Bernardo Mateus describes The Forage’s three rules for food vendors as something “quietly radical”. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Canberra’s beloved street food festival, The Forage, is set to return on Saturday 19 July, at Petrie Plaza and City Walk in the heart of the city.
Since its inception in 2014, The Forage has been a cornerstone event, bringing together the region’s best food trucks, restaurants, and mobile food and beverage vendors to celebrate street food, live music, and community spirit.
This year, the event is not only bringing back a display of Canberra’s best eateries, but it is also introducing something quietly radical. The Forage team have set a clear framework for participating food vendors: 1) a price cap of $18 per dish, 2) a maximum of four menu items per stall, and 3) a requirement that all offerings be exclusive to The Forage (dishes created especially for the event).
On the surface, these guidelines are clever. They create a more attractive and accessible customer experience, particularly in the current cost-of-living climate.
But dig a little deeper, and they begin to look like something else entirely: a subtle masterclass in hospitality operations.
Without preaching, The Forage is teaching and offering up a blueprint for how hospitality businesses can stay relevant, profitable, and emotionally resonant in an industry that’s continually evolving.
Don’t see it? Let’s break it down!
1) The $18 price cap is a strategic move. It ensures affordability for festival-goers, allowing them to sample multiple dishes without breaking the bank. It also invites people to explore more than one vendor and creates a sense of abundance rather than limitation.
What is the lesson here for hospitality operators?
It’s an invitation to innovate under constraint. Too many venues have responded to rising costs by simply hiking prices.
Understandable? Absolutely.
Sustainable? Not always.
If your customer only has $15 to spend on lunch, adding another $4 to your burger won’t help either of you. What The Forage teaches is creativity within boundaries, finding flavour and value in humble ingredients, and making it special. Historically, many of the dishes we celebrate today were born from ingenuity, created by people with limited means who made brilliance out of basics.
2) Limiting vendors to four menu items compels a focus on quality over quantity. At The Forage, it means quicker service, more transparent communication, and better execution.
But more than that, it forces clarity of identity.
What’s the takeaway for everyday hospitality?
Simplicity scales. Some restaurants try to be everything to everyone: burgers, pasta, bao, pancakes! And end up delivering a watered-down version of each.
A shorter menu allows for tighter prep, better training, lower food waste, and a sharper brand story. More importantly, it tells your guests what you care about. If you’re great at pizza, lean into it. Make it the reason people walk through your door.
The free event is capping all dishes at $18 this year to keep things accessible and affordable. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
3) The requirement that vendors offer exclusive dishes for The Forage adds another layer of interest. For attendees, it’s exciting to know that what they’re eating is truly one-of-a-kind, something they can’t just pick up tomorrow at a cafe down the street.
And for businesses, the benefit is even greater.
Exclusivity pushes creativity. It encourages teams to develop something new, test a concept, and challenge their habits.
In the everyday restaurant world, this principle can be just as powerful. Whether it’s a limited-time special, a seasonal dish, or a weekend-only dessert, offering something different creates anticipation and momentum.
It reminds your audience that you’re still exploring and gives them a reason to return.
Belinda and Tim (who run The Forage) aren’t involved in this for profit. They do it for the love of Canberra’s food scene and because they’ve walked the hard road themselves.
They know what it takes to make hospitality work … and what it feels like when it doesn’t.
They didn’t set out to rewrite the rules of hospitality. But in designing an inclusive and imaginative event, they’ve done more than host a great food festival. They’ve demonstrated a model that works, not just for a weekend in July, but for the industry at large.
And maybe that’s why this year’s format feels so right. It celebrates the food, yes, but it also celebrates the people behind it. It protects their creativity and their right to succeed in a harsh industry.
So come along on 19 July. Eat something you’ve never tried before. Watch how people engage with food when the offering is clear, exciting, and well-priced.
And if you work in hospitality, look closely. The Forage might just be the most enjoyable business case study you’ve ever attended.
Bernardo Mateus has more than 15 years in the hospitality industry and teaches courses on hospitality leadership, event management and guest service management at the Canberra Institute of Technology.
