Martini will create a menu for the annual Festivale Lunch held at Stillwater, as well as conducting a cooking demonstration in City Park and judge the festival’s Stallholder Awards. 

Festivale committee chairman David Dunn said the lunch was a sellout every year.

“Each year, our guest chef works with Stillwater to design a unique and delicious menu which will be accompanied by wine provided by Goaty Hill,” he said. 

“The lunch … has become a very popular event in its own right and we look forward to another very successful day at Stillwater.”

Mr Dunn said the event was delighted to have Martini as a guest. 

“Karen is well known for her work on television shows Better Homes and Gardens and My Kitchen Rules,” he said.

Martini was the founding chef at Melbourne Wine Room and Sydney’s Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. 

After 15 years at the Wine Room, she sold in 2011 to pursue new projects.

Martini and her partner, Michael Sapountsis, still own St Kilda pizzeria mr. wolf. 

Festivale organisers say Martini’s food inspiration was drawn from her professional cooking career, her French Tunisian-Italian heritage and from the challenges of feeding nutritious and stimulating meals to her young family.  

The chef, author and television presenter worked as The Age’s Sunday Life’s Magazine editor for six years and has contributed several articles to The Australian.

Tickets to Martini’s lunch at Stillwater cost $165.00 per person and is being held on Friday, February 2 from 12pm until 3pm. 

Festivale is a three-day celebration which showcases Tasmania’s best food, wine, beer, arts and entertainment and is held in Launceston’s City Park. 

The annual event attracts about 35,000 people. It was originally established in 1988 as a multi-cultural street party. 

Festival organisers say the event has transformed into something iconic that draws people together to celebrate what Tasmania has to offer the world. 

Next year’s event will be held from Friday, February 2 until Sunday, February 4. 

The full event launch will happen on Sunday. 

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