurants. Other highlights of the program include:

• Wild Adelaide Welcome Feast in the Adelaide Hills with Orana chef Jock Zonfrillo, known for his use of native Australian ingredients, and Duncan Welgemoed from Africola cooking wild South Australian produce over fire;
• A bush breakfast with kangaroos; and
• A helicopter tour over the Barossa, landing at the famous Steingarten Vineyard for a St Hugo Riesling tasting experience.

Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said “South Australia is providing an exceptional itinerary that will further highlight Australia’s incredible restaurant, food and wine scene to some of the world’s most influential identities. Following the Academy Chairs’ visit to South Australia, they will also have the opportunity to visit another Australian region, with the aim of them leaving Australia as long-term ambassadors of our food and wine."

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants will be held in Melbourne in April 2017, with more than 200 of the most influential people in the global restaurant industry visiting Australia for the program of events. The gala awards night will be held at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building on the evening of 5 April 2017, and the Academy Chair trip to South Australia will complete the official event program.

Wine Australia, Official Wine Partner of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, will also invite 50 of the best sommeliers in the world to discover Australia’s wine offering in April. The group will include sommeliers from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the Best Sommelier in the World competition and top sommeliers in New Zealand and Australia.

Wine Australia has also selected a panel of renowned Australian wine experts to choose the wines being served across the official program of events.

As part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Australia program, the visiting chefs and media will have the opportunity to take part in a country-wide tour, taking in some of Australia’s best food and wine experiences. Tourism Australia will also be hosting an additional 30 high profile food and wine media from across 15 key markets. 

Some of the experiences on offer include:

• Beach dining and flying over the Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles, diving for abalone, cooking on the beach and meals at Brae and The Royal Mail Hotel.
• Exploring NSW’s 300km-long South Coast Oyster Trail, meeting local growers and sampling oysters fresh from the waters of Pambula and Tathra along the way.
• Dining in secluded locations only accessible by helicopter in the Northern Territory.
• Barramundi fishing, dining under the stars at El Questro and heli-fishing in remote locations in the Kimberley in far north Western Australia.
• Sailing, snorkelling and diving the Great Barrier Reef, feasting on the best seafood.
• Art meets food in Tasmania with seafood, farmers market and Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona).
• Cellar door tour of Clonakilla winery, and a tour of Australia’s largest indigenous art collection at the National Gallery of Australia and sampling coffee by Australia’s Barista Champion.
• Discovering the best South Australian produce, flavours and wine, including the Barossa’s newest luxury cellar door and dining experience at St Hugo as well as a visit to Australia’s seafood capital on a hunt-and-gather seafood experience.