Taste of Sydney is the ultimate restaurant festival where you can create your own personalized degustation menu from over 50 of Sydney’s top restaurants, take part in tastings, classes, shop from gourment providors and even shake it up with a cocktail or two.

Having checked out the best on opening night: here are our Top Tips to get the most out of Taste:

1. Get there early. The gates open at midday at the weekend and from 5.30pm. You can zoom around easily and suss out all the goodies, avoid the ‘tasting crush’ which really kicks in 50 mins after doors open. Book yourself into any demonstrations first, then use your free time to slurp, sniff and chomp.

2. Research – All the sessions are online. So check out who is on at what time at the wine theatre, taste kitchen, chefs table, cocktail classes so you don’t miss out on your favourite personality

3. Make friends! – See a dish that makes you think ‘wow’ as it wafts passed, don’t be shy, ask them which restaurant it was from. Numerous standing tables will be dotted about so it’s the perfect chance to exchange recommendations with a fellow ‘Taste-er’. The celebrity chefs are in attendance during the day, so go up and chat to them. Manu at the L’Etoile was charming the crowds and his top tip for the festival was “Sharing is caring… our slow cooked shoulder of lamb has over 6hours of love!

4. Follow the crowd – Chances are if there are large crowds the word is out that this is the plate to get. Keep an eye out for the popular hot spots. If you don’t get in early, and they get a run on a single dish, it may run out within a few hours, so be in it to win it. Flying Fish and District dining had the crowds circling all night. Pete Kurivata from Flying Fish has just returned from shooting a series for SBS in Sri Lanka and was bowled over with demand, “Everything has been popular, we have served over 400 covers of their curry leaf prawn skewers in a few hours”

5. Pace yourself – There are many of us that open a menu and wish we could eat in reverse. There is nothing stopping you from kicking off with deserts and then moving to mains considering how full you might be. For the rest of us, treat the event like a degustation meal with light canapés to start, moving over to fish, mains and finish with something just a bit fancy!

6. Don’t drive – Unless you want to spend the first 45 minutes driving 3 times around Centennial Park, trying desperately to find any semblance of space that squeeze your car in. When you do, it’s so far away from the event you will need to flag down a cab to get you to Brazilian Fields. There are too many temptations of cocktails, new beers and wines to try. Leave the car at home and use public transport

7. Get your bargains – Best bargain of the night are the show bags. Huon Salmon have an awesome deal at $20 for $45 of gold award winning value which includes smoked, hot salmon and a gourmet dip. Nandos are offering 3 simmer sauces for $10 which is a saving of over 40% on RRP. Barilla at the end of the the park offers $10 bags containing a range of their produce.

8. Not all stands are equal – Make a b-line for those stands serving fresh food. City Tattersall’s Club have chefs which were delivering stunning canapés straight to the crowd. From crispy light as cloud arancini balls, lamb skewers and deconstructed doughnuts with syringe fillings of white chocolate! Moraitis Tomatoes have a range of delicious heirloom tomatoes to taste test from Kumatos to Green Zebra. Go check them out.

9. So from over 50 chef samples our top picks of the festival in winning order are as follows:

and raw vegetable sambal. I had ‘OMG, WOW’ comments as my dish moved through the crowds. Similar words were uttered from my lips on eating it!

District Dining – Dish2: spicy free range Lilydale chicken with lime aioli and coleslaw. It’s beyond KFC finger lickin good. Its brined overnight, dipped in buttermilk and spices twice and deep fried. Kids and adults were going mad for it, totally addictive

Bilson’s – Dish1: Chicken liver parfait with brioche. Steamed for just a few minutes the liver is smoother than butter and literally shines with silky voluptuousness. You might not want to share this.

Ormeggio at the Spit- Dish2: Acquarello risotto of beetroot and gorgonzola. Sadly one of the very few vegetarian offerings at the show but it packs a punch with oozing molten rivers of gorgonzola meandering through the beautifully balanced risotto. Dish3: Dark chocolate and coffee ‘Barbajada’

Charlie & Co - Organic grass fed wagyu burger. One of the bargains of the night. A big portioned serve on a soft bread roll with melt in the mouth wagu which had the crowds in raptures. You can understand why this is becoming their signature dish.

Cotton Duck – Dish2: Hiramasa kingfish roasted in jerky and nigella seeds with heirloom tomatoes and basil. House made jerky sings out spicy notes, with produce from their own gardens Cotton Duck serves a dish with complexity and style. Make sure you try their beer. Their mate Colin from Happy Goblin Brewery makes special house ale for them.

Bird Cow Fish - Dish1: Regal King Salmon and potato fishcakes with tartare sauce. If you think a fish cake are boring, then revolutionize your world and try one of these fluffy, crunchy mouthfuls of the sea.

10. Have Fun!

So now you have your top tips, go armed with empty bags, money to buy the festival currency of ‘Crowns’ and most of all ensure you bring your appetite!