Chefs

Featured Chefs and Personalities

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  Margot Janse, Relais and Chateaux Grand Chef, Le Quartier Français, South Africa

  Margot Janse is the incredibly talented Executive Chef at the award winning Relais and Chateaux Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek, South Africa. Born and educated in the Netherlands, her creative talents were evident right from the start and her tertiary studies included drama and some photography which laid the foundation for her early work with a photographic school in Johannesburg. However, at the age of 23 the ‘magic of the kitchen’ beckoned. Her employer, Ciro Molinaro encouraged her to experiment and play with food, creating in Margot an ability to explore beyond traditional food boundaries. In 1995 Margot joined the culinary team at Le Quartier Français. The hotel restaurant was already considered one of South Africa’s best, so it was an enormous challenge for Margot when she was asked to take over as Executive Chef shortly after her arrival. Fourteen years and many national and international awards later, Margot continues to thrive in the career of her choice and enthrall serious diners from around the globe. Margot travels extensively to continually be inspired by new ideas and stay abreast of emerging trends. Her stimulating menu changes regularly based on the seasonal fresh produce which she sources from Le Quartier’s own organic garden or small local producers. The result is a kitchen buzzing with ongoing innovation and creative energy and Margot and her talented team serve course after course of exquisite delights from a truly fine dining restaurant.

  Margot has received numerous accolades from the world’s most respected publications including Restaurant Magazine UK and has been included in the 50 Best Restaurants of the World for the past seven years, including four times as Best Restaurant in Africa and the Middle East. In 2010, Le Quartier Français was ranked 31st on the San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant List, with Margot being the only female chef in the top 50 restaurants.

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  Martin Bentzen and Anders Selmer, Kǿdbyens Fiskebaren, Copenhagen

  Located in the heart of Copenhagen’s meat packing district, Kǿdbyens Fiskebar (Fish Bar) is a hip and trendy seafood restaurant which is attracting the smart set who come for the food as much as the buzz. With a young and talented team of chefs, Fiskebar’s style of food is inspired by Rene Redzepi’s Noma who supercharged Nordic cuisine on to the world culinary stage. Fiskebar personalities, Martin Bentzen and Anders Selmer, will bring their innovative, informal Scandanavian style to Hobart at Salamanca Place restaurant Smolt.

  Martin Bentzen trained as a chef at Røgeriet, a well-respected fish restaurant north of Copenhagen. After that, he worked at Noma for three years. Fiskebar owner, Anders Selmer, also ex Noma, has been working with wines for more than 15 years and five years ago started a vineyard south of Copenhagen in partnership with Noma.

  Photo 1: Anders Selmer

   

  Photo 2: Martin Bentzen

  Photos by: Mira Arkin

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  Marco Canora, The Hearth, Manhattan

  Chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, Marco Canora has been doing his part to promote delicious, simple and healthful food that he believes is everyone’s birthright. Since 1996, his cuisine has earned critical acclaim and his Italian-inflected cooking has been hailed as some of the finest in the Americas.

  Hearth Restaurant, located in Manhattan’s East Village, is the current home of the widest range of Marco’s seasonally-inspired dishes. Opened in 2003 and nominated the following spring for the James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant award, Hearth has consistently won accolades for its unpretentious approach, its innovative and exhaustive beverage program, and the unsurpassed quality of its dishes.

  Canora is renowned for his reverence for simple, healthy and delicious dishes that are an elegant expression of the freshest seasonal ingredients. He has transformed a number of Manhattan restaurants while creating others that have left an indelible mark on the city’s culinary landscape.

  In one of the least forgiving restaurant markets in the world, Canora’s food has garnered praise from New York Magazine, the New York Times and Bill Clinton himself, who was a fan when in the White House and remains a devotee to this day. The restaurant Insieme at the Michelangelo Hotel in Midtown Manhattan gained a coveted Michelin Star while Canora was at the kitchen’s helm and his famed wine bar Terroir Tribeca proudly took its place on the Travel & Leisure’s list of 50 Best New Restaurants in the US.

