Events & Festivals

I don't think there is another food event in Sydney that attracts more people than the annual Good Food & Wine Show. There seems to be something for everyone and bargains are aplenty! My mum and sister were quick to... Continue reading My favourite things from the Sydney Good Food & Wine Show 2012 »

One of the most hyped dinners at the South Pacific Food & Wine Festival were the degustations by Robert Oliver. As mentioned in my April newsletter, Robert Oliver's cookbook, Me'a Kai features the cuisine of six South Pacific island nations,... Continue reading Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Robert Oliver »

Flying Fish in Fiji has always been one of those dream destinations I'd drift off fantasizing about. I'd close my eyes and would wander into the sparkling sea; I'd imagine myself eating the most luxurious seafood feast... and sometimes, I'd... Continue reading Fiji Friday: Peter Kuruvita and Flying Fish Restaurant at Sheraton »

The glamour of Fiji's restaurant scene is located within its hotels and resorts. Because of the enormous difference between local wages and the prices that these hotels and resorts charge, it's something that most locals would never dream about experiencing.... Continue reading Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Ben O'Donoghue »

There's no escaping the Manu Feildel madness even if you're as far away as Fiji. Food lovers, women and kids everywhere have fallen for this charming chef. I was lucky enough to have him (almost) all to myself for a... Continue reading Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Manu Feildel »

Fresh and tanned from my recent visit to Fiji for the inaugural South Pacific Food & Wine festival, I thought I'd share some of the highlights of this trip before delving into each event in detail in later blog posts...... Continue reading South Pacific Food and Wine Festival at a glance »

If wining and dining is one of life's greatest pleasures, then a degustation with matched wines must the ultimate way to enjoy life. Well, tonight, the Taste Of Sydney crew took this up a notch by taking me and a... Continue reading Progressive degustation around Sydney... Plus WIN free tixs to Taste Of Sydney 2012! »

The time has come for the last blog post of 2011. It has been an exceptional year of tremendous eats but for this last post of the year, there's no better subject to share, than what was for me, the... Continue reading Tour of Freycinet Marine Oyster Farm and an epic BBQ lunch at Saffire »

Tassie has to be the most under-rated holiday destination in Australia. I've spent some time in Hobart before but I had no idea what the East Coast of Tasmania had to offer when I was invited to attend a media... Continue reading Wineglass To Wine Glass tour, Freycinet National Park, Tasmania »

Monday isn't usually a day anyone looks forward to, so I thought I'd tease you with Monday night's dinner. This is what I had on Monday night this week, and it's what you could be eating in just three days:... Continue reading Trinity Bar - Monday $10 sirloin steaks »

Flying Fish Restaurant has always been a place for special occasions. I've celebrated many fabulous milestones here including my five year anniversary with Zen, my first year as an entrepreneur, and the birth of a dear friend's daughter. A few weeks... Continue reading Sushi and Sashimi Masterclass, Flying Fish Restaurant »

The March Into Merivale festival made another great return this year and included some really interesting events such as a series of Masterpiece Dinners which were held at various Merivale restaurants. I was intrigued to learn that there was one... Continue reading Thai Street Food, a Masterpiece Series Dinner at Sailors Thai Ivy »

I was recently invited to attend Fat Noodle's first birthday celebrations and was so impressed by the food at the event that I just had to return a few days later. Fat Noodle sits on Star City's gaming floor and... Continue reading Fat Noodle »

It's that time of year again where the Brazilian Fields at Centennial Parklands transforms into a foodie heaven, featuring Sydney's finest restaurants, wineries, producers, exhibitors and live entertainment. Taste Of Sydney 2011 will be running on March 10-13 and I... Continue reading The great Taste Of Sydney giveaway »

Have you always wanted to travel to the culinary delights of Malaysia but haven't for one reason or another? Well, now you can because Malaysia has come to Sydney! Following the footsteps of successful events in London and New York,... Continue reading Malaysia Kitchen Food Market »

My family held our Chinese New Year Eve reunion dinner a little differently this year. It was the first time we decided to eat out rather than cook up a feast at home, and we also had to celebrate a... Continue reading Chinese New Year banquet at Sunny Seafood Restaurant »

Happy new year! Thank you all JENIUS readers for your friendship, support, emails & comments, and for making 2010 a fabulous year! I spent this morning with the boy and his mother at the tranquil Nan Tien Temple down at... Continue reading New Year's Day at Nan Tien Temple Vegetarian Food Fair »

I attended a Lebanese cooking class last week, expecting to just learn the secrets behind one of my favourite cuisines, which I did... But on top of that, I also met an inspirational woman, who has allowed me to share... Continue reading Norma's Lebanese Cooking Class and her delicious kafta recipe »

