Homegrown chefs, winemakers, beverage experts, hosts and more create unforgettable food and beverage experiences during the Tasting Australia festival each year.


Creative Team

Karena Armstrong FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Kane Pollard
Kane Pollard FOOD CURATOR
Banjo Harris Plane DRINKS CURATOR
Meira Harel DRINKS CURATOR

Patron and Legends

Simon Bryant PATRON
Cheong Liew LEGEND
Maggie Beer
Maggie Beer LEGEND

2025 Culinary Stars

Adam D'Sylva
Adam D'Sylva
Alexis Besseau
Andy Allen
Andy Allen
Annita Potter
Anthony Cresp
Ayubi family
Ayubi family
Baine Stubbs
Ben Bertei
Ben Bertei
Brendan Roach
Callum Hann
Callum Hann
Calum Horn
Chia Wu
Chia Wu
Chiara Pavan
Clare Falzon
Clare Falzon
Damian Coulthard
Danielle Alvarez
Danielle Alvarez
Darren Robertson
Darren Robertson
Daniel Murphy
Daniel Murphy
Dave Verheul
Doogal Hannagan & Louise Lynch
Duncan Welgemoed
Emma McCaskill
Emma Shearer
Emma Shearer
Enrico Sgarbossa
Fabian Lehmann
Fabian Lehmann
Fiona Carboni
Georgia Roberts
Georgie Rogers
Georgie Rogers
Jacob Davey
Jacqui Challinor
Jake Kellie
Jake Kellie
Jamie Musgrave
Jimmy Toone
Jimmy Toone
Jo Leal
Joanna Savill
Justin James
Justin James
Kirby Shearing
Kirby Shearing
Lachlan Colwill
Lennox Hastie
Lennox Hastie
Lilly Trewartha
Mandy Hall
Mandy Hall
Mark Jensen
Mark Jensen
Mat Lindsay
Matteo Carboni
Mug Chen
Mug Chen
Nick Tadija
Nicola Palmer
Nicola Palmer
O'Tama Carey
Ollie Wong-Hee
Paul Stone
Paul Stone
Rebecca Sullivan
Rebecca Sullivan
Rodney Dunn
Rose Adam
Rose Adam
Sam Smith
Sam Smith
Scott Huggins
Shannon Fleming
Shannon Fleming
Sharon Romeo
Sharon Romeo
Sharon Winsor
Sophie Pope
Tom Campbell
Tom Campbell
Tom Tilbury
Tom Tilbury
Trinh Richards
Trinh Richards
Vanessa Button
Zoe Birch

2025 Beverage Stars

Andrew Hardy
Anita Goode
Bianca Welsh
David Ridge
David Ridge
Fiona Donald
Fiona Donald
Gareth Belton
Gwyn Olsen
James Audas
Katie Spain
Katie Spain
Kaaren Palmer
Kavita Faiella
Kim Chalmers
Kim Chalmers
Luke Whearty
Matt Deller MW
Matt Paul
Max Allen
Max Allen
Melanie Chester
Monica Berg
Nick Corletto
Olivia Moore
Peter Fraser
Riley Harrison
Riley Harrison
SamTaylor
Sam Taylor
Stacey Edwards
Stacey Edwards
Stephen Pannell
Sue Bell
Sue Bell
Tom Sheer
Topher Boehm

Tasting Australia Spirit Awards Judges

Ollie Margan HEAD JUDGE
Bill Lark PATRON
Cara Devine
Cara Devine
Darren Leaney
Duncan McRae
Fred Siggins
James Irvine
Kayla Reid
Krystal Hart
Luke Sanderson
Marshall King
Rocky Hair
Sam Bygrave

