Orange FOOD Week founder Rhonda Doyle and president Charlotte Gundry

Now, in 2023, it's a goliath of the food industry in regional NSW, and it's only getting bigger.

Launched as a "wonderful community exercise", its original founder Rhonda Doyle said seeing the festival live on for decades is an ode to its hard-working, volunteer-lead committee.

"I remember someone around at the time said 'that's a lovely idea, but I think it'll only last three years' and here we are 32 years on," Mrs Doyle said.

"People getting excited about local produce has kept it alive and look at all of the beautiful eating places and producers we have in Orange today.

"I can't help but want to keep a motherly eye over things, I think that's natural, but to see what it's grown to now is so pleasing."

Robertson Park's night markets - which now symbolise the event's start - was known as 'A Food Affair' to start with - held on the grass that's now elevated above Groundstone Café, vendors gathered at Civic Square.

Although the former-regional manager of Centrelink said that other than a small $2000 grant from council at the time, the inaugural event was mostly funded out of her own pocket.

But given the fulfilment it provided and to see the heights it's reach to this current day, Mrs Doyle would do it all again.

"I've still got the handwritten program and all of the information about who was involved as a keepsake, because it meant so much to see how magnificently it went," she said.

"To see how well-supported it is today and what's it taken to keep it thriving, it's really incredible."

Giving a nod to prior committees and its current members now, several (and unpaid) hours are ploughed into organising the iconic food festival, which is the longest running festival of its kind in Australia.

Now-president Charlotte Gundry said a whole range of "different skillsets" is critical behind-the-scenes.

This includes ensuring "all boxes" are ticked in a festival that's nearly tripled in size over the years.

"There aren't many festivals like FOOD Week that can maintain such longevity, whether that comes down to volunteer fatigue or events just dwindling and not being relevant anymore," Mrs Gundry said.

"So 32 years is a very long time to keep momentum like that going which is why I feel really proud and extremely humbled to sit around a table of some incredible people.

"It's an amazing icon for the region."

With any expansion that attracts more people to a scene comes a great deal of coordination and responsibility.

From uncontrollable factors like planning for wet weather and the like, Mrs Gundry has been working tirelessly in an attempt to safeguard the festival's existence in years to come.

She said the committee wants to support taking FOOD Week "to the next level", with members thinking about what the next 10 years might bring and how to manage it at that scale.

"Eventually we could look at shifting some of the loading to a few paid roles and engage people that way as well, but we also want to build-in sustainability elements where we can as well," she said.

"And then I'll be able to say 'go forth and prosper' when I retire from the committee and know I've left everything in capable, great hands."

Which could stand to reason why Mrs Doyle speaks so highly of the current president.

In a role that she described as being "very hectic but very exciting", she understands the huge efforts that the event's committee members go to.

From juggling multiple balls and wearing many hats all at once, the FOOD Week founder finds comfort in knowing that what she birthed in 1992 has, in fact, remained full of "truly wonderful" people.

"I remember travelling back to Sydney for [overpriced] meals and thinking 'this is mad having to travel for that produce when we have it right here'," Mrs Doyle said.

"Arts has developed [across the board] really well in this community and we're so fortunate to have the culinary side of that here.

"Orange is a food and wine agricultural city and it's wonderful seeing it grow."

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