I must admit, I'm not very good at avoiding temptation (especially when it comes in an edible format). On Wednesday morning, I was reading about Regal King Salmon and as you do, I booked a table for two at Fix... Continue reading Fix St James »

I know I've been really slack with the frequency of blog posts recently... I'm so sorry I've let it slip. With my recent move (furnishing a new house and kitchen is so fun, though time consuming!), the trip to Japan... Continue reading I Ate My Way Through Cabramatta »

If you are like me and haven't yet had the opportunity of eating your way around New Zealand, then you will be thrilled to hear about this upcoming food and wine promotion happening throughout September. I have partnered with New... Continue reading Introducing New Zealand's First XV of food and wine in Sydney »

Located in northern Italy, Lombardy stretches up towards Lake Como and down to Milan. The region is home to many rich, regal dishes such as golden risotto alla Milanese, rice cooked with saffron; ossobuco, a marrow-filled knuckle of veal; and... Continue reading A culinary journey through Lombardy at Casa Barilla Cooking School »

Commercialised events such as Valentines Day or Christmas In July are the perfect excuse for a wee bit of indulgent eating. I don't really care for either but I'll always welcome a celebratory meal. If you're after a restaurant which... Continue reading Christmas in July at Lowenbrau Keller »

They say you should never stop learning and growing, whether it is upgrading your skill at work or picking up new knowledge for a hobby. When Brasserie Bread invited me to attend their Home Baker workshop, I was thrilled I'd... Continue reading Home Baker Workshop at Brasserie Bread »

A progressive lunch is a foodie's take on the pub crawl, and all those who love to lunch would have been at the annual Lovedale Long Lunch. If you missed out, add next year's event dates into your calendars now!... Continue reading Lovedale Long Lunch 2010 »

Although EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is one of the most common pantry items in kitchens across the world, I'll admit that I didn't really know much about it at the time I received an invitation from Media Moguls to... Continue reading Cobram Estate's Extra-Virgin Olive Oil »

Going to the Sydney Royal Easter Show has been a yearly ritual for me since I was a kid. While once upon a time, I went for the farm animal experience, it quickly transitioned into a focus on the showbags,... Continue reading Sydney Royal Easter Show 2010 »

On the dining out scale, we have cheap eats on one end and fine dining at the other. But what goes in between during those weekdays which you feel like a bit of indulgence without milking your wallet? What if... Continue reading March Into Merivale 2010 & the Cointreau Blush cocktail »

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of attending the Sydney Royal Easter Show's showbag launch media event which you could say was like fulfilling a childhood fantasy! Imagine, all 302 showbags spread out in one giant hall... no crowds, no... Continue reading Showbags for the 2010 Sydney Royal Easter Show revealed »

"Have a beer and a conversation so you don't stuff around with it" says Craig of MuMu Grill, as he gives us advice on how to properly cook beef. The key tip is to look for chargrill marks. Grill it... Continue reading Beef & Beer Class at MuMu Grill »

Childhood memories of Chinese New Year have always featured elaborate homemade banquets on the eve of the New Year followed by a day witnessing the roaring of firecrackers and drums as the lion dance parades through masses of crowds in... Continue reading Chinese New Year 2010 and our suckling pig »

How creepy is it that we're in February already? I can account for January but I honestly have no idea where the first two weeks of this month has gone. One good thing about this though, is that it means... Continue reading WIN double passes to Taste Of Sydney 2010! »

While on my maid of honour duties (bridal dress shopping for my sister), the bridesmaids, my Mum and I had an hour to kill in between appointments so I decided to introduce everyone to the $2.50 shop on Clarence Street.... Continue reading My shopping frenzy at the $2.50 (100 yen) Shop »

With a new start to the blogging year, I couldn't help but look back at all the yummy photos that didn't make it to the blog in 2009. So I'm dedicating this first month to my rather large blog back-log.... Continue reading At the table with Masterchef's Julie Goodwin, Margaret Fulton and Fountain Sauces »

While I'm not religious, my family and I have always celebrated Christmas as a time to be together, share food, and give love and appreciation. Part of the fun is of course within the preparation and cooking stages which gives... Continue reading A Galaxy of Gingerbread Stars »

Menu For Hope is an annual fundraising event established by Chez Pim five years ago. It involves food bloggers worldwide, donating or sourcing prizes which readers can win by simply buying a raffle ticket. In the last three years... Continue reading WIN a copy of my book via Menu For Hope VI »

Last week, I had the pleasure of not only meeting Jason Roberts, but also cooking with him, thanks to IGA, Stellar* Concepts and City Public Relations. Many of you will remember Jason from his time at Channel Nine's cooking program... Continue reading Introducing Jason Roberts as IGA Food 4 Life brand ambassador »

