Food & Words
Food and Words organises food events with a literary bent. Our annual program includes a food writers' festival, writing and cooking classes, the Cookbook Love project, a monthly Supper Club and author events. You can read more about us at foodandwords.com.au
Shop the Japanese Pantry with Emiko Davies – AFTERNOON
Sunday 17 August 2025
Celebrate Emiko's new book with a shopping expedition and lunch.
1.30pm – Meet Emiko and I at Ramen Auru for lunch (Upstairs, 6-8 Falcon Street, Crows Nest).
2.45pm – Walk around the corner to shop at Ume-ya, Shop 2, 34-48 Alexander Street, Crows Nest.
4pm – Events concludes.
Remember, to bring your shopping bags!
We'll send an email confirming all details pror to the event.
Ume-ya, Japanese and Asian Grocery
Shop the Japanese Pantry with Emiko Davies - MORNING
Sunday 17 August 2025
Hello,
Thank you for your interest in this event. The morning session has sold out, but we have few tickets left for the afternoon session.
Here's the URL for tickets to the afternoon session.
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1449720
All event details will be confirmed for ticket holders prior to the event.
Ume-ya, Japanese and Asian Grocery
Food & Words Cookbook Fare
Between Sunday 23 March 2025 and Monday 24 March 2025
Help save quality cookbooks and books about food and wine from landfill and be part of the feel-good care, circular and creative economies when you buy a cookbook at the Food & Words Cookbook Fare.
The books are curated and some are highly prized and collectable, which will appeal to anyone interested in cookbooks and food history.
On Sunday March 23 and Monday March 24, we are selling a catalogue of books from chef Martin Benn's cookbook collection, alongside other books by leading Australian and International chefs.
Entry to the Cookbook Fare is free and we ask you to register so that we keep an eye on numbers. We don't want to pack you in like sardines. The event is being held in a private home and the address will be sent to you by email on Monday, March 17.
Payment can be made using cash, credit card, Pay ID, Paypal.
To support apprentice chefs to build their own professional library, we're offering chef apprentices 33% discount.
Private Home
Food & Words Supper Club | King Clarence
Thursday 20 June 2024
The latest addition to Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt’s Bentley Group, King Clarence looks fun – and hot. Exec chef Khanh Nguyen is playing with Korean, Chinese and Japanese flavours, for starters. This is a Food & Words event. www.foodandwords.com.au
King Clarence
Food & Words Supper Club | Club Fontana
Thursday 9 May 2024
Classic and simple Italian food by the very talented Dan Johnston. Club Fontana is known for its ever-changing menu, select wine list and cool interior. This is a Food & Words event. www.foodandwords.com.au
Club Fontana
Food & Words Supper Club | Rowie's By The Sea
Sunday 21 April 2024
Rowie's By The Sea, bought to you by the enterprising Rowie Dillon, is a weekly pop-up at Newport SLSC. Join us for a delicious Sunday lunch at this canteen-style, community-driven dining experience.
This is a Food & Words event. www.foodandwords.com.au
Rowies By The Sea. Newport Surf Life Saving Club
Amber Guinness Sydney Book Tour| Aperitivi
Monday 8 April 2024
Meet visiting English writer and cook Amber Guinness and hear all about her new book, 'Italian Coastal'.
Relax and enjoy this intimate gathering being held in a private home in Elizabeth Bay. Wander into the kitchen to hear Amber talk about the food that's being prepared, take a seat in the living room to listen to her stories about learning to cook from her mother at Arniano, the family's Tuscan home where Amber co-hosts the residential Arniano Painting School, and the food of the Tyrrhenian Sea coastline, from Tuscany's La Maremma to the north of Sicily, the subject of the book.
Event:
5.30pm–7.30pm Aperitivi hour with Amber Guinness
Ticket price includes drinks and food cooked from Amber's book. Numbers to this event are strictly limited. There is a wait list and we encourage you to add your name to it should the event be booked out when you first enquire.
This is a Food & Words event. www.foodandwords.com.au
Private home in Elizabeth Bay
Amber Guinness Sydney Book Tour | Sunday Lunch at Sean's
Sunday 7 April 2024
Meet visiting English writer and cook Amber Guinness and hear all about her new book, 'Italian Coastal' at a small, intimate, lazy and late Sunday lunch at Sean's Bondi.
You'll hear Amber's stories about learning to cook from her mother at Arniano, Amber's family's Tuscan home near Siena, and the food of the Tyrrhenian Sea coastline, from Tuscany's La Maremma to the north of Sicily, the subject of her new book.
We will enjoy Sean's three-course set menu (which includes water and bread and butter), a drink on arrival, wine with the meal. Service and other restaurant fees are included in the ticket price.
Ticket options allow you to include a copy of Amber's book "Italian Coastal' in your purchase. Additional copies of both of Amber's books will be available at the event.
This is a Food & Words event. www.foodandwords.com.au
Sean's Bondi
Amber Guinness Sydney Book Tour: Author Talk
Sunday 7 April 2024
Meet visiting English writer and cook Amber Guinness and hear all about her new book, 'Italian Coastal'.
You'll hear Amber's stories about learning to cook from her mother at Arniano, Amber's family's Tuscan home near Siena, and the food of the Tyrrhenian Sea coastline, from Tuscany's La Maremma to the north of Sicily, the subject of her book.
Event:
10.00am Amber will sign books for early arrivals
10.30am Author Talk, in conversation with Barbara Sweeney
11.30am Refreshments and continued book signing
12.00pm Event concludes
Ticket price includes Italian refreshments.
