BEST NEW TALENT
QLD ETHAN FERRIS, RESTAURANT LABART
Celebrated Gold Coaster Labart hadn’t long opened when recently qualified chef Ethan Ferris joined in 2018. But the recruit’s potential was swiftly recognised. Three years on, when owners Alex Munoz Labart and wife Karla began developing fresh projects, Ferris was handpicked to step up and head Labart’s kitchen. Now while Munoz Labart oversees Paloma, Labart’s funky drinks-focused sibling (see Best Wine Bar finalists), Ferris upholds the highest of standards at understated Labart. A steep curve for a quiet achiever who’s just 26.
In short: The future looks bright.
NSW ELIZABETH MITCHELL, ALBERTO’S LOUNGE
It’s been a big two years for Elizabeth Mitchell. In the wake of 2020’s lockdown restrictions, she launched a series of pop-up dinner parties, Ten Hats, alongside three friends. The sellout events quickly became some of Sydney’s hottest tickets, serving fun updates on old classics in unexpected locations. But it was her step up to head chef at Alberto’s Lounge earlier this year that has turned heads. Humble yet refined, Mitchell’s cooking has reinvigorated the inner-city trattoria while remaining true to the venue’s original spirit.
In short: Connecting past and present.
SA MUG CHEN & CHIA WU, MUNI
When Taiwanese chefs Mug Chen and Chia Wu opened their natural wine bar and restaurant in Willunga in late 2021, it shook things up in the quaint town. Previously, Chen trained in Paris and later honed her skills at Melbourne’s Vue de Monde and McLaren Vale’s The Salopian Inn. Meanwhile, Wu hit the tools at d’Arenberg Cube Restaurant, Fino Vino and The Little Rickshaw. Starting Muni was a bold move. Their beautifully executed Taiwanese-inspired snacks, 11-course set dining menu, and challenging drinks menu is an exciting addition to the wine region. In short: Inspired risk takers.
VIC HELLY RAICHURA, ENTER VIA LAUNDRY
Helly Raichura’s hospitality voyage is hardly typical. Her passion for cooking, fostered at home in India, was turbocharged after moving to Australia and encountering the limited scope of Indian food. She opened Enter via Laundry in her house with a waitlist in the thousands, and did things her way, bringing fine dining and Australian native ingredients to traditional Indian dishes. No longer in her house, EVL still has an atypical entrance and Raichura continues to make it unique. In short: Go your own way.
NSW ALEX WONG, LANA
The original pitch pegged Lana as a seafood-focused Italian fine-diner. But given the freedom to explore, head chef Alex Wong turned Lana’s menu into a far more intriguing proposition, peppering Italian staples with a diverse range of flavours. Take for instance, his siu mai-inspired cappelletti, filled with pork and prawn and served in an umamipacked dashi. Wong’s snack game is so strong, it’s spawned its own menu, Lana’s Play List. And like all the best hits, you’ll want to keep these on repeat.
In short: Hit maker.
VIC DENNIS YONG, PARCS
When Dennis Yong was contemplating a career change while working at Sunda, restaurateur Adi Halim (owner of Sunda, Aru and The Windsor) offered him his own restaurant where he could focus on his dual passions: sustainable dining and fermentation. It was inspired casting with Yong having the talent and imagination to turn a worthy cause into an outstandingly delicious one. Repurposing ingredients that would otherwise be headed for the bin, Yong creates unique flavours and a highly original dining experience.
In short: Tasty waste.
WA ROHAN PARK,
OLD YOUNG’S KITCHEN
During high school, Rohan Park spent a year boarding in the Swan Valley.
After cooking his way through the state, he’s back and stationed at Old Young’s Kitchen, an easy-going distillery restaurant making Indigenous flavours accessible to all. From cured kingfish sharpened with finger lime and pepperberry to kangaroo tartare with youlk and a crocodile garum, Park’s cooking prioritises deliciousness and supporting First Nations growers and communities.
In short: Connecting past and present.