South Australian-born Mark Best has emerged as an unquestioned symbol of the new Australian culinary landscape. His relentless drive for improvement and innovative spirit have fuelled his remarkable journey from accidental cook to celebrated chef.

Best began his working life as an electrician in the gold mines of Western Australia before finding his true calling in the kitchen. He commenced a culinary apprenticeship in 1990 at the iconic Macleay Street Bistro in Sydney, where he was exposed to the flourishing fusion of European techniques and Asian flavours that defined modern Australian cuisine.

His talent and passion quickly propelled him to the forefront of the industry. In 1995, Best won the prestigious Josephine Pignolet Award for Sydney's best young chef. That same year, he opened his first restaurant, Peninsula Bistro in Balmain, earning rave reviews. Eager to further hone his skills, he then spent time working at renowned Michelin-starred restaurants in France and the UK, including L'Arpège and Le Manoir Aux Quatre Saisons.

Returning to Australia, Best opened his seminal restaurant, Marque, in 1999. Over the next decade, Marque would earn a slew of accolades, including being named Restaurant of the Year by several leading publications and spending three consecutive years in the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Best's culinary prowess has since expanded well beyond the walls of his own restaurants. He has worked as a culinary advisor and brand consultant for major hotel groups, helping to shape their dining concepts and culinary programs. Best has also been an active ambassador for Australian produce and cuisine, representing industry bodies at high-profile international events.

In addition to his work in the hospitality industry, Best is a published author, photographer, and television personality. His 2014 book "Marque: A Culinary Journey" offered a glimpse into his innovative approach to cooking, while his appearances on shows like MasterChef Australia and The Final Table have introduced his talents to global audiences.

François Chartier is a world-renowned aromas specialist, acclaimed for his groundbreaking work in the field of gastronomy. With a career spanning over three decades, Chartier has revolutionized the way we understand and appreciate flavors, earning him international recognition and numerous accolades.

As a consultant for leading brands and restaurants worldwide, Chartier has achieved unparalleled success. He made history by winning the prestigious title of Best Sommelier in the World at the Grand Prix Sopexa for Wines and Spirits in France in 1994 and as well he has been awarded the Best Cookbook in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards three times, in 2010, 2013, and 2016, cementing his status as a culinary icon.

In 2002, Chartier pioneered a new science of aromatics called "Molecular Harmonies," which explores the synergies between foods, wines, and beverages. This innovative approach has captivated gastronomy enthusiasts and professionals around the world and earned Chartier acclaim from industry luminaries such as wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr. and renowned chef Ferran Adrià.

Based in Barcelona since 2016, Chartier, along with his partner Isabelle Moren, founded the Chartier World LAB in 2019. This multidisciplinary creative space offers services ranging from molecular harmony analysis for producers to sensory experiences for museums.

In recent years, Chartier has made significant contributions to the world of sake as a master blender, transforming traditional craftsmanship through its expertise and creation of sake for wine lovers. His sakes, including the Tanaka 1789 X Chartier brand, are now distributed in over 34 markets worldwide. His latest venture, Essence5 by Chartier, focuses on crafting unique sakes from small artisanal breweries, further solidifying his legacy as a pioneer in the world of aromas and flavors.

Maham is a designer specialising in ceramics. She has worked with the design group Queensberry Hunt for over 20 years on various projects as well as working as an independent designer for retailers and restaurants in the UK.

In 2017 Maham started designing for Steelite International which include the Spice and Carnaby ranges. The ranges are a collection of items focused on the current trends in food service. The designs are combination of handmade craft techniques translated into factory processes.

She is a graduate of Central St Martins, London with a BA Hons and an MA in Ceramic Design in 2004 and an MPhil at the Royal College of Art, London in Ceramics. She is a part-time lecturer at Central St Martins, London in the department of Ceramic Design.

Maham has developed craft revival design projects with potters in Sri Lanka, India and Ethiopia.

Maham has designed retail tabletop ranges Jamie Oliver at Home including award winning range Matti and collections for David Mellor, Maxwell Williams Australia, Narumi Japan, Mary Portas Interiors at House of Fraser, Habitat to name a few.

She started working with Jamie Oliver in 2009 as one of the designers for his JME brand where she worked closely with the food team, which was the start of an invaluable relationship between the food team and design for her practice.

