Thousands go west for food lovers’ big day out

Published: 7 September 2018 at 12:00 am

Up to ten thousand people are expected to descend on Lizard Log in Western Sydney Parklands for the seventh annual Parklands Food Fest.

Headlined by MasterChef Australia co-host, Matt Preston, and Family Food Fight winners, the Shahrouk Sisters, Parklands Food Fest is a ‘homegrown’ celebration of the best food and produce Western Sydney has to offer.

Parklands Food Fest Director, Joanna Savill, said the day promised something for everyone.

“Western Sydney is a food lover’s playground, with 50 stalls and some of the best street food and traditional cuisine vendors from across the region in one place, on one day,” Ms Savill said.

“Matt Preston is one of the most recognisable faces on the Australian food landscape, through his work on MasterChef, as well as a celebrated body of work as a food author.

“His morning and afternoon live cooking demonstrations should not be missed.

“The Shahrouk Sisters won hearts with their performance on Family Food Fight, and they’re going to bring a unique recipe they’ve created specifically for Food Fest.

“We have true ‘local heroes’, Joe and Matt Papandrea, whose Wetherill Park butchery should be on every meat and sausage lover’s bucket list.”

In a first for the event, fruit and vegetables grown on farms in the neighbouring Western Sydney Parklands Urban Farms Precinct will be available for purchase in specially-packed take-home boxes.

“We want people to leave Parklands Food Fest with a box of the freshest produce money can buy, grown right here in the heart of Western Sydney,” Ms Savill said.

The event, which runs from 10am until 4pm, also features the fabled ‘Sweet Spot’ dessert area, a dedicated ‘Kids’ Zone’, live music and craft beer.