Their venture is called Youngs Food Trikes and it caught my eye on social media the other week. They employ young people aged 12 to 16 to work at one of their mobile hotdog trikes, snowcone trikes or snack trikes. In return the children not only earn money, but valuable experience.

The trikes can be hired for parties, and pop up at markets or local parks.

"Our kids are very entrepreneurial," Leanne said.

"They had a lot of success running a lemonade stand for several weeks last year, collecting lots of citrus from the neighborhood. As the season came to a close, they still wanted to work so we tried to come up with an idea that they could do year round.

"We wanted something that could not only benefit our children but something that could help out other kids in the community."

The idea came about when Scarlett, who started high school this year, told her parents she would love to go to France as part of her studies in year 10.

"We would love for her to go, but it's a lot of money ... and there are only so many chores that she can do for us to raise the money," Leanne explained.

"The Food Trikes idea allows her to earn an hourly rate, plus 10 per cent commission on her sales. We want to encourage the kids to work towards a goal, and to get a head start saving for their futures."

Another driving force behind Youngs Food Trikes is Guy's desire to spend more time with his daughters.

"Guy has been in the Air Force for 25 years and has spent a lot of time away from home," Leanne explained.

"By developing the food trikes he has been able to focus on a project that will enable him to spend more time with the kids. He built the trikes from scratch, including sewing the awning."

This weekend five children will be working for Youngs Food Trikes - for most, it will be their first time serving customers. On Saturday, May 14, you'll find them at Chinamans Hollow Park at Weston (11am to 3pm), and on Sunday they'll be at Bridges Hill Park, Cessnock (10.30am onwards).

"We will be selling hotdogs, snowcones, cans of drink and snacks including packets of chips, chocolates and lollies," Leanne said.

"The kids make the snowcones on the spot and then add the flavouring to the customer's liking. For the hotdogs, we buy the frankfurts and buns and then the kids prepare them on-site to order. As we head into winter we would like to sell fresh citrus and homemade lemonade, and soon we will be introducing hot cocoa."

All of the trikes are run off lithium batteries and the Youngs use plant-based, biodegradable snowcone cups and spoons as well as responsibly sourced napkins. Customers are encouraged to return their waste to staff so that "we can sort their waste into the appropriate bins and minimise what is being sent to landfill ... Not only do we care about giving young kids a head start in life, but we also care about the world they are going to inherit".

There is still time to book tickets to this weekend's Lovedale Long Lunch.

The boutique wine and food festival offers fabulous food, great wine and live music, alfresco among the vineyards of seven wineries, on Saturday and Sunday (May 14 and 15) from 10am to 4pm. You can visit up to three wineries per day, with a shuttle bus running between venues.

Lovedale Long Lunch will be held rain or shine. Additional marquees and shelters have been installed in the event of rain.

"It's been a long time between drinks and we're all very excited to get the party going and showcase some of the great wine, food, and venues that Lovedale has to offer," The Deck Cafe's Matt Dillow said.

Go online to lovedalelonglunch.com.au.

Tickets are on sale now to The Belmont Beers, Blues and BBQ Festival on May 21 at Ken Lambkin Reserve, Belmont South. Ash Grunwald, Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys, and Justin Ngariki and The Dastardly Bastards are performing live, and the following vendors have been confirmed: Shout Brewery, Get Smoked, Inner City Wine Makers, Crafty Pit, Gourmet Coffee Cruiser, Farmers Wife Distillery, Southern Smoke, Hampers of the Hunter, Grain Fed Brewing, Risky Brisket, Churros Shack, Hungerford Hill, GI (Gourmet) Nuts, Twin Bridges Wine, and Bread and Brewery. The festival kickstarts Fast and Loud, being held over two weekends and featuring a food and wine festival, powerboats, aerial displays and more. Go to lakemac.com.au for details.

Colin Fassnidge was in Newcastle yesterday for the launch of the 2022 Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards. He and fellow "celebrity chef" Manu Feildel are this year's ambassadors.

More than 160 club eateries from across the state have entered a dish and now it's up to the public to pick a winner. Club members and guests are encouraged to visit participating clubs, taste the Perfect Plate dish on offer and give it a score out of five. A $100 dining voucher will be given away every day of the competition and the two diners who vote for the most Perfect Plate dishes will each win a "foodie getaway" for two valued at more than $3000.

Over the past three days, Fassnidge has visited Cessnock Leagues Club, Club Charlestown, East Maitland Bowling Club, Easts Leisure & Golf, Nelson Bay Bowling & Recreation Club and Swansea Workers. Yesterday he was at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club.

"Here I've had a beautiful piece of pan-roasted barramundi - the skin was crispy, the flesh was soft, just perfectly cooked ... on a bed of cauliflower puree with some satay spices and a side of roasted cauliflower, a little bit of pomegranate and some picked onion," he said.

"It was a stunning dish, and what a spectacular location. The Newcastle and Hunter region is very competitive - and they're always trying to outdo Sydney as well. There's some healthy rivalry and some great clubs up here."

To find out more visit perfectplate.com.au.

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