Past Alumni

Marco Pierre White
Jock Zonfrillo
Adam Liaw
Aaron Turner
Alanna Sapwell
Alejandro Huerta
Alex Atala
Alice Zaslavsky
Amanda McInerney
Amanda McInerney
Amy Hamilton
Amy Hamilton
Analiese Gregory
Andrew McConnell
Andrew McConnell
Angelina Mondavi
Angelina Mondavi
Annie Smithers
Annie Smithers
Anthony Myint
Ashley Ratcliffe
Ashley Ratcliffe
Belinda Jeffrey
Belinda Thomson
Belinda Thomson
Ben Devlin
Ben Devlin
Ben Haines
Ben Haines
Ben Shewry
Ben Shewry
Bethany Finn
Bethany Finn
Big Sam Young
Big Sam Young
Bill Lark
Bill Lark
Breen Matti
Brent Savage
Bridget Raffal
Bridget Raffal
Callum Powell
Callum Powell
Carlo Mirarchi
Chae
Chae
Charlie Melton
Charlie Melton
Charlie Seppelt
Charlie Seppelt
Charlotte Hardy
Charlotte Hardy
Chester Osborn
Chester Osborn
Chris Crawford
Chris Crawford
Christian Canala
Christian Canala
Christian Puglisi
Christine Manfield
Christine Manfield
Costardi Brothers
Curly Haslam-Coates
Curly Haslam-Coates
Dan Hong
Dan Redman
Dan Redman
Dan Hunter
Daniel Airoldi
Daniel Airoldi
Darren Lange
Darren Lange
Dave Pynt
Dave Pynt
Dave Verheul
David LeMire
David LeMire
David Ridge
David Ridge
Dylan Grigg
Dylan Grigg
Emily Salkeld
Emily Salkeld
Federico Zanellato
Fraser McKinley
Fraser McKinley
George Campbell
George Campbell
Gill Meller
Gill Meller
Greggory Hill
Guy de Rivoire
Guy Parkinson
Heidi Bjerkan
Hugh Allen
Hugh Allen
Iain Cameron
Iain Cameron
Ian Hongell
Ian Hongell
Jacinta Jenkins
Jacinta Jenkins
Jacqui Challinor
Jacqui Challinor
Jake Smyth
James Erskine
James Erskine
James Lindner
James Lindner
James Lowe
James Lowe
Jemma Whiteman
Jemma Whiteman
Jan Ordway
Jan Ordway
Jerry Mai
Jessica Hill Smith
John Hughes
John Hughes
Josey Baker
JP McMahon
Justine Henschke
Justine Henschke
Jyoti Bindu
Karen Martini
Karen Martini
Kris Lloyd
Kris Lloyd
Kylie Javier Ashton
Kylie Javier Ashton
Lachlan Barber
Lachlan Barber
Laura Carter
Laura Carter
Lauren Eldridge
Lauren Eldridge
Laurent D'Harcourt
Leah Adint
Leah Adint
Liz Carlisle
Louis Tikaram
Louisa Rose
Louisa Rose
Luke Burgess
Luke Burgess
Luke Powell
Luke Powell
Lulu Lunn
Lulu Lunn
Magdalena Roze
Magdalena Roze
Marcell Kustos
Marcell Kustos
Mark Kurlansky
Mark LaBrooy
Mark LaBrooy
Mark Wright
Mark Wright
Mark Reginato
Mark Reginato
Marvin Lattrez
Marvin Lattrez
Marquis Sauvage
Matt Dunne
Matt Dunne
Matt Stone
Matt Stone
Max Sharrad
Mehmet Gurs
Melissa Palinkas
Melissa Palinkas
Mike Bennie
Mike Bennie
Monty Koludrovic
Morgan McGlone
Mrs Singh
Nathan Sasi
Ned Goodwin
Ned Goodwin
Nesh Simic
Nesh Simic
Nick Stock
Nick Tesar
Nick Tesar
Norbert Neiderkofler
O Tama Carey
Palisa Anderson
Palisa Anderson
Paul Baker
Paul Hotker
Paul Hotker
Paul West
Peter Clarke
Peter Clarke
Peter Gilmore
Peter Gilmore
Philippe Mouchel
Poh Ling Yeow
Poh Ling Yeow
Raymond Capaldi
Richard Leask
Richard Leask
Rick Kinzbrunner
Rick Kinzbrunner
Riley Harrison
Riley Harrison
Robert Hill-Smith
Robert Hill-Smith
Robert Walters
Robert Walters
Rosheen Kaul
Rosheen Kaul
Rodolfo Guzman
Ryan Davidson
Ryan Davidson
Sacha La Forgia
Salloum Sisters
Sally McGill
Sally McGill
Sam Barry
Sam Barry
Sam Wigan
Sam Wigan
Sashi Cheliah
Sashi Cheliah
Sat Bains