  Canora is the author of Salt to Taste – the keys to confident delicious cooking and host of the video series The Italian Kitchen where he teaches the art of Italian cooking at home. He also teaches his enviable culinary techniques first-hand at his week-long cooking schools in the inspirational surrounds of the Tuscan countryside.

  Canora is a semi-finalist in the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards (Best Chef: New York City category) for 2011.

  Photo by: John Kernick

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  Shaun Rankin, Bohemia, St Hellier, Jersey

  Shaun Rankin’s personal take on classical cuisine has won him national acclaim. His cooking is imbued with exciting combinations and flavours and he’s always looking forward to the new season for the fresh produce that drives him. And fresh produce is something he’s not short of in Jersey, the island he describes as his own nine by five mile kitchen garden.

  Shaun has called Jersey his home for the past 16 years. With award winning beaches and open air and the chance to indulge his love of fishing he wouldn’t change it for the world but he never forgets his roots. Shaun was born in Yorkshire and it was growing up with his mum in the kitchen at Ferryhill that gave him his love of cooking. At the age of 14 he knew he wanted to be a chef. After catering college and three years in the south-east including time at The Mayfair in London, he headed back up north to work at the Black Bull in Moulton. It was here he got his first taste of classical cooking. He also had a spell in the USA working at the world-famous Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago.

  In 2003 he was asked to head up a brand new restaurant, Bohemia, which both he and the owners were determined to make the finest in the Channel Islands and renowned internationally. Shaun was fully involved in every aspect of the new venture from design of the kitchen and restaurant through to tableware and staffing. Just a year after opening in April 2004 Bohemia was awarded a Michelin Star and named one of the top 25 restaurants in the UK by Egon Ronay. Bohemia has retained its Michelin Star for six years and its 4AA Rosettes for four years since gaining the 4th Rosette in 2006. Shaun and his dedicated team have worked hard to earn their reputation and he says its being confident in what you do and adapting to the changing seasons that helps to keep the restaurant at the top.

  In 2009, Shaun had his first chance to try out the role of TV chef. He represented the southwest in the fourth series of BBC Two’s Great British Menu, which he won with his Treacle Tart with Jersey Clotted Cream and Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream. Since appearing on the Great British Menu, he is now a regular on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen. 2010 has also been an incredibly busy year. Shaun launched his own ‘SR’ food range, embarked on producing his first cookbook, Seasoned Island, and filmed his own cookery series.

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  Nick Stock, wine commentator and author

  Nick Stock is one of Australia’s most prolific wine commentators whose involvement in wine stretches well beyond writing to radio and television broadcasting, wine show judging, public speaking, educating and winemaking. His frank and fearless style has made him one of the most popular and widely read Australian wine critics, culminating in his award for World’s Best Drinks Journalist in 2007 at the World Food Media Awards. Nick is author of the AGE/Sydney Morning Herald Good Wine Guide, has twice been crowned Australian Sommelier of the Year and is a major contributor to many magazines including Gourmet Traveller WINE, Australian Wine Business Magazine and Qantas The Australian Way.

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  Martin Boetz, Longrain Sydney and Melbourne

  German boy, Asian food...it’s not an association that springs readily to mind yet it’s a testament to Australia’s diversity. Born in Germany, Longrain chef Martin Boetz’s passion for cooking began at an early age in Queensland with an apprenticeship at Lennons’ Brisbane Hotel. He completed his training at Faces, a restaurant then owned by Vincent Rae - now of Byron Bay’s Rae’s on Wategos fame. Moving to Sydney in 1990, Martin furthered his career at several well-known Sydney restaurants. He worked with David Novak-Piper at Zigolini’s in Double Bay and it was here Martin first met Sam Christie, who would later become his Longrain business partner. He undertook a brief stint at The Russell Hotel before moving on to work with his mentor, David Thompson, at Darley Street Thai (Thompson now owns London’s Michelin starred restaurant, Nahm).

