2024 Restaurant Challenge, Chef of the Year and more showcased at Foodservice Australia tradeshow

I am thrilled to share the latest updates from our resilient and inspiring culinary community. The recent Foodservice Australia event at the ICC Sydney was an exciting showcase of talent, innovation and mateship, and I am deeply grateful to all who participated.

Our 2024 Restaurant Challenge was a highlight of the event, showcasing the exceptional skills of chefs from across Australia and international teams from Chile, Fiji and New Zealand. Congratulations to the New Zealand Team for winning Gold, St Vincent’s Care Culinary Team for achieving second place, and QT Kitchen Victoria for earning third place.

Special accolades also go to QT Kitchen Victoria for their outstanding QT Style Chicken Pho Roll and St Vincent’s Care Culinary Team for their exquisite Tropical Elegance: Ube White Chocolate Mousse with Pandan and Calamansi.

Beyond the competition, it was wonderful to catch up with so many industry peers. The Chef Success Workshop featured inspiring presentations, including Brian Steel’s insights on venue engineering and Sam Burke’s discussion on the latest red meat trends. These sessions not only enriched our knowledge but also strengthened our community bonds.

I am delighted to see our membership growing across all states and territories - it is a real testament to the directors who each take on the responsibility to empower those within their region.

In line with our commitment to continuous improvement we are launching a sustainability program and a mentoring initiative in the coming weeks. These programs are designed to support chefs and the broader hospitality sector, fostering a culture of sustainability and professional growth.

Our refreshed website www.austculinary.com.au now features an events calendar to keep you informed about exciting happenings in your state. Be sure to check out our website for some great tax tips shared from the ATO. I encourage you to visit and stay connected with your community.

Thank you to all our sponsors, judges and participants for making these events a success. Your passion and dedication are the heart of the Australian Culinary Federation. Let’s continue to support each other and strive for excellence in everything we do.

Before I sign off, congratulations to the talented Sydney Chef Tommy Prosser on taking out the 2024 Chef of the Year Competition at Foodservice Australia. In fact my congratulations to all the chefs who entered and showcased our incredible industry – we appreciate you!

Until next time,

Karen Doyle
President, Australian Culinary Federation