The story of Orange FOOD Week
Orange FOOD Week is Australia’s longest-running regional food festival, widely acclaimed as one of the country’s
top ten culinary events.
The original concept was launched in late 1991 by renowned chef Tony Bilson, alongside a passionate group of community volunteers who recognised the opportunity to showcase the extraordinary food and produce of the Orange region. The inaugural festival took place from 1–10 May 1992, headlined by a dinner from celebrity chef Phillip Searle of Sydney’s Oasis Seros, alongside a FOOD Affair market celebrating local producers and cooking workshops.
At the time, Orange was in its infancy as a food and wine destination - home to just a handful of vineyards, including Bloodwood, Cargo Road Wines and Canobolas Smith Wines, and with little in the way of a fine dining scene.
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In the years that followed, culinary heavyweights such as Tony Bilson, Phillip Searle, Christine Manfield, Steve Manfredi, Simonn Hawke, David Thompson, Norma Willis and Ralph Potter joined the program, helping shape the festival’s growing reputation. Events evolved from humble beginnings into memorable experiences staged in unexpected locations - from car park rooftops to airport hangars.
The FOOD Affair Market and the 100 Mile Dinner - showcasing locally grown produce within a 100 mile radius of Orange, Cabonne and Blayney - championed local growers and producers of the region, which remains the ethos of
FOOD Week today.
By the early 2000s, FOOD Week had expanded to a week-long program of around 40 events, reflecting the rapid growth of the region’s food and wine industry. This was an exciting time for the industry and the region, with the evolution of many great chefs and cooks who would go on to achieve national recognition.
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Today, Orange FOOD Week spans 10 days and features six signature events, including the ever-popular Sampson Street Lunch and Forage. These are complemented by an extensive program of nearly 100 satellite events held across local venues, all celebrating regional produce and the rich stories behind Orange’s food and wine.
FOOD Week Inc. remains a not-for-profit organisation, proudly run by a dedicated collective of volunteers with a deep passion for the region’s food and wine community. The festival’s legacy has firmly placed Orange on the culinary map, now recognised as a sought-after destination with a thriving and ever-evolving food and wine scene.
The current FOOD Week Committee continues to honour and build on this legacy - ensuring that in Orange,
every week feels like food and wine week.
