London-born, Toronto-raised,this self-described "demonchef" knows no boundaries. His "X-treme Chinese" cuisine challenges and re-invents traditional Chinese culinary concepts with all the rock-and-roll bravado you'd expect from the only self-taught chef and independent restaurateur in Hong Kong to score two Michelin stars in the inaugural 2009 Guide.
www.boinnovation.comPrograms 2, 4
He's the creative genius behind "New Chinese Cuisine" – the pioneering style of the internationally acclaimed Whampoa Club restaurants in Shanghai and Beijing, which he founded. An expert across dim sum, barbecue, wok cooking and knife work, Jereme is the author of the beautiful New Shanghai Cuisine as well as two others (on Beijing and Cantonese cuisines) due this year.
www.jeremeleung.comPrograms 2, 1
Malaysia-born of Chinese heritage, Cheong's fusion of Asian culture, Australian ingredients and classical technique has earned him the title of "father of contemporary Australian cuisine". He's gathered a heap of accolades in his time at Adelaide Hilton's Grange restaurant, including a medal of the Order of Australia, and has represented Australian cuisine overseas on many occasions. He's consultant chef to Senses by Cheong Liew restaurant at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton.
thegrangerestaurant.com.auProgram 3
Chui Lee Luk spent her early childhood in Malaysia, then moved to Australia. She says it was winning a copy of Waverley Root's Food of France in a children's drawing competition that ignited her interest in classical French cooking. After working as a lawyer, she switched to the kitchen in 1997, starting at Christine Manfield's Paramount, then Wockpool, Cleopatra and Banc. She came to Claude's in 2000 and took over the reins of this multi-hatted restaurant in 2004.
www.claudes.com.auProgram 4
Regional Indian food with a modern touch is the hallmark of Kumar Mahadevan's restaurants. He came to Australia from his native southern India in 1985 to head up the kitchen at Mayur restaurant where he cooked for the likes of Prince Phillip and Mick Jagger. He opened his first restaurant, Abhi's, in 1990 and it has since evolved into a near-legendary neighbourhood eatery, with a loyal local following. The second, Aki's on the spectacular Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo, opened in 2003.
www.akisindian.com.au
Sydney’s most food-focussed radio personality has worked in commercial, community and government media as a journalist, producer and presenter. He’s currently 702 ABC’s Weekend presenter. He’s also a judge for the NSW Royal Agricultural Society which assists him pursue his passion for local ingredients, good eating and enjoyment of all things gastronomic.
Programs 1, 3
Kaiseki master Murata-sanis a third-generation chef-restaurateur and one of Japan's most venerated culinary mentors. As well as presiding over the Kyoto-based Japanese Culinary Academy which trains chefs from around Japan and overseas, he is a charismatic communicator on the culture, heritage and philosophy of Japanese cuisine. He is also an expert on umami, the so-called "fifth taste" that is the foundation of creating flavour in cooking.
www.kikunoi.jpProgram 6
Her websites are the go-to urls for all food matters Vietnamese. Born in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Andrea and her family immigrated to California in 1975. She's also a celebrated food writer and cooking teacher, and contributing editor to Saveur magazine. Her first book, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, received multiple award nominations. A new cookbook, Asian Dumplings, is due out this September.
www.vietworldkitchen.comwww.asiandumplingtips.comPrograms 1, 2
Luke was born in a Thai refugee camp, shortly after his parents fled Vietnam as boat people. They eventually settled in Sydney's Cabramatta where his parents ran a much-loved local restaurant. Luke and his brother-in-law Mark Jensen now own the stylish Red Lantern restaurant in Sydney's Surry Hills. He and sister Pauline wrote the best-selling memoir with recipes, Secrets of the Red Lantern. Luke has a new book due in October as well as a TV cooking series, filmed in Vietnam.
www.redlantern.com.au
Kimiko is the director of Japan's Umami Information Centre, aimed at promoting understanding on what's known as the “fifth taste”. She has organised lectures, symposia and summits around the world, including industry workshops in New York and London in 2009 with Michelin-starred chefs such as Claude Bosi of Hibiscus, Sat Bains from Sat Bains in Nottingham and Pascal Aussignac of Club Gascon.
www.umamiinfo.comProgram 6
Raita Noda is one of Sydney's most talented young Japanese chefs. He grew up in his family restaurant in Tokyo, moving to Australia in 1990 to work at some of the top traditional Japanese restaurants, such as Matsukase and Unkai. He then turned to a more creative path with his modern Japanese restaurant, Rise, which received considerable critical acclaim. He is now at the superbly-located, designer-styled Ocean Room on Circular Quay where his creative and technical skills come to the fore.
