The panel moderator, chef and TV presenter Paul West, was joined by gardening guru Costa Georgiadis, Kelly Eastwood of Eastwood's Deli, Taylor McGovern from Belly Up Farm, Bermagui market president Greg Lissaman and Kay Saarinen of Saarinen Organics.

Dan Bakker from host Eat Dirt Permaculture (EDP) said the event was in its fifth year, but that this was the first time it featured a fully catered community dinner.

Tickets were priced at just $6, with a three-course menu provided Kelly Eastwood of Eastwood's Deli using local produce from the land and sea.

Mr Bakker said the event was made possible for the around 200 guests by grant funds obtained from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal.

A range of interesting points were raised on the panel including a question to Ms McGovern about the boom of popularity among young people wanting to grow their own food or try their hand at gardening.

"For us we chose a lifestyle of market gardening because it seemed the most tangible way that our everyday actions could impact the health of the planet, our bodies and our community's bodies, and our local economy," she said.

President of the Bermagui farmer's market and tomato grower Mr Lissaman spoke about the role of urban markets for rural and regional growers and about the ability to put a premium on produce when selling into metropolitan areas.

Despite price premium gained in city markets, he said he was now able to sell all of his produce locally due to increased demand for foods produced in the Valley.

Ms Eastwood spoke about the food identity of the area naming seafood, vegetables and dairy. However she said she finds it challenging to source local seafood as most of it goes to Sydney Fish Markets due their processing and exporting facilities.

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She was also asked by Mr West to speak about of the role of food in bringing community spirit back together after the bushfires.

Her business provided meals in conjunction with World Central Kitchen post recovery to those who had been badly impacted by fires such as the many who had lost their homes.

"For us during that time it was about reminding people that they weren't forgotten and the food showed up at the same time everyday," she said.

Panelist Kay Saarinen was one of those people who lost her home and 20 years in the making organic permaculture farm to the fires.

She was also one of the recipients of those wholesome meals.

"To have amazing food come locally to us was a lifesaver, a lot of food that was donated was tinned baked beans and 2 minute noodles and we got bags of that sort of stuff and it' not whole-foods stuff, it's not great for the psyche and for what we lost as well," said Ms Saarinen.

Costa spoke to his love and long-term connection to the Bega Valley with family in Tanja and Wapengo.

"You're living with some of the most pristine landscapes on the planet," said Costa. "You have the most amazing waterways running into lakes and wetlands that then run down into beaches that are almost wild."

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Costa advocated for the timber bridges adorning the coast road, which many community members have been "fighting tooth and nail to keep," he said.

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"To put these [the proposed concrete] bridges through would bring unbridled development down here, but the biggest asset you have is that you're five and seven hours away from the two major cities and hours away from the capital."