Brisbane, 13 October 2025 – Alfan Musthafa, Head Chef & Co-Owner at Fortitude Valley’s Warisan, has been crowned Queensland Chef of the Year 2025 at Food & Hospitality Queensland, the state’s biggest foodservice trade show.
The live competition, held over two intense days at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, brought together 24 of Queensland’s most talented chefs in a thrilling showcase of skill, creativity, and composure under pressure.
Musthafa impressed the judges with his standout dishes – an elegant whiting carpaccio with orange namh jim, caramelised fig, finger lime and wattle seed, followed by a grilled marinated wagyu beef rump with lemon myrtle, butternut purée, crispy lion’s mane mushrooms, zucchini flower, and mountain pepper.
Celebrating Queensland’s Culinary Excellence
Now in its 10th year, the Queensland Chef of the Year competition is one of the most respected live cooking events in Australia, offering chefs from across the state the opportunity to test their skills in a high-pressure, competition-style kitchen.
This year’s final “Indigenous Round” saw four chefs battle it out for the title: Alfan Musthafa (Warisan), Ha Chul Sung (Moo Moo the Wine Bar and Grill Brisbane), Dino Ng (Rydges Southbank) and Grant Parry (Cucino Vivo). Each competitor created dishes using native Australian ingredients, showcasing innovation and respect for local produce.
The competition was judged by a panel of leading industry professionals, led by Jamie Gannon, Culinary Director of The Good Plate and former Queensland Chef of the Year winner.
Head Judge Jamie Gannon said the standard was the highest he’s seen in five years.
“The calibre and quality of the 4 finalists are the best that I’ve seen in the five years I’ve been judging this competition,” he said.
“The way Chef Alfan brought his Indonesian heritage and treated it with Indigenous flavours – it was absolutely genius. He used his strengths with the ingredients we gave him and nailed it.”
But with such a high quality of finalists it was a close competition between the four finalists, with Musthafa just edging out the win.
“It was literally one point between them – that’s how close it was.”
Winner Alfan Musthafa said his approach to cooking is grounded in connection, emotion and culture:
“My cooking is inspired by my desire to create connections through food. I believe that meals bring people together, and I strive to create dishes that not only taste good but also evoke emotions and memories. My goal is to inspire others to appreciate the beauty of cooking and the joy it can bring.”
“Moreover, my culinary influences stem from my cultural heritage. The traditional cooking methods and recipes passed down through generations in my family have instilled in me a deep respect for authenticity and the importance of preserving culinary traditions.”
About the Competition
The Queensland Chef of the Year competition is proudly presented as part of Food & Hospitality Queensland, shining a spotlight on the state’s culinary talent and providing a platform for chefs to connect, learn and showcase their craft.
The 2025 competition was proudly supported by Cookers Bulk Oil, Krio Krush, Birch & Waite, Stanbroke, Australian Avocados, Unox, Alsco Uniforms and Horecano.
Media Enquiries: Lucy Eldred Head of Marketing & Brand – Food & Hospitality Portfolio 0407 829 726, leldred@nationalmedia.com.au
