Peter Everett

Peter Everett brings a strong enthusiasm for food and infectious passion for life to his role as host of Ready Steady Cook.
 
Although cooking is one of Peter's favourite hobbies, he's no chef! He therefore "de-jargons the chef speak", asks lots of questions and generally acts as a link between the audience and the professional chefs, making the show extremely entertaining and educational.

Whilst in London in 1996, Peter (who was an interior designer at the time) was told by Princess Diana's clairvoyant that he would end up on TV. It wasn't long before Peter found himself in that very medium: hosting multiple home renovation programs including Changing Rooms, Renovation Rescue and Amazing Homes for the Nine Network.

But there's so much more to the man who grew up "an outback kid" in Charleville, Central Queensland. With a natural knack for entertaining people, Peter moved to Brisbane as a teen and joined a singing group. He spent years travelling and living in America and Hong Kong, before returning to Australia to settle in Sydney and run the Queen Street Brasserie.

Apart from cooking, Peter's hobbies include yoga, photography and horse riding.

Ultimately, Peter loves food and he loves an audience, which makes hosting Ready Steady Cook in front of a live audience the dream job for this fun-loving and popular personality.
 

Jacqui Gowan

Jacqui Gowan is one female chef that’s not afraid to go up against the boys!

Jacqui started her career at Darling Mills in Glebe, and from there went on to be second in charge at Bathers’ Pavilion in Balmoral. She has also run a Santa Fe /South American style restaurant called Rattle Snake Grill in Neutral Bay, and Head Chef at Subsolo, in Sydney.

According to Jacqui, when it comes to the kitchen, you’ve got to be tough, “You have to be male in the kitchen… and then when you leave you do your hair and your nails and become a girl again”.

Jacqui rarely cooks at home but when she does, she enjoys BBQ’s and sukiyaki nights, basically any cooking situation that allows her to socialise and cook at the same time. Having said that, Jacqui does confess she would rather eat breakfast, lunch and dinner out on her days off.

Ready Steady Cook appeals to Jacqui because she likes seeing Chefs having fun. She believes the show is a fun challenge and adds another dimension to her career.

“As a Head Chef you are always looking for something that will keep you motivated all the time, and Ready Steady Cook is an escape from what I do everyday.”

Matt Golinski

Matt Golinski is a man of few words, and those  he does use are fairly understated. If you ask him where he has worked he’ll tell you that he hasn’t worked “with the Roux Brothers, Marco Pierre White, Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay.”

Born on the Sunshine Coast, Matt began life as an apprentice in Brisbane, working at Squirrels Restaurant, West End and Chevaliers Restaurant. With his apprenticeship completed, he packed his fishing rod and his favourite books and headed around Australia.

Twelve months on the road didn’t cure his wanderlust and in 1997 Matt and his wife Rachel, travelled through Thailand, Turkey, Europe and England, working in a variety of large and small establishments.

By 1999 the Sunshine Coast was calling them back, and Matt took up the position of Executive Chef at Ricky Ricardo’s in Noosa. Here he cooked Mediterranean-inspired food in one of the most beautiful locations in Australia.

Matt also has a swag of local and international awards to his name, including when he beat the Italians at their own game and earned a bronze medal from Bologna’s Internazionale della Cucina Bolognese for cooking fresh pasta.

Still based on the Sunshine Coast today Matt is currently focusing on his own tapas range The Rolling Dolmade.

Janelle Bloom

Janelle Bloom is one of this country's most loved food writers and authors. Janelle believes cooking begins with confidence and a little patience - it does not have to be complicated. She is passionate that her recipes are foolproof, easy to follow, use ingredients that are easy to obtain, in season and taste as good as they look.

November 2008 was a highlight - Janelle launched her new cookbook, "Fast, Fresh & Fabulous", which has been a runaway success. She says, "my hope for this book is it will inspire people to get into the kitchen. While I am humbled by the sales, I am thrilled and touched by all the feedback." Janelle’s follow on book "Fab Food for Family & Friends" launched end of 2009 also hit best sellers list.

