Clare Valley Gourmet Week signs up star chefs

Several star chefs have been named to join the festivities at the 2023 Clare Valley Gourmet Week to be held in May.

Callum Hann, Duncan Welgemoed and Jake Kellie are among the names pairing up with Clare Valley wineries and venues to create food experiences.

The Clare is one of Australia's most beautiful wine regions and wine lovers and foodies are being encouraged to register their interest early to make sure of a spot.

Kellie will cook over fire with Jim Barry Wines in their Armagh vineyard.

“This will be my third year cooking at The Armagh Hut and I can’t wait," Arkhe chef Kellie said ."It’s one of my favourite events of the year.” 

The 10-day festival is broken into three sectors: Festival Weekend (May 19-21), Breathe It In (May 22-26) and Land of the Long Lunch (May 27-28).

Early highlights - the itinerary is still being finalised - include the Gourmet Long Lunch @ Taylors by Sprout May 20-21, where Hann will cook a "long lunch" paired with Taylors wines. Tickets also include a cooking demonstration, access to winemakers and a gift bag for every guest.

The Classic Clare Valley Gourmet Feast in the Fields of Firebrands is a new event on May 20 with Africola pan handlers Welgemoed cooking in collaboration with Seed Clare Valley 

Guests can enjoy wines by Matriarch & Rogue and Wines by KT with live music.

Another highlight is the Watervale Hotel Cellars without Doors Dinner on May 19, which features producers who do not have cellar doors. Their wines will be matched with a six-course degustation dinner by South Australian chef of the year Nicola Palmer.

The week will also feature immersive experiences like Wine under the Stars at Eldredge Vineyards on May 23.

Shuttle buses operating on constant loops, linking the valley over the weekends.

An absolute higlight will be the Wendouree Degustation dinner at the Watervale Hotel, open tio just 20 guests.

The full event line up will be released mid-March at www.clarevalleygourmet.com.au