This is a Food & Words event. www.foodandwords.com.au
Double Bay Library
Amber Guinness Sydney Book Tour | Twilight Supper
Saturday 6 April 2024
Join Amber Guinness and host Mickey Robertson at her beautiful home Glenmore House, near Camden. As the last night of daylight saving, the evening will be softly lit, showing the garden in all its beauty.
Event
3.30pm Meet Amber for drinks and a canape in the hay shed
4.00pm Explore the Glenmore House garden (pop your head into the Barn Shop to see what Mickey has in stock)
4.30pm Author talk in the Dairy
5.30pm Book signing
6.00pm Twilight supper under the loggia
7.30pm Event concludes
Ticket includes drink and canapé on arrival and a light, Italian-style supper. Ticket options allow you to include a copy of Amber's book "Italian Coastal' in your purchase. Additional copies of both of Amber's books will be available at the event.
This is a Food & Words event. www.foodandwords.com.au
Glenmore House
Food & Words Supper Club | Porcine Bistro
Thursday 7 March 2024
Porcine always delivers a polished and delightful dining experience. Dinner includes a set menu and wine.
This is a Food & Words event.
www.foodandwords.com.au
Porcine
Food & Words Supper Club | Gildas
Thursday 8 February 2024
From chef Lennox Hastie and the Fink Group comes a restaurant that the Good Food Guide write is "as good as Spanish -style cooking gets". Ticket includes Basque tasting menu, sherry and wine.
This is a Food & Words event.
www.foodandwords.com.au
Gildas
Emiko Davies book launch
Sunday 26 November 2023
Join us at Woollahra Library to celebrate the publication of Emiko's latest book, Gohan, Everyday Japanese cooking.
Emiko will be chatting about the making of the book and talk about her family memories and stories, as well as responding to audience questions. There will be Japanese refreshments; onigiri and Japanese tea.
Ticket price includes a copy of Gohan.
In Gohan, Emiko writes: "This book is an ode to the everyday meals that you find in the homes of the mothers and grandmothers of Japan. It is the food that I grew up with, the food that I get nostalgic for and the food I like to make my family when we need nourishment."
Woollahra Library
Emiko Davies Japanese Cooking Masterclass
Saturday 25 November 2023
Spend the day in the kitchen with Emiko Davies and enjoy learning the fundamentals of Japanese cooking, with the focus on breakfast, Emiko's favourite Japanese meal. You will learn to make miso soup, pickles, a rolled egg omelette, grilled fish, some lovely side dishes and the perfect bowl of rice.
The workshop will take place in a large studio kitchen, with enough room to gather, work and cook together and set a long table for lunch. We will cook using the finest artisan Japanese ingredients and fresh produce from the market.
Guests each receive a copy of Emiko’s book and a handmade furoshiki (from a maker in France). Emiko will be more than happy to sign and write a sweet personal message.
Tickets are limited for this very special workshop.
Workshop venue
Emiko Davies LuMi Dining Lunch
Thursday 23 November 2023
Share a refined Italo-Japanese Tasting Menu with Emiko and special guest Palisa Anderson of Boon Luck Farm and Chat Thai at two-hatted LuMi Dining, by the water at Pyrmont.
Chef Federico Zanellato's food draws on his Italian heritage and training as well as his abiding interest in Japanese food and techniques. An additional reference for this lunch is Emiko's book and her simple, everyday Japanese food.
Emiko will be in conversation with Palisa, who in addition to being an exceptional cook, farmer, and food entrepreneur, comes from a place of understanding, having lived and worked in Japan.
Guests each receive a copy of Emiko’s book and Emiko will be more than happy to sign and write a sweet personal message.
Tickets are limited to this very special lunch.
LuMi Dining
Write *great* newsletters
Tuesday 20 September 2022
The digital newsletter is unique, combining the very best elements of traditional print media with the intimacy of a personal letter. This course shows you how to get that balance right and nudges you on your way to finding your voice and building trust with your reader – the Holy Grail of writers everywhere. Read more about the course content at www.foodandwords.com.au
Food & Words 2022 (CANCELLED)
Sunday 9 October 2022
Hello, thank you for visiting this page and for your interest in Food & Words. We're sad to say the 2022 festival has been cancelled. A decision that came off back of three devastating years of uncertainty for those of us who stage events. It's not goodbye, we have plans for a new look festival in 2023. In the meantime, sign up to our newsletter to be kept in the loop: we have the annual cookbook sale coming up in December and more.
Food & Words is the Sydney writers' festival where the topic is food. The program features a range of Australian writers talking about the work – and food. Hear from cooks and chefs, as well as historians, novelists and even agricultural scientists. The event provides guaranteed enjoyment and nourishment of the soul for anyone interested in food, cooking, food authors and writing. Food and refreshments included. See full program at foodandwords.com.au
Enid Cook Room
Write with Intent
Tuesday 6 September 2022
Turbo-charge your writing dream in this focussed and enjoyable four-week course. You will work your way from procrastination to production, using tools and techniques designed to develop a writing habit. Your writing muscle will be stretched with in-class and at-home writing exercises; you will give form to your dream, outlining the idea, creating content structure and a work plan. Plus, you will have fun. Read more about the course content at www.foodandwords.com.au
Write with Intent
Wednesday 6 October 2021
Turbo-charge your writing dream in this focussed and enjoyable four-week course. You will work your way from procrastination to production, using tools and techniques designed to develop a writing habit. Your writing muscle will be stretched with in-class and at-home writing exercises; you will give form to your dream, outlining the idea, creating content structure and a work plan. By the end of the course you will have a roadmap and a plan for pitching to an editor or publisher.