2026 Speakers

From award-winning chefs & baristas to pioneering restaurateurs, the Food & Hospitality Week stage is set for hospitality’s brightest minds.

VIEW AGENDA

Full list of 2026 speakers from A-Z

CEO / Pablo & Rusty

Head of Operations / ByteFederal Australia

Chief Marketing Officer / El Jannah

/ Sonoma Bakery

CEO / Byte Federal

Alexander Cohen

Founder / Scope&Go AI Agency

Alexandra Preece

General Manager / Gradi Group

Managing Editor / Time Out Sydney

Head of Foodservice / Lantmnnen Unibake

Mentor & Judge, Pastry Chef, Baker, Chocolatier & Food Technologist / Baking Association Australia

Pastry Chef / Martini Professional

CEO/Founder / CTB & CO.

Angelica Iuliano

Pastry Chef / Queen Professional

Chief Business Officer / Maestro Hospitality | Cibaria at Manly Pacific

Group Hotel Services Manager / Infinite Aged Care

Asantha Wijeyeratne

Executive Director, CEO and Co-Founder / PaySauce

Vice President Food & Beverage Asia & Pacific / Accor | Global Hospitality & Restaurants

CEO & Co-Founder / FoodByUs

CEO & Founder / Fonto

Trade Marketing Manager / Seven Miles

Bethany Garnett

Head of Reservations / Laundy Hotel Group

Founder / Stanley Green Plant Shop Cafe & Bar

Owner & Executive Chef / Berowra Waters Inn

National Food Safety /Catering Products & Innovation / Regis Aged Care

Callie van der Merwe

Co-Founder / Piccolo Me

Industry Director / End Food Waste

First Nations Chef / Three Little Birds

Operations Manager / Pablo & Rusty's Coffee Roasters

Christopher Thé

Founder & Chef / Hearthe

Claire Van Vuuren

Head chef / Owner / Bloodwood

Daniel Pasquali

Daniel Drakopoulos

Managing Director / SRG Hospitality

Daniel Sorridimi

Co-Founder / Blackwood

/ Gigi's Pizzeria

Executive Head Chef / Opera Bar & House Canteen

Business Development Manager / Naked Syrups

Daryl McCormack

Owner & Chef / AfterGlow Eatery

Hotel Service Manager & Executive Chef Manager / St Vincent's Care

Davide Civitello

/ Basile Imports

Dinesh Subramani

Head of Hotel Services / Mecwacare

Business Manager / Australian Butcher Guild

COO / GEMA Group

Marketing Director / Pink Pickle Marketing

Commercial Development Chef / Nestlé Professional

Head of Sales & Marketing Global / Paramount 21 Ltd

Francesco Spataro

AVPN-certified Pizzaiolo & Chef / AVPN

Co-founder / Stanley House Studios

Chef / Flaminia at Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour

Giuseppe Minoia

/ Vanella Cheese

Food Consultant /

Co-Founder & Director / Applejack Hospitatlity

General Manager / RSL LifeCare

Hector Valles Fernandez

Hospitality Entrepreneur and Co-founder / Radio Taco

Senior Project Officer / National Allergy Council

Hospitality Profitability Strategist / Rethink Hospitality

Chef de cuisine / The William Inglis Hotel

Founder / Mary's

James O'Connell

Founder/CEO / The Hospitality Company

QLD State Sales Manager / Paradox Coffee Roasters

Culinary Director / Feros Group

Blogger - The Burger Guy / Food Coma Eats

Jessica Zilujko

Accredited Practising Dietitian and Director / Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission's Food, Nutrition and Dining Unit

Founder & CEO / Easeys

Director of Marketing & Partnerships / Applejack

Culinary and Hospitality Consultant / Imagine Collective

Director / The Culinary Studio

John Cafferatta

Head of Coffee / The Roasting Company

National Sales Marketing Manager / Ecofry

Johnny Di Francesco

Head Judge / Gradi Group | AVPN

Food & Beverage Director / Solotel

Director / Catalina

Accredited Practising Dietitian / Nutrition Professionals Australia

Speech Pathologist & Co-Founder / IDDSI Global

Executive Director and Co-Founder / Gami Chicken & Beer

Director / President / House Made Hospitality / UpTown District Sydney

Karl Schlothauer

Vice President / YCK Laneways

Head of Growth / Innavi

FMCG Director / Imagine Collective

Laetitia Loefti

Owner/Operator / Sunday's Bondi

Chief Operating Officer / Hurricane's Grill

Lindsey O'Grady

Catering Operations Specialist / RiseUp Group

Owner / SHOP225

Precinct Manager / Eastside Sydney

Owner / Lucios Pizzeria

Partnerships Lead for NSW & WA / Too Good To Go

Restaurateur/Chef / Luke's Kitchen at Kimpton Margot Sydney

Captain / Australian Butcher Team

Chef / Martini Professional

Business Success Leadership Coach/Consultant / Shaw Thing

Culinary Director / Delaware North

Chef & Food Consultant / MW Projects

Michelle McCracken

Culinary Nutritionist and Accredited Practising Dietitian / Nestl Professional

Pâtissièr / Euca Gelato

Natalie Latimore

Head of Marketing / Milklab

Nicholas Kalogeropoulos (Moderator)

/ Global Hospitality

Head of Key Accounts / Too Good To Go

/ Bocuse d'Or | Porcine

Executive Assistant Manager - Food and Beverage Operations / Hyatt Regency Sydney

CRO / Now Book It

Hospitality Consultant & Chef Coach / chefpaulrifkin consulting

Hospitality Service Consultant / Hospo Dojo

Co-Founder / Chomp

COO / RiseUp Group

Chief Marketing Officer / Pappa Flock

Rachelle Yilmaz

CEO & Founder / Visumé

CEO / Zeus Street Greek

Co-Founder / Rolo Robotics

Rebecca Jarvie-Gibbs

COO & Co-Founder / Example PR

Richard Goodman

CEO / Loaded Hub

Robert Smithson

Head of Culinary / Dnata

Robert Lechowicz

Executive Head Chef and Owner / Blackwood

Managing Director / Nutritious Cuisine

Founder / Super Nash Brothers

Head of Partnerships / Impact Data

Scott Sanderson

General Manager of Wholesale / The Grounds

Sean Cunnington

Key Account Manager / UNOX

Sebastien Syidalza

/ Sebastien Sans Gluten

Shane Richardson

Joint Director / Laundy Hotel Group / Watsons Bay Hotel

Head of Partnerships / me&u

Owner & Chef / Boronia Kitchen

Loyalty Director / Loyalty & Reward Co

Group Managing Director / Catering HQ

World Judge / World Butchers Challenge

Co-Founder / Straight To The Source

Managing Director / me&u

Founder & Head Business Coach / Foodie Coaches

Founder / Clever Cafe

Co-Founder / FoodLogic

2026 Agenda