One of regional Australia’s most distinctive winter food events is set to return, with Borrodell Estate announcing the 2026 edition of its Black Tie and Gumboot Truffle Hunt and Dinner on Saturday 11 July 2026, featuring acclaimed chef Mitch Orr as this year’s guest chef.
Now in its 19th year, the event has built a cult following for its unique blend of high-end dining, orchard theatrics and hands-on harvest – where guests arrive in tuxedos, velvet coats and evening dresses, swapping polished shoes for wildly decorated gumboots before descending into the trufferie.
Set high on the slopes of Gaanha Bula/Mount Canobolas, Borrodell Estate is home to the oldest mainland truffle oak plantings in Australia. The afternoon begins with a guided truffle hunt through the estate alongside trained rescue dogs, uncovering Black Périgord truffles hidden beneath the winter soil while guests learn about the growing and harvesting process firsthand.
The freshly unearthed truffles then move straight into the kitchen for an indulgent multi-course dinner paired with Borrodell’s museum wines – rare back-vintage bottles carefully cellared by the estate, with some vintages dating back to 2005.
Headlining the 2026 event is Mitch Orr – former Culinary Director of 25hours Hotel The
Olympia in Paddington, and the chef behind Kiln at Ace Hotel Sydney and the acclaimed ACME. Known for his bold, produce-driven cooking and inventive approach to flavour, Orr will create a truffle-led menu showcasing the immediacy and freshness of the day’s harvest.
Orr joins a celebrated lineage of Australian chefs who have previously helmed the event, including Corey Costelloe (who will be an honoured guest at the event), Giovanni Pilu, Justin North, Robert Molines OAM and Aaron Ward.
But beyond the food, the evening has become known for its spirited atmosphere and unmistakably Borrodell sense of occasion.
“The gumboots are serious business,” said Borrodell Estate owner Gaye Gartrell.
“Every year guests completely embrace it – sequins, faux fur, hand-painted designs, lights, ribbons, you name it. It’s elegant, ridiculous and joyful all at once. We describe the event as black tie mandatory, gussied-up gumboots essential – because it’s glamour up top, grit below!”
Guests are encouraged to fully commit to the styling brief, with prizes awarded on the night for Best Decorated Gumboots. Over the years, the event has earned comparisons to “the Oscars of Orange”, “Fashion Week meets fungi”, and “black tie by Vogue, gumboots by Bunnings” – a uniquely Australian collision of glamour and orchard mud.
Others have simply called it “the most glamorous thing to happen to gumboots since Kate Moss at Glastonbury.”
The evening also features live music, Borrodell’s famous homemade warm mulled cider on arrival, and the estate’s long-running charity auction, which has raised thousands of dollars over the years for organisations including the Starlight Children’s Foundation, the Cancer Council, and koala conservation initiatives across regional New South Wales.
Part feast. Part theatre. Part winter ritual.
EVENT DETAILS
Black Tie and Gumboot Truffle Hunt and Dinner
Saturday 11 July 2026
Borrodell Estate, Orange NSW
Guided truffle hunt beneath Australia’s oldest mainland truffle trees
Learn how truffles grow and how truffle dogs locate them
Multi-course truffle menu by Mitch Orr
Matched Borrodell museum and estate wines
Homemade mulled cider on arrival
Live music throughout the evening
Charity auction
Prize for Best Decorated Gumboots
Helipad access available by arrangement
VIEW EVENT DETAILS
Tickets available here:
https://www.123tix.com.au/events/51742/the-black-tie-and-gumboot-truffle-hunt-and-dinne r
More event details here:
https://www.borrodell.com.au/whats-on/black-tie-and-gumboot-truffle-hunt-and-dinner-6mf 3e