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The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2016 Chef of the Year finalists

Myffy Rigby
Myffy Rigby

What makes a great chef? Is it all about being able to lead a team, create original flavour combinations and challenge diners with new dishes? Or is it just the ability to cut an onion really well? It's all of the above, along with a sense of play and originality that adds something extra to the Australian dining scene. The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2016 senior reviewing panel worked together to come up with a list of finalists for the Citi Chef of the Year award which they believe reflects Sydney's diverse, exciting and ever-changing restaurant culture. We wish all five nominees the best of luck at the annual The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards on September 7.

 The Lombardian chef has made great inroads over the past year with his fresh, innovative Italian menu, with the help of offsider Victor Migoya. His menu may have its roots in northern Italy, but it's injected with all the brightness and breeziness of a Sydney summer. His restaurant, nestled among the luxury yachts and sprawling mansions of The Spit, is simultaneously a relaxing place to dine but with plenty of action on the plate.
The Lombardian chef has made great inroads over the past year with his fresh, innovative Italian menu, with the help of offsider Victor Migoya. His menu may have its roots in northern Italy, but it's injected with all the brightness and breeziness of a Sydney summer. His restaurant, nestled among the luxury yachts and sprawling mansions of The Spit, is simultaneously a relaxing place to dine but with plenty of action on the plate. Sahlan Hayes

 It's been quite a year for this popular chef, from creating a Sepia pop-up at Eric Ripert's Manhattan restaurant Le  Bernardin, to making it into the
It's been quite a year for this popular chef, from creating a Sepia pop-up at Eric Ripert's Manhattan restaurant Le Bernardin, to making it into the Daniel Munoz

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 Chef, artist, passionate grower of tiny vegetables. Whether he's tweezing tiny flowers onto things or constructing that gravity-defying pavlova, Peter Gilmore means business. He's got enough of them, too. There's the mothership, Quay, which still impresses with its all-star locale and menu, but there's his newest acquisition too, inside the ribs of the Opera House. This is where he's created a three-part epic journey of bar and restaurant dining, putting the best of Australia on the plate with a delicate touch.
Chef, artist, passionate grower of tiny vegetables. Whether he's tweezing tiny flowers onto things or constructing that gravity-defying pavlova, Peter Gilmore means business. He's got enough of them, too. There's the mothership, Quay, which still impresses with its all-star locale and menu, but there's his newest acquisition too, inside the ribs of the Opera House. This is where he's created a three-part epic journey of bar and restaurant dining, putting the best of Australia on the plate with a delicate touch. Steven Siewert

The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide awards are on September 7. The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2016 will be available from participating newsagents, 7-Elevens and supermarkets for $10 with the newspaper on Saturday, September 12, while stocks last.

Myffy RigbyMyffy Rigby is the former editor of the Good Food Guide.

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