The CHOICE Shonky Awards is like the film industry's Golden Raspberry Awards (frequently referred to as the Razzies) for consumer products and services. Best summed up by the CHOICE spokesman Christopher Zinn, "The Shonky Awards highlight what is frankly... Continue reading CHOICE Shonkys plus win a 3 month subscription »

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to La Grillade's relaunch party. While I hadn't been to the restaurant before the revamp, I was impressed by its fresh French appearance and subtle rustic charm. La Grillade has been operating... Continue reading La Grillade »

Gazebo Wine Garden's girls' picnics are such a wonderful offering. They're exactly my type of thing -a picnic where all you have to do is round up the girls! The food and wine is catered for, there's no worrying about... Continue reading Girls' Picnic at Gazebo Wine Garden »

How lucky are we in Sydney to be able to taste so many cultures? Within an hour's radius of the city centre, we have access to scrumptious and authentic ethnic cuisines. For Vietnamese, there's Cabramatta, Bankstown, Marrickville or Surry Hills;... Continue reading Malaysia Festival 09 »

I'm always chuffed when invited to exclusive PR events or launch parties, but when I realised that my name was on the door-list under my newly founded book publishing company I Ate My Way Through, I was more than stoked... Continue reading Ocean Room re-launch »

As a kid, many of us daydreamt about leaving school to work in a dream job. Amongst the firefighters, astronauts, teachers, doctors, footy players and actors, there were dreams to be icecream taste testers. Not quite an icecream taste tester... Continue reading Angus Beef burgers »

The Aussie in me has never experienced a cold wintery Christmas. I'm used to the barbecues, the fresh seafood, chilled fruity drinks and spending the morning watching a repeat of Christmas cartoons followed by a balmy afternoon at the beach.... Continue reading Baking for Christmas In July afternoon tea »

Merivale's Winter Feasts have many talking -about its irresistable value for money and its risqué adverts. It is of course the follow up to the March into Merivale campaign where Justin Hemmes first convinced his top chefs to get their... Continue reading Ash St Cellar & Merivale Winter Feasts »

Blogging has taken me to new heights. Guess who was rubbing shoulders with the A-listers at last night's VitaminWater Hearts Russell James party? Amongst the crowd was Russell James himself (launching his photography book), Erin McNaught, Leona Edmiston, Michelle Bridges,... Continue reading Vitamin Water Hearts Russell James »

Every Sydney foodie has the Good Food and Wine Show marked in their diaries, but which lucky JENIUS readers are going in for free? Here is your chance to score one of two double entry passes (valued at $55)... Continue reading WIN tixs to Sydney Good Food & Wine Show »

In the perspective of the boyfriend, this whole Europe trip has been leading up to our grandstand seats in the Monaco F1 Grand Prix qualifying race. The day finally came yesterday. The highlight for me was being so close to... Continue reading Monaco F1 Grand Prix Qualifying »

The last day of the Taste of Sydney festival was marvelous... it was scorching hot. After a week of rain, it showcased Sydney's best weather, chefs, food and produce. This festival will definitely remain on every foodie's calender next year!... Continue reading Taste of Sydney 09 »

The Bengali wedding consists of a series of sophisticated celebrations, including the bride's holud ceremony (sort of like the bridal shower), which I had attended 2 weeks ago. The wedding reception of course was even bigger and better. Over 200... Continue reading Nora and Yaz's Bangladesh-style wedding feast »

Because I know how good the Taste Festival will be (they have released the menu here and you can also preview some of the goodness from the launch party here), I am super thrilled to be partnering with The... Continue reading Taste Of Sydney Festival giveaway! »

My family isn't big on tradition and without any relatives in Australia, Chinese New Year celebrations usually consist of a home-made banquet with plenty of leftovers. This year, my Mum thoughtfully cooked up this modern Chinese dinner, some inspired by... Continue reading Chinese New Year 2009, Year of the Ox »

Last Thursday, I was invited to attend the launch of Way2go, a bi-monthly user-generated magazine backed up by NRMA which offers inspiring and entertaining stories, personal tips and advice from passionate travellers. Call it Magazine 2.0 if you like.... Continue reading Way2go magazine launch party at Mezzaluna (and my first giveaway!) »

The Taste festival is every foodie's dream... and it's coming to Sydney! I was thrilled to be invited to attend the media launch this week (free food!!!) and it has only left me feeling more excited about the upcoming event.... Continue reading The launch of Taste Of Sydney »

Welcome back! I hope ya'll had many delicious moments during the break. To kick off a new year of blogging, I thought it would only make sense to firstly conclude 2008 with my family Christmas dinner. It was a little... Continue reading Christmas at home »

The work Christmas party was last night. Casino tables, finger food, 2 agency bands (our very own Bath Scum plus Foxtel's) rocked it out. It would have been a fantastic end to a year of hard work but I've got... Continue reading Soap's Christmas party 2008 »

