TEAMS have been announced for the National Ag Mixed Grill BBQ Cook-Off at Moree on a Plate – and the steaks are high.

Sponsored by National Ag, the keenly contested cook-off is the food and wine festival’s holy grail, with winners walking away with a Weber barbecue, donated by Dipper’s Home Timber and Hardware.

Local butchers, Reado’s Meats and South Moree Butchery, donated all meat needed to fire up a feast, with Coles Moree donating team ingredients.

Four teams of two will battle it out for this year’s cook-off honours.

The Real Housewives of Garah, aka Amber Boyle and Mel McNiven, take on Wilson Statham and Will Jackman from Keytah as well as corporate high-rollers Sam Murphy and Georgie Clyne, and Young Aggies Ruby Tighe and Jack Wiseman.

(from left) Georgie Clyne, Sam Murphy, Mel McNiven, Amber Boyle, Wilson Statham and Ruby Tighe will battle out the Mixed Grill BBQ Cook-Off at Moree on a Plate on Saturday.

Last year’s winners were Lizzy Weber – yes, that’s right – and Priscilla McPhee, whose reinvented lamb rack, incorporating local producer Pally Pecans, was far too hot for Poole Ag Consulting agronomist Claudia Dunn and client Mick Humphries, Munro Underwood and Billy Jupp from National Ag Moree, and 2025 winner Moree Real Estate, represented by Grady Sinclair and Paddy Keady.

This year’s cook-off is set to sizzle at midday with judges including celebrity chef Warren Mendes, Moree Plains Shire mayor Susannah Pearse and the Port of Newcastle team.

Moree on a Plate, first held in 2004, also raises money for local organisations and community groups through raffle ticket sales and fundraising initiatives.

To date, nearly $80,000 has been donated to several groups, including Moree District Hospital, Moree PCYC, Moree Secondary College, Moree Women’s Refuge, Meals on Wheels, Moree Scout Group, Friends of Moree Regional Botanic Gardens, Moree Arts Community Theatre, Moree Cancer Support Group and the Country Education Foundation of Moree.

Last year, money raised from a huge raffle was donated to Moree and District Historical Society and Moree Plains Museum.

Moree on a Plate

When: Saturday May 9, 2026

Where: Moree racecourse

Time: 10am until 3.30pm

Cost: Gold Coin donation at the gate