Celebrity chef Dominique Rizzo will showcase local produce at the 2024 Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival, Queensland’s largest foodie celebration, at Apex Park in Woody Point.
The festival, which runs from August 23 to 25, will feature live cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, unique dining experiences, and a range of local vendors, from pop-up bars and restaurants to food trucks. Market stalls, live music, and hands-on workshops are also part of the event’s diverse offerings.
Local Focus
Through her demonstrations, Dominique is set to emphasise the connection between local growers and consumers. She plans to use the festival to highlight the importance of local ingredients, which she believes are vital in telling the story of the region and its community. This year, the festival will introduce a new stage, The Kitchenette, where Dominique will serve as the emcee, focusing on promoting local producers.
Her involvement will extend beyond cooking demonstrations. She will conduct on-stage interviews with producers to forge a personal connection between them, their products, and the festival attendees. She aims to encourage attendees to appreciate and purchase local products, enhancing their festival experience with tangible takeaways.
Who is Dominique Rizzo?
Dominique is a celebrated Queensland chef renowned for her advocacy of clean, simple, whole food cooking. Her culinary style emphasizes healthful, real-food recipes that inspire positive changes in eating habits while still satisfying culinary desires.
The chef deeply connects to Moreton Bay, considering it a significant part of her culinary landscape. This connection stems partly from her childhood experiences and the influence of her Italian heritage, which instilled in her a love for fresh, simple ingredients. These foundational experiences have deeply influenced her cooking philosophy, which she eagerly shares at the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival.
Dominique’s work is also notable for her bespoke gourmet food and wine tours, which extend her culinary reach to international destinations, further underscoring her commitment to exploring and sharing the richness of local cuisines, whether at home or abroad.
Star-Studded Lineup
Joining Dominique this August will be her former Ready Steady Cook colleagues Matt Golinski and Alastair McLeod, along with other well-known chefs such as Georgia Barnes, Adam Liaw, and Brent Draper from MasterChef Australia.
Dominique enjoys participating in the festival atmosphere when off stage, sampling food, and purchasing gifts. She highlights the festival as an ideal venue for holiday shopping, especially for those who appreciate the enduring value of gourmet gifts.
Tickets and Attendance
With tickets already on sale, Dominique encourages food enthusiasts to book early to avoid missing out on a family-friendly day filled with culinary delights, learning opportunities, and local beverage tastings.
The chef will appear exclusively at The Kitchenette Stage throughout the festival. Her sessions are scheduled as follows:
| Friday | 10:30 am – 11:30 am 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm |
| Saturday | 10:30 am – 11:30 am 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm |
| Sunday | 10:30 am – 11:30 am 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm |
General Admission tickets include entry to The Kitchenette.