  It was during this period that Martin first developed a passion and palate for Asian food cooked with the freshest local produce and ingredients. Martin later went on to run Sailors Thai - another of Thompson’s celebrated Thai restaurant ventures. It was here that he garnered his reputation as one of Australia’s leading talents of contemporary Thai-style Asian cooking. In 2003, Boetz was honoured when David Thompson visited from London to officially launch Martin’s first cookbook: Longrain Modern Thai Food. Martin has also developed a range of Longrain Produce - there are four delicious Asian sauces to help the home cook create a taste of Longrain for themselves (Available from Longrain Sydney). In 1999, Martin joined forces with Sam Christie to launch Longrain Restaurant & Bar in Sydney’s Surry Hills and together they opened Longrain Melbourne in 2005 to more rave reviews.

  Testament to Martin’s talents, he will be a guest chef at Bangkok’s prestigious five star hotel, The Sukhothai, just before participating at Savour Tasmania 2011.

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  Andre Kropp, The Henry Jones Art Hotel, Hobart

  Executive Chef Andre Kropp was born in South Africa and started his career at the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. This was followed by a period in Botswana, Germany and Scotland before relocating to Australia. Andre joined with The Henry Jones Art Hotel in April 2004 and in this time with The Henry Jones, has developed a young brigade of chefs to the point of state and national award and designing their own menus for the flagship restaurant.

  Andre has represented South Africa and Australia at a number of Culinary Olympic events and has achieved the highest accolades at all of these events.

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  Igor van Gerwen, Anvers Confectionery, Latrobe

  Igor, who came to Australia from Belgium, commenced Anvers Confectionery as a cottage industry business in November 1989 and now over 20 years later has a flourishing business at Latrobe in Tasmania’s north. Products range from handmade chocolate truffles, chocolate oranges, fudge to moulded pralines.

  During his six years as a student at the Institute of Foodstuffs (translation) in Antwerp, Belgium and by working for some of the finest patisseries in the Flemish and Walloon regions, Igor learnt among other culinary skills, the art of handling chocolate. Igor was trained by Roger Geerts, the world renowned confectioner and author of Belgian Pralines. To guarantee the quality of his products, he not only has to painstakingly train his staff in the art of manipulating chocolate, but it also is a continuous exercise in sourcing the finest ingredients. Not only does he use fresh Tasmanian cream, pure butter, exquisite liquors and natural flavours, but also the world's finest chocolate. The dark chocolate has a cacao content of 64 per cent and the milk 38 per cent, and is conched to a very fine stage. Igor has found the Tasmanian cream and butter to be the richest in flavour of any in the world, ideally suited for truffles and fudge. He believes the reason for this that the pastures in Tasmania's pure environment stay green almost all year round, eliminating the need to feed dairy cows on grains.

  After successfully marketing the Anvers range in Tasmania the products are now available in all major department stores Australia-wide and some of Anvers’ customers include Stefano de Pieri, Marcus Moore, Bruno Malzacher, Walter Wagner, Christian Heidenreigh, Mejitte Boughenhout and Tobie Puttock.

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  Jack Lark, Junior Masterchef 2010 Runner-up

  Realising cooking was a great way to express himself creatively, Jack began cooking when he was nine years old and once made an impressive croquembouche for a friend’s dinner party which ended up collapsing in the car on the way there. Jack was inspired to start cooking after watching the movie Julia and Julia and loves cooking because it means he can be creative, have fun and relax at the same time. Learning to cook from his mum with Julia Child’s cookbooks, Jack admits his biggest challenge in the Masterchef competition was getting the judges to like and appreciate his creative food style. Jack enjoys the challenge of cooking a complex dish and wants to be a chef who specialises in molecular gastronomy like his idol Heston Blumenthal, or a forensic scientist. At thirteen years old, he has time to decide.

