8-11 Sept 2025 | ICC SYDNEY, DARLING HARBOUR

Melbourne

He’s one of Melbourne’s hottest next-gen chefs. Just how did Sunda’s Khanh Nguyen become so successful so young?

Self-taught sourdough baker Maaryasha Werdiger says her underground bakery’s runaway success comes down to two simple concepts – generosity and a big dose of nostalgia. “I was raised here in Melbourne in an Orthodox family, but I never set out to open a Jewish bakery,” says Maaryasha, a paediatric physiotherapist

Every sweet and savoury treat on Lode’s short menu screams fine dining nous, from the perfectly flaky pastry and premium fillings to the fashionista pink shop fit-out in trendy Surry Hills. Lode (pronounced Lo-deh) is co-owned by Federico Zanellato and Lorenzo Librino, the chefs behind Pyrmont’s two-hatted Italian-Japanese fine diner

The Melbourne born-and-bred chef spent his formative years cooking in the subterranean venue when it was called Ezard, a fine-dining institution closed without fanfare by chef Teague Ezard in the blur of 2020’s pandemic lockdowns. Now Brendan’s back in the iconic space under the Adelphi Hotel giving Melburnians a local

“Nobody thinks of onions as a hero ingredient for dessert,” says Tonka’s award-winning head chef. “But when you think about it, a beautifully caramelised onion has loads of sweetness, so why not turn it into a dessert? “I’m really excited about this dish. Fine Food is all about innovation, and

The last few months have been a whirlwind of industry triumphs and hardships. Now with the easing of almost all restrictions across the east coast, increased travel and a positive outlook for the industry, we’re looking ahead excitedly for the rest of this year. This week would have hosted Fine

People talk about the beauty of Pentridge Cellars but – according to Michael Woodworth – he doesn’t receive too many questions about the building’s past.
With major food retailers unable to keep pace with consumer demands, customers turned to their local village grocers and found boutique retail a bonus.
A chef-turned-tech-entrepreneur, an experienced cafe owner, a country business operator, a young CBD operator and a multi-city restaurateur pluck from the past and stride into the future.
An acclaimed Italian restaurant with 13 locations across the globe, 400 Gradi – which won “worlds best pizza” in 2014 – wasn’t able to fit patrons in their restaurants amid COVID-19 restrictions.