Sav Sexton
Sav Sexton
Sean Connolly
Sean Connolly
Selina Kelly
Selina Kelly
Severine Perru
Severine Perru
Shane Wilson
Shane Wilson
Shannon Martinez
Shannon Martinez
Shanteh Wale
Shanteh Wale
Sharon Flynn
Sharon Flynn
Shaun Quade
Shohei Yasuda
Simone Watts
Simone Watts
Skye Seppelt
Skye Seppelt
Somer Sivrioglu
Steph Toole
Steph Toole
Stuart Oldfield
Stuart Oldfield
Symon Conway-Lyden
Symon Conway-Lyden
Terry Nattawoot
Tessa Brown
Tessa Brown
Thomas Johns
Tim Hardy
Tim Hardy
Tom Bradman
Tom Bradman
Tony Carroll
Tony Carroll
Tony Love
Tony Love
Troy Rhoades-Brown
Victor Liong
Victoria James
Victoria James
Will Meyrick
Warren Randall
Warren Randall
Kevin Glastonbury
Kevin Glastonbury
Leanne Altmann
Leanne Altmann
Angus Love
Angus Love
Adam Liston
Alex Bellas
Alex Bellas
Alex Crawford
Alex Crawford
Andrew Davies
Andrew Davies
Benjamin Cross
Ben Williamson
Ben Williamson
Benjamin Cooper
Billie Justice Thomson
Billie Justice Thomson
Bryan Martin
Bryan Martin
Brigitte Hafner
Brigitte Hafner
Charlie Lu
Charlie Lu
Claudette Zepeda
Claudette Zepeda
Dana Kinter
Dana Kinter
Daniella Guevara
Daniella Guevara
Darren Purchese
Darren Purchese
Elli Beer
Elli Beer
Emily Thomas
Emily Thomas
Gabriel Stengle
Gabriel Stengle
Hansol Lee
Hansol Lee
Helly Raichura
Imogen Czulowski
Imogen Czulowski
Isobel Little
Isobel Little
Jack Ingram
Jack Ingram
Jae Bang
Jae Bang
James Henry
James Henry
Jessie Spiby
Jessie Spiby
Jo Barrett
Jo Barrett
Julia Busuttil Nishimura
Julia Busuttil Nishimura
Justin James
Justin James
Mark Best
Mitch Orr
Mitch Orr
Narin ‘Jack’ Kulasai
Narin ‘Jack’ Kulasai
Nornie Bero
Nornie Bero
Paul Carmichael
Rosa Matto
Rosa Matto
Shane Delia
Stacey Conner
Stacey Conner
Terry Intarakhamhaeng
Terry Intarakhamhaeng
Thi Le
Thi Le
Thomas Robinson
Thomas Robinson
Tom Jack
Tom Jack
Will Doak
Will Doak
Matt Moran
Paul Stone
Paul Stone
Sam Smith
Sam Smith
Trisha Greentree
Trisha Greentree
Will Doak
Valerie Henbest
Adam Wadewitz
Adam Wadewitz
Alex Schulkin
Alex Schulkin
Alex Kirkwood
Alex Kirkwood
Amelia Nolan
Amelia Nolan
Andrie Whisson
Andrie Whisson
Anais Gschwind
Anais Gschwind
Ashley Huntington
Ashley Huntington
Briony Liebich
Briony Liebich
Brad Hickey
Brad Hickey
Bryan Martin
Bryan Martin
Colin McBryde
Colin McBryde
Corrina Wright
Corrina Wright
David Swain
Erin Larkin
Erin Larkin
Galit Shachaf
Galit Shachaf
Greta Wohlstadt
Greta Wohlstadt
Helen Masters
Helen Masters
Hugh Holds
Hugh Holds
Jacob Davey
James Spreadbury
James Spreadbury
Jono Koerner
Jono Koerner
Jono Hersey
Jono Hersey
Kate Goodman
Kate Goodman
Kate Laurie
Kate Laurie
Kerri Thompson
Kerri Thompson
Liz Carey
Liz Carey
Louis Schofield
Louis Schofield
Matt Dickson
Matt Dickson
Max Veenhuyzen
Max Veenhuyzen
Michael Downer
Michael Downer
Nick Mills
Nick Mills
Nick Ryan
Nick Ryan
Rob Mack
Rob Mack
Rose Kentish
Rose Kentish
Samantha Connew
Samantha Connew
Samantha Payne
Samantha Payne
Sebastian Crowther
Sebastian Crowther
Sophie Carbonneau
Sophie Carbonneau
Steve Crawford
Steve Crawford
Tim Kenny
Tim Kenny
Tom O'Reilly
Tom O'Reilly
Irina Santiago-Brown
Irina Santiago-Brown
Lauren Langfield
Lauren Langfield
Liam Van Pelt
Liam Van Pelt