Local Connections events focus on wine, bush food and top-quality greens

Every month, the Local Connections restaurant on the Callaghan campus holds a degustation dinner that combines the talents of the restaurant's chef, Alex Hunter, with the produce of a special guest.

Hunter has been the head chef at Local Connections, in the former Godfrey Tanner Bar in the Shortland Building on the western side of the University of Newcastle's Callaghan campus, for more than two years.

The dinners, from 6pm to 9pm on the last Friday of the month, are the only evening openings of Local Connections.

The exciting dinner program is set for the next three months, featuring:

# DeIuliis Wines on Friday, March 31 ($110)

# A menu of native flavours enhanced by traditional cooking methods on Friday, April 28 ($110)

# A menu featuring microgreens, heirloom vegetables and edible flowers from award-winning grower Newcastle Greens on Friday, May 26 ($90)

The four-course March dinner will feature the wines from De Iuliis winery and celebrate a focus on women in wine. De Iuliis is a family business that has been making wine for four generations, and whose story began in the mountains of Abruzzi in Italy.

Winemaker Mike De Iuliis is known for his expertise in crafting classic Hunter varieties, such as semillon and shiraz, and pioneering alternative varieties such as pecorino, touriga and montepulciano. Young winemaker Emily Glover is recognised for her innovative approach to winemaking and her dedication to sustainability.

In April, diners will enjoy a four-course menu of native flavours enhanced by traditional cooking methods.

Chef Hunter's menu will feature ingredients from the local Yamuloong gardens. Corey Grech from Native Foodways will work with Hunter in the kitchen and guide diners through each course.

Hear about traditional foraging, ancient sustainability and future growing practices of these ingredients in the native food system.

Newcastle Greens farms microgreens, heirloom vegetables and edible flowers. They are hand-sown, hand-picked and hand-packed to top chefs, including Peter Gilmore in Sydney and Troy Rhoades-Brown at Muse in the Hunter Valley. There are no chemicals in the seed or the soil. The ingredients are delicate, flavoursome and sustainable.

The four-course menu ion May 26 will feature ingredients planted and nurtured for this occasion by Dylan Abdoo of Newcastle Greens.

Tickets can be booked on eventbrite.com.au