Connoisseurs cook up food fantasies in Melbourne

Utopian Appetites, the 21st Symposium of Australian Gastronomy, will be held over four days in December at the University of Melbourne and William Angliss Institute.

Chefs and cooks, writers, sommeliers, winemakers, artists and scholars will explore the real, ideal and imagined contexts of dining in a quest for gastronomic utopia.

Symposium co-convenor Jacqueline Dutton said the event will be unique in its creative breadth.

“This is a foodie’s dream!  Utopia offers a framework to think about gastronomy as both an imaginary ideal and a realisable goal for the future,” Associate Professor Dutton said.

“For four days, those who build their lives around food can come together and discuss gastronomy as an ethic for living and consider what eating well means for our food future,” she said.

Co-convenor, lecturer in gastronomy at the William Angliss Institute and PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne Kelly Donati said the event would provide for foodies and hospitality professionals alike.

“We have an incredible line up of events at the University of Melbourne for food lovers running over the Friday and the Saturday with a program that includes discussion, music, food, wine, philosophy and amazing food,” Ms Donati said

“The Sunday and Monday are being held at the William Angliss Institute and will especially cater to professionals with two intensive days of learning, sharing, networking and — of course — eating!”

Experts are available for interview and comment.  See website for further details, registration and keynote speakers.

The 21st Symposium of Australian Gastronomy is being run in partnership with Sustain the Australian food network.