IN the rolling green heart of the Scenic Rim, where fertile paddocks meet volcanic peaks, and roadside stalls overflow with seasonal produce, a culinary movement is quietly reshaping Australia’s regional food identity.
At its centre are the Scenic Rim’s 12 Food Ambassadors, some of Queensland’s most acclaimed chefs and hospitality leaders, united by a shared belief that the best food stories begin in the soil.
Each year, they give their time, talent and reputation to champion the region through Scenic Rim Eat Local Month, a month-long celebration of paddock-to-plate dining, farm experiences and immersive food tourism.
No appearance fees. No brand endorsements. Just a commitment to place, producers and the people who grow what ends up on the plate.
This year’s ambassador collective reads like a who’s who of Queensland dining, bringing together chefs, restaurateurs and food innovators who have helped shape the State’s modern food culture.
The lineup includes Brenda Fawdon, Caz Osborne (first-year ambassador), Cameron Matthews, Caroline Jones, Daniel Groneberg, Glen Barratt, Jack Stuart, Jake Nicolson (first-year ambassador), Javier Codina, Josh Lopez, Olivier Boudon and Richard Ousby.
The ambassador program is built on a simple but powerful idea: food tastes better when you know where it comes from.
Rather than commercial partnerships or paid promotion, chefs work directly with local farmers, growers and producers to spotlight ingredients at their peak, celebrating not just flavour, but origin.
That philosophy has helped transform the Scenic Rim into more than a destination; it has become a living food bowl, where every bite can be traced back to the land that produced it.
Across the program, the scale is striking: 153 events in total, including 42 on-farm adventures, 40 lunches and dinners, 48 family-friendly events and 62 workshops and experiences, all designed to bring diners closer to the source of their food.
For chef ambassador Josh Lopez, the program is about connection to land, to growers and to the stories behind every ingredient.
“Food grown locally not only tastes better, but it’s about the stories, connection to land and legacy we support” he said.
“This is a month for anyone who believes the best meals come with a story, and maybe a little dirt under the nails.
So pack your appetite and sense of adventure, this is as local as it gets.”
Backed by Scenic Rim Regional Council and partners including Moffatt Fresh Produce and Tourism and Events Queensland, Eat Local Month continues to grow as one of Australia’s most distinctive regional food festivals.
In the Scenic Rim, every plate tells a story, and this month those stories are being served at their most powerful.
