Green and sustainable

Sourcing produce from within a 100 mile (160 km) radius is all about eating local and regional and supporting farmers and food producers. It's also a great way to forge connections between cooks, chefs and suppliers.

100 Mile events during the Sydney International Food Festival 2009 included the Lunch on the Lawn series, organised by TAFE colleges in Western NSW. It was a chance for trainee cooks and hospitality students to become familiar with the wonderful produce on their doorsteps, and for everyone else to share in the rewards.

The grand finale was a Lunch on the Balcony at Bondi Pavilion in Sydney. The students excelled themselves with a three stage menu of canapes, cheese and charcuterie from the Orange and Mudgee regions and whole farmed barramundi baked in paperbark with a marvellous salad of beetroot, broad beans, hazelnuts and pistachios and more.  A selection of regional wines rounded things off very nicely.