Learn. Eat. Drink. Watch. Make.

29th January 2021 | Eativity editors

Adelaide’s favourite food and drinks mecca Town Square is back for the 2021 Tasting Australia festival, with loads of new events, experiences and masterclasses now on sale.

Located at Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, the new-look Town Square is the perfect place to meet for a drink, stay for a meal and explore, offering more family friendly and free experiences than ever before. Featuring ample seating, six bars, 12 food vendors, cosy firepits and live music, Town Square will run from April 30 to May 9.

Free to enter, the buzzing festival hub will feature a dedicated artisan area where festivalgoers can watch artists at work. The space will feature a range of free local artist demos, including barrel charring by Master Cask and knife forging by Dog Boy Knives.

Every year, Tasting Australia turns South Australia into a culinary hotspot.

The hero of Town Square is Town Square Kitchen presented by TheFork, an innovative and Instagram-worthy space located in the heart of the festival hub.

On the menu at Town Square Kitchen is an extensive range of curated events featuring some of the festival’s biggest names. Some event highlights include Mayura Station Rare Cuts with Analiese Gregory, Jake Kellie and Mark Wright; Seed and Soil – a menu highlighting vegetarian cuisine with Kane Pollard, Mark Labrooy and Paul Carmichael; and a celebration of global cuisine at The World’s Table featuring Tasting Australia Patron Cheong Liew, Paul Carmichael, Mat Lindsay and Louis Tikaram.

All Town Square Kitchen events will reflect the festival’s support of local artisans and will feature locally sourced pieces throughout the dining experience, including crockery and cutlery, while the curated menus will highlight local South Australian producers.

You can celebrate your mum in style at the Mother’s Day Bubbles Brunch.

Festival Director Simon Bryant says that not only will Town Square Kitchen host some of the festival’s flagship events, it will also be accessible to the public.

“We wanted to create an inclusive space this year and Town Square Kitchen is exactly that,” he says. “Some of the festival’s biggest names will be cooking up a storm in the kitchen, but when there’s no programming scheduled for the space, all Town Square visitors will be able to enter Town Square Kitchen. We encourage people to take a plate from one of our food vendors, share a drink with friends or simply enjoy the surroundings.”

Bryant will also be cooking at Town Square Kitchen, hosting a Mother’s Day Bubbles Brunch, at which he’ll team up with chef Sean Connolly to create a very special morning for mums.

The Coasts, Rivers & Sea dinner created by chefs Sean Connolly and Analiese Gregory will see seafood shine.

Family programming is also predominant at this year’s Town Square, with dedicated family events scheduled throughout the festival. Sessions include star chefs Duncan Welgemoed, Emma McCaskill and Mark Labrooy. All family sessions will be hosted by the Tasting Australia Food Curator Darren Robertson’s wife and child nutritionist, Magdalena Roze. RAA Travel has also teamed up with local cooking school Scoffed for a children’s cooking class where kids will learn how to make an edible chocolate garden to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel starts on Friday, April 30 and runs until Sunday, May 9 across Adelaide and regional South Australia. More information on Town Square and tickets to Town Square Kitchen presented by TheFork, family programming and masterclasses are available now at tastingaustralia.com.au