Celebrity chefs, television personalities, industry executives and local experts on food, wine, beer and spirits gathered at Castle Bay in Dunsborough on Thursday night for the traditional beach party to mark the official opening of the annual festival.
MC Rayne Embley welcomed the crowd of barefoot partygoers as the flames rose on grills stretching the length of the beach, where a sandbank had been hurriedly created to avoid the so-called ‘Super Moon’ high tide from dampening spirits.
Local lamb, salads and canapes packed with regionally produced ingredients were served alongside WA beers and wines as the crowd grew and more familiar faces joined the throng of chefs, politicians and dignitaries.
A traditional welcome to country by Wadandi custodian and award-winning tour operator Josh Whiteland had guests enthralled, none more than star headliner Nigella Lawson who was spotted filming the stirring performance from the side of the stage.
Lawson herself took little time to get into the spirit of the event, kicking off her shoes and joining attendees on the sand, posing for selfies and sharing a giggle with fellow celeb foodies Peter Gilmore, Dominique Crenn and Mauro Colagreco.
Rick Stein again delighted the crowd with his return to the festival, leaving many on the night declaring him “the nicest guy in food.”
A specially-crafted gin created only the day before by the Limeburners Distillery team and Dinner by Heston executive chef Ashley Palmer-Watts was a study in refinement, with gentle tones of eucalypt and lemon myrtle providing a distinctly Western Australian touch.
Limeburners crew kept punters hydrated while the sky turned pink and orange behind their impressive gin bar, serving cocktails well into the night and handing out souvenir mini bottles to departing guests.
As the sun went down, the volume went up on the funky, island-flavoured band keeping guests dancing and drinks flowing into the evening, capping off the start of the three day festival.
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