Soap Creative was in the running to be B&T's Interactive Agency Of The Year, so on Friday night, a few of us frocked up and headed to Luna Park (Big Top) for the formal dinner / winners announcement. Luna Park... Continue reading B&T Awards 2008 »

Wee... one of my best perks of work are movie premieres and nothing this year has had more hype than the upcoming release of Baz Luhrmann's Australia. I was there a bit early, got a few good seats, didn't see... Continue reading Sydney premiere of Australia (the movie) »

I didn't do any Sugar Hits this year (previous ones back in 2006 are here, here and here) nor did I attend any Hats Off dinners... what I did do during this year's Good Food Month, was grab a quick... Continue reading Good Food Month 2008's Night Noodle Markets »

Perfect skies, live music, good food and great company. The City of Sydney's Dank Street Festival was back again yesterday and attracted thousands of Sydneysiders. I was one of the many who took up on the free shuttle bus offer... Continue reading Dank Street Festival 2008 »

This year's ARIA Awards was held at the Acer Arena; the after-show party followed at The Ivy! Since I was at the awards show for work, it wasn't much fun. I spent my Sunday afternoon preparing content for the live... Continue reading 2008 ARIA Awards and after-show party »

Back to blogging about my recent trip to Hobart... Salamanca Market was the place to be on a Saturday. All of Hobart crowded the busy streets of Salamanca Place to check out stalls of organic produce, craft, jewellery and ofcourse... Continue reading Salamanca Market, Hobart »

It has been 2 years since my first and last meet-up with other Sydney food bloggers so I was thrilled to receive the email invitation to a yum cha meet and greet at East Ocean. Who was there? Suze from... Continue reading Sydney food bloggers meet up at yum cha »

I was really excited this weekend because of former uni classmate, Noods and fellow-foodie, ChocolateSuze's engagement party. And thankfully, my sinuses had given me a morning free of headaches to enjoy this lovely warm day. There was a feast of... Continue reading ChocolateSuze & Nood's engagement party »

On the weekend... I found myself at the Buddha's Birthday festival in Darling Harbour. I was there for the vegetarian food fair ofcourse! The Chinese Garden Forecourt was filled with hungry families and volunteers from BLIA (Buddha's Light International Association) and IBAA (Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Temple). Continue reading Buddha's Birthday vegetarian food festival 2008 »

Last night, I was at the Sydney premiere of Street Kings... here are some of my paparazzi shot... Continue reading On the red carpet with Keanu Reeves! »

Way back on the 9th of February, the Chinese New Year festival was officially launched... Continue reading Launch of Chinese New Year festival, Belmore Park »

With special thanks to Sony Pictures, I was lucky enough to be a part of the Australian Premiere of Casino Royale. This being my first 007 flick and premiere, I didn't know what to expect! Continue reading Australian Premiere of Casino Royale »

Yay! I've been counting down since last week to dine at the sensational Yoshii Restaurant. This was literally a life changing experience... I learnt anger management; and then I did some self-exploring... and ofcourse I tasted some fine food, which has set new standards. Continue reading Hats Off @ Yoshii Restaurant »

After the Night Noodle Markets, the remaining six of us Foodies strolled down to Sofitel Wentworth for a Sugar Hit. Continue reading Sugar Hit @ Sofitel Wentworth »

Last night was the second last night of the Night Noodle Markets, and it was also my first time hanging out with other Sydney Food-Bloggers; which meant I finally got to put a face to their websites... I met Helen... Continue reading Night Noodle Markets, Hyde Park »

In search for some late night sweetness, Zen and I hunted down Sugar Hit at Westin, Sydney... and to my surprise, only one out of the three concierges knew what Sugar Hit was (and where it was at). The armchairs were big and comfy -however, not so practical for dining. One small but tall ramekin of the brulee, a tiny spoonful of the sour-cherry compote, and a pint-sized biscott lay on each of the corners of a large glass plate... what happened to the portion-size to plate-size ratio? Continue reading (Sugar) Hit me baby one more time... »

Bookings are essential, says the website. But are they really? I scored fabulous window seats, with a stunning view to Sydney Harbour and the Opera House -without a booking. The waiter introduced the Sugar Hit tasting plate, took away our dying candle for replacement, and ensured us that he would "remove" the cockaroach which was creeping beneath my seat. A good ten minutes later, he turns with a bottle of Brown Brothers Moscato. No candle, and no removal of the pest. The Moscato was beautiful, it was so refreshing, sweet and fruity. Continue reading Sugar Hit @ HarbourKitchen & Bar, Park Hyatt »

I was so caught up in the long weekend, I totally forgot it was October... Good Food Month, which means a bigger and better excuse to eat! Continue reading Good Food Month »