Culture

There’s no greater party to launch the festive season than the Melbourne Cup and there’s no more exclusive invitation than one to Flemington’s Birdcage.

Five of the country’s most popular chefs invite us into their home kitchens to share their insights into the must-haves (and the mistakes) of this most fundamental domain. Read the article here and launch the gallery to see more images of the home kitchens of some of Australia's top chefs.

Where do you take the world’s most fearsome restaurant critic for dinner when he comes to town? To his favourite Bondi restaurant, naturally, and the choice of Sean’s Panaroma, the venue for our reception for our columnist Adrian Gill, was a smashing success by any measure.

“From Paris with Love” was the theme of the recent Silver Ribbon Exposure Gala for the OCRF. And in true Gallic style, we had a ball. PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL MAHON

We had a ball when fine Italian food and sparkling good company all came together for a good cause at the annual Exposure Gala. PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL MAHON

WINE ★ ★ ★ Put simply, this restaurant offers one of the finest, most interesting and most mouth-watering. ★ ★ An outstanding, well-presented selection of wine that makes a significant contribution to overall appeal of the establishment. ★ A restaurant notable for the quality and sustainability of its cellar.