Kristie Booker – Director, Imagine Collective: The Food & Beverage Matchmaker

Food is in Kristie Booker’s DNA. Growing up with a mother who was an exceptionally talented cook and a grandmother who was a pastry chef, she was immersedin the art and joy of food from an early age. That heritage shaped her passion for hospitality and her belief that every menu should tell a story.

Kristie takes a unique approach to menu design. Rather than starting purely from a chef’s perspective, she works from a brand and ingredient angle — understanding not just what makes a dish delicious, but how it gets onto the menu in the first place. With expertise in new product development (NPD), cost-of-goods analysis, and market positioning, she creates menus that balance creativity, profitability, and guest appeal.

Before founding Imagine Collective, Kristie collaborated with several well-known brands, refining her ability to bridge the gap between suppliers, venues, and customers. Today, Imagine Collective is dedicated to supporting every aspect of hospitality — from brand representation, menu strategy and ingredient sourcing and operational tender processes — with a focus on creating unique, profitable, and memorable dining experiences. She has selected top talent from Queensland in menu design, development, and operations to help Imagine Collective’s clients thrive.

Her “matchmaking” philosophy is about collaboration: pairing the right ingredients with the right venues, crafting menus that align with brand identity, and building menus that build community. Kristie believes a good life needs great food, and she works to ensure venues deliver dining experiences guests love, remember, and return for.