  Photo: © Newspix / Eiszele Kim

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  Luke Wagner (Artist) and Ainstie Wagner (Executive Chef), Government House, Hobart

  Born in Hobart in 1962, Luke Wagner is an artist who follows his heart. After initially embarking on a science-based career in the early 1980s, a mix of planned and serendipitous events led to him becoming immersed in the art world. Captivated by his new-found career, Wagner has developed a unique style that reflects the universal, while capturing the essence of Tasmania’s haunting landscapes. It incorporates timeless Arcadian moods, imbued with classical echoes that entice the viewer to explore.  Although Wagner is renowned for his surreal and stylised landscapes, his work often integrates figurative and still life genres that provide a catalyst to convey his intent. Luke gets much of his inspiration from his beloved Tasmanian landscape, where he spends many hours absorbing its nuances and power.

  Luke Wagner has won numerous awards and his work continues to grow in popularity. Since his first sell-out exhibition in 1994, he has held a further 24 successful exhibitions in Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. A self-taught painter, Luke has allowed his individualistic and personal approach to his work to flourish. He continues to explore many themes and ideas and says that his intent is ‘to make meaningful and worthwhile art that engages the viewer in a poetic and honest way’.

  Ainstie Wagner is the Executive Chef at Government House, Tasmania. She has held the position off and on since 1987 leaving to pursue new fields to keep herself refreshed. This has included teaching basic cooking for teenagers in need, to cooking at the Culinary Arts Centre. She has also had a Personal Catering service and worked at Meadowbank Estate as the Exhibition Coordinator and Events Manager. She has owned her own delicatessen, and run the kitchens at the University Staff Club and the Athenaeum Club. This is her 3rd stint back at Government House and she has come to roost for a while in the beautiful House and gardens. Her time at Government House has included cooking many high profile guests and Royal visitors.

  Government House has a produce garden that is the envy of many. Ainstie liaises with the head Gardener to discuss what is required over the next few months and she is also involved with the harvesting and preparation of all the seasonal garden products.

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  Sean Keating, Country Club Launceston

  Sean Keating has honed his skills in the kitchen over 15 years with experiences in such fine establishments as Matteos, Jimmy Watsons and European. In addition to his vast experience working with some of Australia’s finest chefs, Sean is also an experienced fine art photographer having travelled to London and Spain, as well as around Australia exhibiting his work. Originally from Melbourne, Sean settled in Launceston as he found the quality of the food in Tasmania exceptional. His passion for this produce is more than evident when scanning the menu at The Terrace where almost all of his dishes’ ingredients are sourced from the surrounding area.

 
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  Luke Burgess, Garagistes, Hobart

  
  

  A talented food photographer and chef, Luke moved to Hobart from Sydney where he trained at Tetsuya’s. He ran a stellar restaurant, Pecora, with his partner Katrina Birchmeier at Birch's Bay before doing a stint at Noma in Copenhagen.

  Now with his own restaurant and wine bar Garagistes, a partnership between Burgess, co-owner Katrina Birchmeier and sommelier Kirk Richardson, the menu showcases organic and seasonal Tasmanian produce with a heavy emphasis on organic and biodynamic wines from small winemakers.

  L to R: Luke Burgess, Kirk Richardson, Katrina Burchmeier

  Photo: © DEDTA/Roger Lovell

 
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  Scott Heffernan, Smolt

  Currently the Head Chef at Hobart’s Smolt Restaurant, Scott Heffernan grew up on Tasmania’s wild west-coast, developing his passion for food from an early age. After stints in Melbourne’s acclaimed Vue De Monde and St Kilda’s iconic Stokehouse (followed by the obligatory overseas jaunt). Scott returned to Tasmania to help open Launceston’s Mud Bar and Restaurant. He also went on to complete a scholarship at acclaimed Sydney restaurant Tetsuya’s. With a deep appreciation of the world-class produce on his doorstep, Scott has worked hard to develop strong relationships with local producers who rear and grow the ingredients on Smolt’s menu.