ORGANISERS of the Clarence Valley's latest flagship event, Feast In The Field have taken up the challenge set down by Tourism Australia's latest campaign, Restaurant Australia, to ensure tourists also learn just how great the native, local and organic food is coming from the Clarence Valley.

Mike Smith, whose farm Organic Matters is hosting the event, said to embrace the tourism food theme Restaurant Australia we need to first have a conversation with our chefs, producers and suppliers to ensure a sustainable supply chain.

"To have this important business conversation we decided to host an industry session. This event will happen before our afternoon feast, where chefs can have the opportunity to meet and greet with local growers and suppliers, and establish their own business networks and relationships.

"It makes so much more sense to bring everyone together at the farm so chefs can learn first hand how and what to use to be creative in their new tourism food adventures".

Piggybacking on Tourism Australia's pitch to the world of a quality food experience using Australian cuisine, organisers of Feast in the Field promise food tourism will become just as an important part in the Clarence Valley tourism agenda as sport and culture.

"We positioned our food event during the Clarence Valley's plunge Festival because we know this event has a really good reputation and our committee see that month long festival going from strength to strength," Mr Smith said.

"The Clarence Valley has an extraordinary opportunity to be a unique food bowl and food destination because of our clean green image, but before that can happen we need to train up and inspire the chefs, and put in place a reliable framework for that to happen."

Feast in the Field head-line chef Clayton Donovan has his own TV series, is world-travelled and is Australia's only hatted indigenous chef.

He is a Gumbaynggirr man and has family ties in the Valley so is familiar with local food sources.

"Connecting him to the Yaegl primary producers will be an exciting opportunity for them too and in the long run everyone will benefit," Mr Smith said.

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Feast In The Field to make food tourism a big Clarence player