Eat and drink your way through DESIGN Canberra

Posted on 6 November, 2019

Food, wine and design are a growing feature of the popular DESIGN Canberra festival program—starting with this weekend’s opening party.

The marriage of food and design is a really hot topic worldwide.

From Milan to Eindhoven and now at the DESIGN Canberra Festival this month, design experiences with seasonal, locally sourced produce and new venues are bringing together the community and exploring an exciting element of the future of design.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Canberra’s newest restaurant Braddon Merchant for one very special design dinner, Eat Drink DESIGN Canberra,” says Rachael Coghlan CEO of Craft ACT and Artistic Director of DESIGN Canberra.

“Celebrating the best of food and design teamed with seasonal, locally sourced produce and contemporary designers, this is one festival event not to miss.”

A previous DESIGN Canberra Auction Launch Party. Credit: 5foot Photography.

DESIGN Canberra will also celebrate local wines, brews and cocktails at its UTOPIA opening party this Friday evening when the iconic Fitters Workshop will be transformed into the party’s exclusive after-dark venue.

Enjoy music and food underneath experimental lighting design by award-winning artist Matt Adey (Dark MOFO) and there’ll be lucky door prizes of an iconic F!NK jug (as seen in MOMA New York), wines, brews and gift vouchers for design lovers.

It’s no surprise that food and wine feature so enthusiastically in this year’s DESIGN Canberra festival program.

The menu for the 2019 Eat, Drink, DESIGN Canberra dinner on 18 November has been developed with several key mindsets, working with small-batch producers such as Moonlight Flat Oysters, Kiama’s The Pines Dairy, Eugowra game birds as well as various south coast fishermen.

The dinner will encompass six courses including canapes, freshly shucked oysters and several courses within the Braddon Merchant space before guests retire to the Midnight Bar for a selection of artisan handmade cheese and sweet treats.

Special highlights include a brief speech from David Sutherland, Director at Fender Katsalidis, on the design notes of the Midnight precinct; guest appearances from local industrial designer, René Linssen, and Australian artist Thomas Bucich respectively, who will share their Midnight Hotel art and design collaboration stories.

And last but certainly not least, signature DESIGN Canberra cocktails have been created.

The Griffins’ Circle and the Vernon Circle will be available at The Pop Inn pop up bars throughout the festival. If you’re looking to whet your whistle while you shop, Canberra Centre will also host a weekly design champagne bar with complimentary local sparkling wine by Lake George Winery on Friday nights to celebrate the festival. Cheers to that!

Visit designcanberra.com.au for the full festival program.

DESIGN Canberra food + wine program 2019

A previous DESIGN Canberra Auction Launch Party. Credit: 5foot Photography.

UTOPIA: DESIGN Canberra opening party

8 November at 8 pm | Fitters Workshop, Kingston | Website

Eat Drink DESIGN Canberra

18 November at 6.30 pm | Midnight Hotel, Northbourne Avenue, Braddon | Website

Pop Inn – City Sessions

Thursdays and Fridays in DESIGN Canberra (4-24 November 2019) | Civic Square | Website

Pinn x DESIGN Canberra. Credit: 5foot Photography.

Pop Inn – Sunday Sessions

Sundays in DESIGN Canberra (4-24 November 2019) | Various locations visit designcanberrafestival.com.au | Website

Saturday Design Bar

9, 16, 23 November 2019 | 12-3 pm | Monaro Mall, Canberra Centre | Website

DESIGN Canberra signature cocktails recipes

Vernon Circle

In honour of the road around City Hill, central to the original design of Canberra by Walter Burley Griffin and featuring formal tree plantings by Thomas Charles Weston from the 1920s.

City Hill is also the site of the Museum of Possibilities for DESIGN Canberra

• 30-45mls pomegranate vodka
• 15mls elderflower syrup
• A squeeze of lime
• Topped with lemonade
• Garnished with mint leaves and lime

Griffins’ Sunset

• 45ml Lemoncello
• 120ml orange juice
• Splash of grenadine
• Dash of soda
• Ice
• Orange slice to garnish

HerCanberra is a proud media partner of DESIGN Canberra 2019

Feature image: 5foot Photography.