Young Chef of the Year 2014 award

Young gun: Buddha Lo

At the impressionable age of 21, Kah-wai (aka "Buddha") Lo, is one to watch as this year's youngest finalist. As head chef of Hare & Grace, Lo has already achieved what many young chefs aspire to.

Lo fast-tracked his career by starting a high-school apprenticeship in Port Douglas, before moving to Melbourne and landing a job at Matteo's. Lo was in the final stage of his apprenticeship when he joined Raymond Capaldi – former head chef of Richmond's Fenix – to open Hare & Grace in 2010. In less than three years, Lo has rapidly risen up the ranks. “I've been an apprentice, a chef de partie, a sous chef and now a head chef [at Hare & Grace] – I can relate to every aspect,” says Lo. “I know how hard it is to be an apprentice, but also how much pressure a head chef can be under.” Lo joins an impressive line-up of Capaldi proteges, including Darren Purchese, Ryan Clift and George Calombaris.

“I'm only 21, so at first I didn't want to take the role of head chef, out of respect for the privilege,” says Lo. “But it's an amazing opportunity and just another stage in the learning curve.”

Lo's signature dish: Buddha's Peking duck, roast duck breast, mock cucumber, whipped tofu, fermented greens, house-made hoi sin.

Globetrotter: Jonathan Mackie

Global gourmet tasting tours have become a rite of passage for many young chefs, and Jonathan Mackie has the passport to prove it. After globetrotting in his early 20s, Mackie, now 28, has taken the same peripatetic path in his career. A penchant for Italian led to an apprenticeship at Becco, in Melbourne's CBD, before dabbling with Greek at George Calombaris' The Press Club. Now he enjoys the best of both cuisines, as head chef of Calombaris' Mediterranean restaurant, Mama Baba.

In a sign of the times, Mackie takes a forward-thinking approach to his menu, as well as his management style. “I'm not after sweat, blood and tears, week-in week-out,” says Mackie. “I want people to come into work and feel like they're going to do something amazing, learn something new, then want to do it all again the next day.”

Ultimately, Mackie hopes to pull all his experiences together, to open his own rustic-style restaurant. But first he plans to master the money matters. “I want to learn more about behind-the-scenes – financials, human resources, accounts – to broaden my knowledge about how the restaurant operates,” says Mackie. "There's no point putting food on the plate year after year, but not learning how it all comes together.”

Mackie's signature dish: Lakes Entrance whiting, Grana Padano gnocchi, cauliflower and pine nut and golden raisin gremoulata.

Seasoned pro: Oliver Gould

Oliver Gould knows the Stokehouse kitchen like the back of his hand. From chef de partie to head chef, Gould has seen it all in his eight years at the St Kilda landmark.

“I think my longevity has come down to two things,” says Gould, 29. "Firstly, creating a food style that suits our business model and secondly, because I know the business inside and out, the way I run a business and kitchen is far more in-depth than someone who has popped around from job to job.”

Gould is a quiet achiever. In 2010, he stepped up as head chef and in 2011 and 2012 the Stokehouse received two chef hats in The Age Good Food Guide. Gould was shortlisted as a finalist for last year's Young Chef of the Year award and hopes to go one step further this year.

Since he first stepped into the kitchen, the role of the chef has changed significantly, says Gould. On a daily basis, he is involved in everything from menu design, to managing food and labour costs, to staff training. “Being a good chef these days is not just about cooking, it's about looking at the bigger picture and how you run your business.”

Gould's signature dish: Ocean trout fillet and king prawns, pickled radishes, Granny Smith apple, capocollo.

The Young Chef of the Year will be announced at The Age Good Food Guide Awards, August 26. The Age Good Food Guide 2014 will be available at newsagents for $10 with The Saturday Age on August 31. It will also be available on theageshop.com.au and at bookshops from August 27 for $24.99.