Program 6
Justin was born in New Zealand. He has worked with the world's best, including Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quatr' Saisons. In 2001 he opened Becasse with his wife Georgia. In 2007 it was named Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year and made the World's Best 100 list. His paddock to plate approach is exemplified in his book, Becasse: Inspirations and Flavours. He also authored a guide to French cuisine, French Lessons and was the Good Food Guide's 2009 Chef of the Year.
www.becasse.com.au
He's been named among the top ten pastry chefs in the US and has worked in some of its most famous restaurant kitchens, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market. His acclaimed dessert cookbook, The Sweet Spot, showcases his original, often Asian-inspired creations. Pichet lives and works in New York City.
www.pichetong.comProgram 1
Neil Perry was one of the young chefs who put Asian-influenced Australian cuisine on the map in the mid 1980s. He now owns four restaurants – the fine dining Rockpool, the exciting new Rockpool Bar & Grill in Sydney, as well as Melbourne, and the modern Asian Spice Temple. He has produced five acclaimed recipe books, four classical/recipe CDs and a range of food products. He is consultant chef to Qantas and has presented several TV series for The Lifestyle Channel.
www.rockpool.com
Best known as the cravatted critic on MasterChef Australia, Matt is also a multi-award winning food journalist and former creative director of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. He writes and reviews for Epicure (The Age), Vogue Entertaining & Travel and Delicious magazines, among others. His first book, Cravat-a-Licious, will be published in October by Random House.
Photo: Mark Roper
Program 3, 5
Mark Robinson was born in Tokyo and raised in Sydney. He is the author of the best-selling Izakaya: the Japanese Pub Cookbook - the first English language book to cover "Japan's happiest dining experience". Mark works in Tokyo as a journalist and editor, covering Japanese food and culture for publications including The Financial Times, The Times (UK) and the Australian Financial Review Magazine.
From 2005 Good Food Guide Chef of the Year to a consistent two-hat rating for his Bentley Restaurant and Bar (co-owned with sommelier Nick Hildebrandt), Brent is one of Sydney's most interesting chefs. His cutting-edge food draws inspirations from around the world, especially Spain and France. He began his career under Phillip Searle at Vulcan's in the Blue Mountains and has also worked at Marque, Andrew McConnell's Mrs Jones in Melbourne and Moog Wine + Food.
www.thebentley.com.au
She’s the Sydney International Food Festival director, Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide co-editor, a journalist and broadcaster. She was co-creator, host and producer of the landmark (and much imitated) Food Lovers' Guide to Australia TV series. She has spent far too much time exploring food and matters culinary around Australia and beyond, but somehow can’t shake the habit. The World Chef Showcase weekend is her idea of heaven.
Christopher is a Singaporean food authority, writer, photographer and cook. His byline has appeared in Saveur and The Peak, and he is a columnist for Singapore's Appetite mag. He has authored, co-authored, and styled a zillion cookbooks,including Inside the Southeast Asian Kitchen: Foodlores and Flavours and most recently Wartime Kitchen, about Singapore's war-era foodways.
www.foodfella.comPrograms 4, 1, 2
Mamoru Tatemori began his cooking career in a series of five star hotels in the Okura Hotel group, both in Japan and overseas. He has worked in a number of Japanese restaurants in the US, including Nobu. He's now head chef with the popular Ichino-Ichino-ichi restaurant in Tokyo, part of the trend-setting Zetton group which also owns Ocean Room at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Program 6
Australia's very own world-wide authority on Thai food and culture, David is about to launch his much awaited Thai Street Food ( Lantern). The hot-pink Thai Food is every Thai food lover's bible and his London restaurant nahm was the first Thai restaurant to get a Michelin star. David lives in Bangkok and London.
Photo: Earl Carterwww.nahm.como.bzPrograms 1, 6
Simon Thomsen is an award-winning food and travel writer who has spent the past four years as the restaurant critic for The Sydney Morning Herald. He has co-edited six editions of The SMH Good Food Guide, including this year's Silver Anniversary edition (and he was regional editor before that). He has been known to drive for five hours just to go to lunch.
Programs 2,6
Malaysia-born and Adelaide raised, Poh Ling Yeow is a successful visual artist who captivated national audiences on the first series of MasterChef Australia, where she was runner up. She sees her creative and authentic Chinese Malaysian cooking as a way to keep in touch with her heritage. Now she wants to share it with the rest of Australia.
Program 2
He's the boy from Coonamble who has become Sydney's superstar pastry chef. Adriano has worked with some of the best, including Neil Perry and at Balmain's Victoire, where he was head pastry chef until opening his own patisserie two years ago. He shot to national fame on MasterChef with his croquembouche and chocolate mousse cake. His many fans also love his witty, highly original pastries and multi-flavoured macarons.
Program 6
Booking Details
WHEN
October 9–11 2009
Friday October 9: Showcase Opening Night
Saturday October 10 & Sunday October 11:
Showcase programs 1 - 6
WHERE
Ballroom, Star City Hotel,
Lvl 3, 80 Pyrmont St,
Pyrmont NSW 2009
HOW MUCH
Single day ticket: (full day program, morning and afternoon tea, tastings, lunch, program/recipes): $285
Weekend ticket (two days): $495
Weekend ticket plus Opening Night: $550
BOOKINGS
Ticketmaster 136 100 www.ticketmaster.com.au/siff
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