Natalie O’Brien spoke of the benefits and challenges regional food providers faced at a Commerce Ballarat forum on Tuesday. 

Ms O’Brien said Ballarat’s food scene needed to appeal to all tastes. 

“People need to have options to go for coffee, lunch and afternoon tea,” she said. 

“Food and wine audiences want to experience more.” 

Ms O’Brien visited Ballarat restaurants, cafes, bars and producers during her whirlwind visit. 

She was impressed by the local produce some businesses were using on their menus.

“In meeting the producers, you learn that (restaurants) are using produce from the area,” she said. 

“Melburnians would love that.” 

Ms O’Brien said Ballarat restaurateurs needed to give consumers a reason to make the trip to the region. 

“They need that one extra thing that will take them across the line,” she said. 

She was impressed by the way some Ballarat venues had created their own spaces.

“In other regions, it’s hard for us to find spaces that are new and different,” she said. 

Commerce Ballarat chief executive Jodie Gillett organised Ms O’Brien’s tour of the region.

“She had lunch at the Forge and visited Mitchell Harris, Inglenook Dairy and The Lane,” Ms Gillett said. 

“It was a small taste of what we have in Ballarat. We are hoping to build a really strong connection (with MFWF).”

About 35 people from Ballarat’s food, wine and tourism industry attended the afternoon forum.

Ms O’Brien said she was excited by next year’s food and wine events. 

“We have Ballarat events for the 2015 MFWF,” she said.

kara.irving@fairfaxmedia.com.au