September 6, 2017
Defending pasta eating champion Michaela Graaf will be trying to make it three out of three when she fights to keep her crown at Moffatdale Ridge this Saturday (September 9).
Michaela has won the pasta eating competition at the Ridge’s Italian Festival for two years in row.
Last year she mowed down more than a dozen contestants by demolishing a plate of spaghetti bolognese and a glass of wine in record time.
And like all the other competitors, she had to accomplish both tasks without the use of her hands.
While the results weren’t pretty, they were certainly awe-inspiring … particularly for Italians Vito Morello (from Stanthorpe) and Clovely Estate winemaker Stefano Radici, who flanked the petite Wondai girl and were confident they could take the prize until they saw her in action.
Michaela said her decision to become involved in the annual pasta-eating competition was just a “spur of the moment” thing.
“I’d never entered any eating competition before, and I was tossing up whether to go in it or not,” she said.
“But when they were lining up they were a couple of contestants short, so I thought: why not?”
The rest, as they say, is history …
Moffatdale Ridge’s third Italian Festival will be held at the winery’s Barambah Road property from 9:30am to around sunset on Saturday, September 9.
The one-day festival will feature Italian foods, Italian beers, Moffatdale Ridge’s Italian-inspired wines, bocce, a salami wheel and an Italian cooking demonstration by Roberta from The Saucy Fork.
Entertainment will be provided by the Fortunato Isgro band, along with sax from Tom McKenzie and jazz and blues from Soul Good.
There’ll also be a 12 piece blues and jazz band, and popular pieces by Queensland opera sensation Meg Kiddle.
Dancers can have fun on a dance floor and there’ll be prizes for the best traditional Italian dress, too.
In addition, guests who book online can go into the draw to win a weekend for two at Oceans Resort and Spa in Hervey Bay.
Admission to the Italian Festival is $10 and a shuttle bus will be running throughout the South Burnett on the day.
However, guests will need to pre-purchase their tickets and book with Moffatdale Ridge to be certain of a seat on the bus.
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