FMCG Director / Imagine Collective
Kristie Booker

Food is in Kristie BookerOs 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 chefOs perspective, she works from a brand and ingredient angle N 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 N from brand representation, menu strategy and ingredient sourcing and operational tender processes N 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 OmatchmakingO 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.

I L Y
Save Speaker
Saved Speaker
The Inclusive Menu: Balancing Creativity, Profit, and Safety
Monday 25 May
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Café Success Stage
Ingrid Roche
Senior Project Officer
National Allergy Council
Natalie Latimore
Head of Marketing
Milklab
Joel Chrystal
Culinary and Hospitality Consultant
Imagine Collective
Kristie Booker
FMCG Director
Imagine Collective
Sebastien Syidalza
Sebastien Sans Gluten
How To Build a Cafe Brand That People Talk About
Monday 25 May
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Café Success Stage
Elias Rikos
Marketing Director
Pink Pickle Marketing
Laetitia Loefti
Owner/Operator
Sunday's Bondi
Scott Sanderson
General Manager of Wholesale
The Grounds
Kristie Booker
FMCG Director
Imagine Collective
Daniel Pasquali
Bake Lab
The Art of the Signature Drink: Standing Out in a Crowded Market
Tuesday 26 May
11:30 am - 12:15 pm
Café Success Stage
Darren Meachem
Business Development Manager
Naked Syrups
Kristie Booker
FMCG Director
Imagine Collective
Dave Hwang
Owner & Chef
AfterGlow Eatery
Ben Irvine
Trade Marketing Manager
Seven Miles