Maham set up her consultancy and workshop in North London in 2011 where she develops, designs and manufactures tableware in ceramics. She has designed bespoke collections of tableware in a variety of ceramic materials for restaurants around the world working closely with chefs such as Vineet Bhatia, Jamie Oliver, Asma Khan (Netflix Chefs Table Season 6), Palomar Soho, Coya Worldwide, Gold Notting Hill, Pensons UK, Meraki Worldwide, Mallow UK, Tobias Funke Switzerland, Rochini Austria, The Good Plot and Ewhurst Park, Atlantis Dubai, Crafters KSA and SA, Cinnamon Collection UK, Tickton Grange Boutique Hotel to name a few.

Maham is a Tableware Consultant curating the table for boutique hotels and restaurants.

She is currently working on projects with factories in around the world and upcoming bespoke restaurant projects in the UK, Europe and Middle East.

Steelite Spice range is in the permanent collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Jim Meehan, bartender, journalist, and author of The PDT Cocktail Book, Meehan’s Bartender Manual and The Bartender’s Pantry, has worked in nearly every capacity of the hospitality business for the latter half of his 40 plus years on the planet.

A Chicago area native schooled in Wisconsin, who achieved acclaim for his work behind bars in New York City; Meehan now resides in Portland, Oregon where he’s raising a family and lowering his profile.

Jim Meehan’s career spans over twenty-five years from Madison, Wisconsin to New York City to Portland, Oregon, where he works with spirits companies such as Bacardi and hospitality clients such as the American Express Centurion airport lounges through his consultancy Mixography Inc.

After editing multiple editions of Food & Wine Cocktails and Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide; Jim authored The PDT Cocktail Book and Meehan’s Bartender Manual, and his latest book, The Bartender’s Pantry, will be published by Ten Speed Press in 2024.

His culinary career spans over a 20 year period. In this time, Bobby Cortez has had the honor of being a private chef to Microsoft’s Paul Allen, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, and Melanie Griffith, just to name a few. He was even commissioned to create a special Birthday Cake for Lady Gaga.

His main creative focus lies in his expressive CR8 Sensorium Installations. A pop-up tasting installation group, where he incorporates design, architecture, new perspective ambiance, and innovative artistry in dining. A collaborative effort alongside talented people from around the world. These events have been held in many cities around the globe. He's performed at London's V&A Museum, London Design Festival and most recently; Salone del Mobile in 2024.

His creativity extended further than just a kitchen scenario. He released his first book “Senses in Sucrose”, which was an intense exploration of sweets related to emotions. Bobby’s creations extended even further as he released his second book, “Emotional Delicacies”.

Cortez was classically trained in France at L’ Ecole Lenotre, Hotel Ritz L’ Ecole de Escoffier, Bellouet Conseil, and L’ Amandiers Ecole de Soleil, Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, Canada and even with Albert Adria at Spain’s Chocovic school.

Kiki Aranita spent seven years as co-chef and owner of Poi Dog, a restaurant and catering company that served Hawaii’s local food. She closed its Center City Philadelphia location in July 2020 but has kept the brand alive in large-scale pop ups and retail sauces.

For years, her goals involved celebrating the underrepresented cuisines of multicultural origins and collaborating with other chefs. She has continued to cook, through chef residencies at Jose Garces’ Volver, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Bok Bar and more.

Kiki is a columnist for San Pellegrino’s Fine Dining Lovers (she writes the monthly column The Next Course) and a frequent contributor to Food & Wine Magazine, for which she was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Media Award in 2022. She has written many food features and personal and travel narratives for USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Roads and Kingdoms and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, as well as recipes for many other publications and platforms. She has created content, recipes, and recipe-driven videos for companies such as Vulcan Equipment, La Colombe Coffee, Savencia Cheese, Vitamix Commercial, Sakara Life and the Norwegian Seafood Council.

At the end of 2020, she launched a line of retail sauces rooted in Poi Dog’s Hawaii-style cuisine that is available nationwide.

Kiki is also a fiber artist who works mostly with rescuing scrap yarn and turning it into crocheted and embroidered sculpture. Her works have been featured in art magazine spreads and at galleries around the nation. Her solo exhibition, Yarned Snacks, Sauces and Tins was on view at the Philadelphia International Airport through June 2022.

Coming soon