WHETHER it be kale, quinoa or cous cous, no food will be excluded from the Absolutely Fabulous Fresh Food Festival.
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The upcoming festival, featuring "all things local", will help break down the fear around food and encourage people to experiment with different things.
Local chefs Richard Mee from Mercato and Kylie Himmerman of Verde Provedore are two of the Daylesford chefs who will share unique recipes and exoeriences at the event.
They agreed that people needed to be exposed to different types of foods to realise how easy it was to be healthy.
Nationally, 63 per cent of the population are overweight and obese, and like other rural areas, Hepburn Shire is no exception.
It has an increasing number of people experiencing type 2 diabetes, but the upcoming food festival could help turn the tide, says Mr Mee.
"People have walls up with food but I would just say to play around and don't be frightened. Throw some herbs into your food, just see what it's like," he said.
"It might not work but it might taste amazing. Food is all about having fun and experimenting."
More than 600 people are expected to attend the festival, held at Daylesford Town Hall from 12pm to 5pm on Thursday, October 16.
There will be a wide range of tastings at the festival, with Mr Mee cooking a chicken quinoa salad and Ms Himmerman making a kale and almond pesto.
She said the Hepburn region was lucky with all the local goods on offer.
"People want to eat healthy but often, they just don't know how," Ms Himmerman said.
"We want to bring those skills back into the home and bring people together with food - that's what this is all about."
The festival is part of a Hepburn Health Service project, in conjunction with Hepburn Shire and fellow partners.
Participating chefs include Pathama Beard from The Notovel Forest Resort Creswick, Andrew Dennis from the Grande Hepburn Springs, Ryan McDonald Hepburn Health Service and Christian Reuthers from Peppers Spa Resort Hepburn.
There will also be entertainment, health and blood pressure checks, a children's art exhibition, face painting and storytelling.
Lunch will be available between 12pm and 2pm, with tastings and demonstrations throughout the afternoon.