- Your Hunter Valley Magazine
Tuck into all that Maitland Taste has to offer this weekend
Maitland Taste presented by The Mutual Bank returns to tantalise and tempt tastebuds this weekend, running from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 May.
After finding success with a three day format in 2021, Maitland Taste will again stretch from Friday to Sunday, with a range of pop up eateries throughout The Levee and Central Maitland.
Grab your stretchy pants and sample something from one (or more) of the three pop up eateries in Central Maitland.
Each eatery will have its own distinct flair, food and line up of live entertainment for everyone to enjoy. In Turner Rest Park, Fiesta Fare will feature the finest Latin American cuisine. The Coop is the best place to find tasty chicken favourites, and the Lost Spirits Laneway Bar is a relaxed speakeasy bar hidden away in Coffin Lane.
The Levee will be illuminated in vivid colour, courtesy of vibrant lighting installations, with live music from up and coming independent songwriters to set the mood for what promises to be a delicious weekend.
If you’re shopping for something you can cook and plate up at home, Maitland Taste is also home to gourmet food and artisan market stalls boasting local wine, spirits, tea, cheese, chutneys, condiments and cured meats.
Keen cooks can pick up a new trick or two with a range of cooking demonstrations on the Kitchen Stage on Saturday and Sunday, hosted by 2019 My Kitchen Rules champions Matt Gawthrop and Luke Stewart.
Newcastle locals Matt and Luke share a love of modern Australian and Italian cuisine, and will be sharing some of their freshest kitchen tips and tricks throughout the weekend.
‘We’re looking forward to being back at Maitland Taste for the second time, we were last here in 2019. It’s good to be back on stage, cooking some really great food,’ Matt says. ‘Maitland and the Hunter Valley have some of the best local produce around.’
‘As a local, I love getting out to the wineries, seeing what our local farmers are growing and then tasting it in the beautiful restaurants we have up and down town,’ Luke says. ‘We’re so lucky here.’
A host of local businesses – such as The Cunning Culinarian, Coquun and Tranquil Vale – will also be on the Kitchen Stage, discussing everything food and wine pairing, seasonal fruit and tasting plates.
Meanwhile, over on the Garden Stage, host Elisa Fitzpatrick from Rosewood and Fig and an array of local experts will champion sustainability with talks and workshops on composting, permaculture, growing your own veggies and more.
The popular Pumpkin Precinct from Slow Food Hunter Valley makes a welcome return and is packed with paddock to plate produce and fresh seasonal vegetables. Swing by to sample some hearty pumpkin soup or Indonesian street food before taking part in a seed tape or kids cooking workshop.
The Bee Zone will be a hive of activity as backyard beekeepers Geoff Wightman, Heather Wightman, and Barry Vickery teach about the honeybee lifecycle, the importance of pollination and other uses for bee related products.
Maitland City Council Coordinator City Events and Activation Adam Franks says, ‘Maitland Taste is all about celebrating Maitland and the Hunter region’s growing reputation for great food, wine , and produce.
‘Whether you’re an avid foodie, a creative in the kitchen, or just looking to sit back and soak up the atmosphere, this year’s program really does cater to all tastes.’
For more information on Maitland Taste presented by the Mutual Bank’s program, head to www.maitlandtaste.com.au.
