WINE, dine and listen to cool jazz – that’s the invitation from Warwick Tourism Events which has added a winter dinner to the Jumpers and Jazz event this year.
The inaugural winter dinner experience will provide guests with the opportunity to taste and experience the Southern Downs with a regional feast in Warwick’s historic town hall.
Andrew Simpson, or Chef Drew as he is more commonly known, currently head chef with the Queensland College of Wine Tourism, will oversee the catering with students of TAFE Qld Southwest coming on board to provide the service.
Rob Hamilton, Warwick Tourism and Events co-ordinator said this dinner would be a celebration of the very best of the Southern Downs region, seasonal foods complemented with some of the finest Granite Belt wines and beers.
“We see this as an opportunity for festival visitors and locals to connect with regional produce, within our successful textile and yarnbombing festival framework,” he said.
“With the dinner, we marry a warm winter country experience with burgeoning demand for regional food.”
Chef Drew has created a menu of canapes featuring Glen Aplin mushrooms and Mallow Organic Lamb, antipasto platters featuring Stanthorpe cheeses, locally cured and smoked meats, and Coolmunda olives.
Mains will include slow roasted rib fillet or pulled pork and for dessert, the famous Sutton’s Apple Pie and panacotta.
Dinner guests will be entertained on the evening by stunning jazz vocalist Emma Pask in the company of the John Morrison Trio, as part of the 2015 Flying Tour presented by Queensland Music Festival.
Taking with them an inimitable blend of Latin, jazz and soul, the quartet will visit a cavalcade of small towns for an energetic series of concerts and school workshops.
These city slickers couldn’t be more jazzed about the opportunity to visit places they’ve never seen and kick off in Boonah before flying off for their appearance at the Jumpers and Jazz Festival.
Then it’s off to dazzle Blackall, Barcaldine, Birdsville and Jundah before wrapping up the tour in Mount Isa at the Mount Isa Celebrates concert.
Described by James Morrison as “the greatest gift to jazz vocals in the last decade”, Pask’s voice, talent and style are as unmistakable as her refreshing and unpretentious approach – both to music and to life.
John Morrison, one of Australia’s best big band drummers and most gifted educators, is known for his driving, swing feel and his passion for nurturing young musicians.
The Winter Dinner is at Warwick Town Hall, Palmerin Street, Warwick, on Friday 17 July from 6pm to 11pm.
Tickets for the dinner and/ or performance only are available from Warwick Visitor
Information Centre or www.warwicktickets.com.au.
