Melbourne’s fresh food markets amp up tourist offer
Melbourne’s fresh food markets are increasingly becoming a magnet for food and culture loving tourists, serving up a growing number of fun programs for visitors such as ‘foodie’ tours, cooking classes and live music performance
The Prahran Market, Melbourne’s oldest continually operating food market has just announced a schedule of free cooking demonstrations and tastings every Thursday. Presented by chef Jerry Mai and food stylist, writer, menu consultant and self confessed ‘food nerd’ Jackie Middleton, forthcoming sessions include ‘Asian Greens and Salads’ and ‘ANZAC Favourites’.
Cooking school and specialty shop The Essential Ingredient, based at the Prahran Market, also offers a schedule of cooking classes, hands–on workshops and demonstrations from its own purpose-built kitchen. Many of Victoria’s best regional and Melbourne-based chefs are lined up to teach classes in 2009 including Alla Wolf-Tasker (The Lake House, Daylesford), Patrizia Simone (Simone’s of Bright), Ian Curley (The Point, Albert Park Lake) and Mark Briggs and Andy Harmer (joint head chefs at Vue de Monde).
The QV Market will be celebrating its 130th birthday in March 2009. The market’s on-site Electrolux Cooking School offers a regular program of classes focusing on seasonal produce, and covering a wide range of culinary styles such as Italian, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese and Moroccan. It also runs very popular children’s cooking and school holiday program.
Another popular attraction at the QV Market is their ‘foodies dream’ tour that gives visitors the chance to learn about the newest foods and trends in the company of a fully qualified market guide. A similarly themed tour, ‘Hidden Gems’, will soon commence at the Prahran Market.
The QV Market, the Suzuki Night Market (the QV’s summer night market) and Prahran Market are also great places to check out live music. One of the big highlights will surely be Opera in the Market which takes place on March 23 and 25 at the Queen Victoria Market’s ‘K-Shed’ featuring internationally renowned soprano Yvonne Kenny. Fine food and wine will also be available.
Also don’t miss the QV market’s Turkish Festival (29 March), and the hugely popular Latin American ‘market within a market’ La Plaza de Mercado (19 April).
For further information:
Queen Victoria Market: www.qvm.com.au
Prahran Market: www.prahranmarket.com.au
Media contacts:
Queen Victoria Market / Suzuki Night Market:
Misti Dullard Ph: 0415 949 277 or email: misti.dullard@melbourne.vic.gov.au
Prahran Market:
Henrietta Morgan Ph: (03) 8290 8220 or email: henrietta.morgan@prahranmarket.com.au
Opera in the Market: Tina Orr Ph: 0413 378 081 or email: tina@mediamoguls.com.au