It seems the era of cooking shows from Masterchef to My Kitchen Rules, from Come Dine With Me to endless shows featuring Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay have turned us all into a generation of gourmet guests.

I might have a slightly different approach as I have spent enough time working in commercial kitchens to appreciate the skill, passion, effort and dedication that goes into creating some of the exquisite menus and dishes due to feature in the Shoalhaven Food Network's Autumn Celebration of Food.

And there are plenty of them during the festival that runs from May 1 to June 10.

Those six weeks are packed with gastronomic delights.

There are moving feasts featuring award-winning establishments, events featuring the talents of a range of chefs, battles between different eateries and much more.

For those new to the culinary world there are children's cake decorating classes, lessons about charcuterie, a home barista workshop - in fact all you need to become a gourmet inside your own kitchen.

Behind all the events is an array of talented professionals.

Living in the Shoalhaven, it is easy to become complacent about the region's beauty because we see it every day.

The beaches, the bush, the pristine environment - all these things attract visitors from near and far, yet those who live in the region can often be guilty to paying scant attention to the region's natural wonder.

We can also be guilty of not paying adequate attention to the local food and wine scene that is quickly growing an impressive reputation throughout Australia and overseas.

The Shoalhaven has a number of home grown chefs who got their grounding in the local TAFE and restaurants before going on to work in some of the world's top eateries.

Many have returned home, and will showcase their skills, experience and dedication during the Autumn Celebration of Food, making it an event to truly savour.

Glenn Ellard, senior journalist