2025 Speakers
From award-winning chefs & baristas to pioneering restaurateurs, the Food & Hospitality Queensland stage is set for hospitality’s brightest minds.
Here are just some of the big names taking the stage this October.
Adriano Zumbo
Consultant, Research & Devt Bakery/Desserts / Zumbo Brands
Aunty Dale Chapman
First Nations Chef / My Dilly Bag
Danielle Dixon
Chef & Head of Curriculum / Institute of Culinary Excellence
Jamie Gannon
Culinary Director / Feros Group
Johnny Di Francesco
Director / Gradi Group
Leah Dunnigan
T25 Aus Bartender of the Year '25 / Savile Row
Phil DiBella
Founder / The Coffee Commune
Tobie Puttock
Chef / Zero Waste Cooking
All Food & Hospitality Queensland Speakers A-Z
Adam Theobald
Founder & CEO / Ordermentum
Adriano Zumbo
Consultant, Research & Devt Bakery/Desserts / Zumbo Brands
Alessandro Motta
Artisan Cheese Maker / Casa Motta
Alexander Bell
Chemical engineer & Founder / Milton Distillery
Alexandra Preece
General Manager / Gradi Group
Andrea Green
Sales Manager / Mission Foods
Andrew Baturo
Restaurateur / Dap & Co. Hospitality Group
Antonio Maio
Pizza Technician / Marana Australia
Aunty Dale Chapman
First Nations Chef / My Dilly Bag
Ben Cook
Director / Smooth Dining
Ben Stokes
Grower / The Pineapple Farming Co
Bernie Hogan
CEO / Queensland Hotels Association (QHA)
Billy Gibney
Owner / Meat at Billy's
Bruce Fathi
Director & Founder / Hexa Designs
Carolyne Helmy
Chef de cuisine / The Star
Chris Bowe
General Manager, Learning and Customer Experience / Coffee Commune
Chris Jordan
First Nations Chef / Three Little Birds
Chris Thompson
Head of Growth / Yume Food
Claire Van Vuuren
Head chef / Owner / Bloodwood
Clare Riley
Managing Editor / Restaurant Business
Clayton Costigan
Chef/Owner / Bergen Restaurant
Dan Arnold
Chef /
Danielle Dixon
Chef & Head of Curriculum / Institute of Culinary Excellence
Dijana Dragicevich
National Allied Health Manager | Speech Pathologist / Bloom Healthcare
Donna Kramer
Co-Founder / Aruga - PR Agency
Elias Rikos
Marketing Director / Pink Pickle Marketing
Emanuele Malara
Owner, Chef / Ciccio's Pizza & Gelato
Georgina Vergunst
General Manager - Sales & Marketing / Fresh to Go Foods
Giorgio Linguanti
Founder / That's Amore Cheese
Glenn Flood
Food Consultant /
Gustav Lammerding
Head Of Marketing / Banjo's
Hugo Hirst
Owner / Sarni
Ingrid Roche
Senior Project Officer / National Allergy Council
Isaac Gorton
Hospitality Recruitment Specialist / Frontline Hospitality Queensland
Isaac Moody
Managing Director/Owner / The Baker's Duck
Jamie Gannon
Culinary Director / Feros Group
Jason Long
Commercial & Industrial Services / Coffee Commune
Jimmy Hurlston
Founder & CEO / Easeys
Joel Chrystal
Culinary & Hospitality Innovation / Imagine Collective
Joel Cox
Marketing Director / Beetle Digital
John Casey
Director / Culinary Studio
Julie Cichero
Speech Pathologist / Co-Chair / IDDSI Global
Julie Dundon
Accredited Practising Dietitian / Nutrition Professionals Australia
Katie Barton-Harvey
Project Coordinator / Boomerang Alliance
Katrina Costigan
Owner/Operator / UVA Wine Bar
Keary Shandler
Sustainability Consultant /
Kirsty Leigh
Operations Manager / Nundah Community Enterprises Cooperative
Kristie Booker
FMCG Director / Imagine Collective
Laura Goldberg
Owner / Marketing Director / Hurricane's Grill
Laura Stasinowsky
Occupational Therapist & Dementia Consultant / Alongside You
Leah Dunnigan
T25 Aus Bartender of the Year '25 / Savile Row
Liam McLauglin
/ Global Hospitality Group
Linda Dang
Director & Hospitality Accountant / Evisory
Lindsey O'Grady
Catering Operations Specialist / RiseUp Group
Liz Hefren-Webb
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner / Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC)
Louis Tikaram
Chef / Australian Avocados
Lucy Allon
Co-Founder / Straight to the Source
Mark Hogben
Regional Hospitality Manager / Calvary Healthcare
Matt Wilkinson
Chef & Food Consultant / MW Projects
Matthew Maslak
Chef / Global Hospitality
Michael Bishop
Founder, Flavour Hunter, Storyteller / Alchemy Cordial Company
Nahshon Pinto
Director | Queensland Government Mentor for Growth / 7 Tiles Consulting
Nikki Keyte
Innovation Manager / Priestleys
Paul Ayyash
Hospitality Service Consultant / Hospo Dojo
Paul Rifkin
Hospitality Consultant & Chef Coach / Chef Paul Rifkin Consulting
Paul Terzis
Sales Director / Commercial Kitchen Company
Peter Kuruvita
Chef /
Phil DiBella
Founder / The Coffee Commune
Phil Boss
COO & Co-Founder / RiseUp
Raihaan Esat
General Manager / International Coffee Traders
Renee Brown
Vineyard Manager / Rosalie House
Rob Comiskey
Co-founder & Director / Comiskey Group
Robert Smithson
Head of Culinary / dnata Catering & Retail
Rod Fowler
Director & Principal / Food Industry Foresight
Rodger Graf
Managing Director / Nutritious Cuisine
Sandra Grey-Smith
Health & Clinical Education Specialist / Dementia Training Australia
Sean Cunnington
Key Account Manager / UNOX
Sergio Londono
Head of Coffee / Jack Murat
Shane Flanagan
Head of Integrated Partners / me&u
Simon Dell
CEO & Founder / Queensland Government Mentor for Growth / Cemoh
Steven Minnikin
Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and Minister for Small and Family Business / Queensland Government
Tanaya Treadwell
CEO / Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce
Tawnya Bahr
Co-Founder / Straight to the Source
Tawnya Bahr
Co-Founder / Straight to the Source
Tim Sweet
Sales / Bombora Supplies
Tobie Puttock
Chef / Zero Waste Cooking
Venessa Barnes
Co-Founder and Marketing Manager / FoodLogic
Wayne Wallis
National Food and Beverage Manager / Arcare Aged Care
William Grange
Baker / Burleigh Baker
Youssef Ben Touati
Multi-award Winning Pizza Champion / Selecta Food Group