Food I Am is determined to see the Riverina claim a slice of the 'food tourism' pie

With domestic tourism surging back to life in 2022, Wagga’s Food I Am is putting the Riverina on the culinary map as a finalist in the 2022 NSW Tourism Awards.

“After COVID hit we had to open up and think of new ideas throughout that time, so it’s just nice to be recognised amongst some really esteemed peers in this category,” says creator Tania Sibrey.

After starting out as a small cooking school on the outskirts of Wagga, Food I Am has grown to become a premier destination in the growing food tourism market.

They have attracted a celebrity list of top chefs and they also promote ‘food experiences’ and host weddings and events that showcase local talent and produce.

But as Tania explains, COVID-19 forced them to think outside the box.

“We were pretty well locked down because we do weddings and events and cooking classes and we also do regional and international food tours,” she says.

“So that’s when we launched our small batch product range with 20 products showcasing all the beautiful produce from the Riverina producers.

“Our chefs made relishes, marmalades, jams, and so on, to sell to our customer base throughout the lockdown period.”

The product range was not only a commercial success in its first year but recently garnered seven medals at the prestigious Sydney Royal Fine Foods Show.

“Over the last 12 months, we’ve shipped hampers all around Australia, and we have a number of corporate businesses in Sydney and Melbourne that purchase hampers from us for all their clients,” she says.

“It’s really beautiful because we’re shipping all the way around Australia as far as Western Australia and Tasmania and we’ve got these beautiful postcards in the hampers that explain the origins of the produce and all about the Riverina.

“So it’s a message that’s going a really long way.”

Tania says that now being recognised as a finalist in the ‘Excellence in Food Tourism’ category of the NSW Tourism Awards highlights the potential in the Riverina.

“We’re definitely becoming the new foodie-winey area that a lot of people haven’t explored,” she explains.

“They’ve been to the Orange area and to the Yarra Valley and now, post-COVID, people are looking for somewhere new to go within Australia.”

Already Food I Am’s weekend classes are attracting a broad range of visitors from Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne and word appears to be spreading.

“We’ve noticed more in the last nine or ten months there’s an increase in the number of people from interstate travelling around the area and looking for great experiences,” Tania says.

“We’ve got some nice new cafes and some great restaurants and bars that have opened up in our region, which is exciting!”

With the wedding season ramping up, Tania and the team are busy, but they will soon relaunch the cooking classes with high-profile nationally recognised chefs.

“In February next year we have one of Australia’s most esteemed chefs, Christine Manfield, coming to Wagga and she’ll be presenting a demonstration class,” Tania says.

They are also gearing up for the “stress-free Christmas” cooking classes in December and will next year be offering sessions on bush foods and native ingredients.

“It’s all about educating people about the bush foods that are available in the Riverina and where people can find them and what to do with those products as well,” Tania says.

The team at Food I Am is excited for the year ahead and will be keeping their fingers crossed for the Tourism Awards in November.

“It’s just been an amazing two years and we’ve all learned the meaning of resilience,” she says.

“To come out the other side and feel like you’ve grown as a business and the team and to have diversified is a really good feeling!”

You can learn more about Food I Am here.