Biography:

Greg was born in Melbourne, Australia of Lebanese parents and, after serving his formal apprenticeship in several of Melbourne's finest restaurants, he went on to work in France, Italy, Austria and Hong Kong. Drawing on his cultural heritage, his European training and extensive travels, Greg has firmly established his reputation at the forefront of contemporary Middle Eastern cuisine in Australia and abroad. With numerous cookbooks (including the recently launched ‘Today’s Middle Eastern’, co-written with Lucy Malouf), his much-lauded Melbourne restaurant, MoMo, and a recent consultancy in Amman, Jordan for the new Landmark Hotel restaurant, Turquoise, Greg has forged a unique style of cooking that has become known as ‘Modern Middle Eastern’.

Biography:

Larger-than-life Dario Cecchini, an eighth-generation Chianti butcher (and restaurateur) is the renaissance man of meat. An artisan butcher for 37 years, he is the last of a family that has practiced this craft for over 200 years. He is passionate about “La Vacca Intera”, or the "whole cow”, and its various uses – from muzzle to tail – as well as the ethical treatment of the animal. In addition to his butcher’s shop, Antica Macelleria Cecchini, set in the picturesque village of Panzano in Chianti, he also has three restaurants, SoloCiccia (Only Flesh), Mac Dario and Officina della Bistecca – all celebrating his devotion to the craft, serving everything from the famous Florentine steak to the humble burger. As Dario says, Viva la ciccia! (long live meat!)

Biography:

Mamasita is one of Melbourne's hottest restaurants where Matt Lane and head chef Jason Jones serve up authentic Mexican cuisine and premium Tequila to the hundreds of hungry Melbournians who are happy to queue outside in the hope of scoring a table.

Biography:

They're reclaiming Italian food for the next generation, and New York is loving it.  With five stars from New York Magazine, these ragazzi refuse to import anything from Italy - so how come everything tastes so goddamn Italian?

Rich Torrisi & Mario Carbone's visit is supported by MoVida Aqui.

Biography:

Rosio’s passion for all things pastry took her from Chicago straight to the Big Apple, where she worked at the groundbreaking wd-50 restaurant with the innovative Alex Stupak. She is now pastry chef at the world’s number one restaurant, Noma.

This visit is made possible through the support of Denmark House and Wonderful Copenhagen.

Biography:

Celebrated chef and author, Christine has travelled the world as an Australian culinary ambassador. From the much acclaimed Paramount restaurant in Sydney to East@West in London, she returned, thankfully, to Sydney in 2007 to open the award-winning Universal.

Biography:

Trained at Tetsuya’s and inspired by a short stint at Noma, chef and food photographer Luke is cooking some of Australia’s most exciting food – earning him the Best New Talent crown in the Australian Gourmet Traveller 2012 Restaurant Awards.

Biography:

She started working at her local food market at seven years old, and hasn’t stopped since. Trinh Diem Vy (Ms Vy) opened her first restaurant, Mermaid, in 1992. Three restaurants, a bakery and patisserie, and a popular cookery school later, she’s the go-to girl for exquisite Vietnamese cuisine.

Trinh Diem Vy's visit is supported by Dandelion.