Celebrity Profiles
Tan, Tony
Tony Tan is one of Australia’s most respected culinary teacher and chef specialising in Chinese, Nonya, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Malaysian and cross-cultural cooking. Trained at La Varenne in France and Leith’s School of Food and Wine in England, he has owned and cooked at Shakahari Restaurant in Melbourne and Tatlers Café in Sydney. Tatlers was an instant success and was regarded as one of the most innovative restaurants in Australia. He is now the principal of his cooking school in Melbourne which he established in 2001.
A graduate in Renaissance History and Chinese Language from Monash University, Tony is fluent in several languages; as a consequence, he hosts intensive culinary and cultural tours to countries in Southeast Asia, China and Spain.
Tony has also presented several master classes around Australia and has been guest chef at hotels and restaurants throughout Australia, Asia and Spain including the Ritz in Madrid as well as at Alambique, one of Spain’s top cooking schools. He has presented at Savour New Zealand, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Tasting Australia and Melbourne Slow Food Winter Festival in 2006.
Tony has co-hosted the television series The Food Lovers Guide to Australia and has also organised the Asian Food Festival in Melbourne. He is the 2007 international judge from Australia at Hong Kong’s premier Chinese Cuisine Challenge, The Best of the Best Culinary Competition. He writes regularly for several magazines and newspapers in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United States.
The school is listed as one of the top in Jenni Muir’s book, A Place to Cook in 2004. The UK paper, The Independent has selected his school as one of the best in the world in March, 2005 and in 2006, Tony’s cooking school was ranked as one of the top 22 internationally by London’s Financial Times. In 2007, Tony’s school was picked by the Australian as the state finalist in the Best Food Experience Category. Last year, the school was listed as one of the two best in Australia by US Gourmet Magazine.
Owing to Tony’s dedication and professionalism in the food world, his food tours were recognised in an award from The Australian newspaper. He is also Creative Director – Cultural – of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
Thomas, Cole
Chef de cuisine of Adelaide-based Culinetic, director of high-profile caterers What a dish!, and proprieter of Cole Thomas Culinary Solutions, Cole is undoubtedly one of Adelaide’s most ‘in-demand’ chefs. Cole’s Culinetic team provides culinary experiences to three of Adelaide’s finest boutique establishments: the Royal Institution of Australia’s Adelaide Science Exchange, the exclusive Hentley Farm Cellar Door in the Barossa Valley, and the spectacular Skydeck at Pinnacle on Pirie.
A passionate champion of local producers, Cole has created South Australian dining experiences in every major capital city of Australia, and overseas in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. And his public seminars have commanded much attention (and acclaim) from audiences at the Science Exchange. ‘Terroir to Table’ enlisted wine journalist Tony Love and Yalumba’s Louisa Rose, and examined food and wine pairing from a molecular perspective. His ‘Mood Food’ series began with ‘A Scientific Exploration of the Art of Flavour’, with upcoming events set to cast the spotlight on coffee and cocktails. And the ‘Future Food’ series continues at Tasting Australia, where Cole will reveal some well-guarded secrets of avant-garde culinary techniques on Monday, 3 May.
The path to the culinary arts was a kaleidoscopic journey for Cole Thomas. Raised in the bohemian University town of Athens, Georgia (US), Cole earned degrees in Political Science and Theatre in the Midwest before landing in New York’s Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute as an actor. Moonlighting as a waiter in two of the Big Apple’s top fine diners whet Cole’s appetite for service in the food industry, but an Aussie girl stole his heart. Six years of pharmaceutical industry experience in Australia (as a private consultant to manufacturers, following two years as a sales rep), set the tone for a perfect fusion of science and cuisine. Apprenticing himself to his own chefs provided Cole with technical grounding, and a keen and inquisitive spirit has equipped Cole to ask the right questions about cuisine, challenging popular notions of cookery. After guiding What a dish! to the position of Adelaide’s most recognised caterer in under four years, Cole’s proficiency as a scientific chef landed him the role at the epicentre of popular science in Australia, the RiAus.
Scientific cuisine is a concept that informs every facet of our modern approach to food, and Cole Thomas is at the vanguard of the new wave of chefs who embrace technology and question everything in pursuit of the ultimate flavour and dining experience.
Thompson, Kerri
The opportunity to indulge my passions for the finer things in life was too good to be true and so I was led to a career in winemaking. After completing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College South Australia in 1993, I have worked vintages in McLaren Vale, Tuscany Italy, Beaujolais France and the Clare Valley.
I am excited about natural forms of farming, for celebrating the diversity of Riesling and for the idyllic region of the Clare Valley. After 9 years in the role of Winemaker/Manager of Leasingham Wines, 2007 vintage represented a new beginning - establishing my own wine business and it's a dream come true. It has allowed me to work with the people and vineyard sites which I truly believe in and have some fun whilst fulfilling my love for winegrowing. I love making high quality wines that show drinkability and interest and to travel the world teaching consumers about the joys of Australian wine. I hope that tasting my wines you experience the true spirit of this great region and I look forward to creating more great wines for you to enjoy in the future.