2010 is full steam ahead work-wise, with Ready Steady Cook ("It's too much fun to be called work"), yet another book and her weekly radio gig on 2GB Tuesday evenings 7-8pm with Glenn Wheleler. Although there is much work to be done, Janelle says that a balanced life is essential, making sure there is plenty of time to read, swim, exercise (to work off all the food she eats) and, of course, cook. Janelle is stepping up her volunteer work in 2010, adding the fight for breast cancer research to the good work she already participates in as ambassador to Ronald McDonald House Randwick.

When asked to tell us her thoughts on Ready Steady Cook, Janelle says, "It is challenging and choatic, but the most fun I've ever had in a kitchen and the best job I have ever had!"

Dominique Rizzo

A soul woman chef, Dominique Rizzo has a natural passion for creative world food, fuelled by her Sicilian heritage and a deep desire to develop innovative cuisine. Dominique has 15 years experience as a chef, including 7 years as former Head Chef/Catering Consultant/Cooking School Director and business partner in the award winning "Mondo Organics" in Brisbane's West End.

In 2007, Dom started her own chef/consulting business, "Pure Food Cooking" with a focus and purpose to inspire and generate awareness in cooking using natural whole foods and fresh organic produce to improve health, balance and life vitality. Her unique style and a combination of simple, well-developed flavours is paramount to her menu designs, cooking presentations, demonstrations, product promotions, food styling and consulting work. Dominique's food flair is also showcased in her customised recipe and menu development for all dietary requirements including specific food allergies, vegan and vegetarian food.

Dom currently facilitates cooking classes at "Black Pearl Epicure" in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley and  "Learn Cook Dine" cooking school in the show room kitchen of "Kitchenware-plus" in Loganholme where her innate enthusiasm and natural teaching abilities allows her to share her knowledge and passion for excellent food and nutrition. Recently, Dom has also begun working with various primary and high schools in Brisbane facilitating cooking classes to compliment the home economic programs and teaching students about healthy fun food.

Dom's mission for the future is to complete her first cook book due to be released in 2011; further develop her cooking school and catering business and involve herself in various charity works supporting women and families and teaching healthy cooking and lifestyle changes.

"Not surprisingly, I am passionate about my involvement in the dynamic Ready Steady Cook series on Network 10," says Dom. "I love the essence of clean, simple whole food cooking. There are still so many flavours that I have yet to explore. It is so wonderful to be a chef and to have available at my fingertips an amazing palette of different flavours and textures to create what I like to call little mouthfuls of flavour explosions." 

Mark Jensen

Unlike most chefs Mark Jensen did not start working in a professional kitchen until the age of 27.

Mark decided that if he was going to be a successful Chef the right training would be essential. He moved back to Sydney and promptly obtained a position in Matthew Moran’s kitchen at the Paddington Inn Bistro. After three years with Matt, Mark moved to the Bennelong Restaurant - Sydney Opera House.

The time had come for Mark to make his own stand in the Sydney dining scene and he opened The Dining room at the Olympic Hotel in 1995. After many years at the stoves and many favourable reviews in the Good Food Guide, Mark was approached by his brother in-law Luke Nguyen to head up the kitchen brigade at his new restaurant, Red Lantern.

After the huge success of "Secrets of the Red Lantern", in which Mark, in collaboration with Luke, contributed recipes and anecdotes, he has started his own book about ethical eating, sustainability and the carbon footprint we leave through our food production – a subject he is most passionate about. Currently he is busy transforming Red Lantern to be as 'green' as possible.

Red Lantern celebrates its eighth anniversary this year. "...The work load has eased slightly. These days I try to find more balance in my life. I love spending time with my family, keeping fit through cycling and yoga and eating and drinking as much fine food and great wine as I can," says Mark.

Damian Heads

Damian is the Executive Chef and owner of Pony Lounge and Dining in the Rocks, and Steel Bar and Grill in the Sydney CBD. Both restaurants specialize in modern Australian cuisine, with a focus on fresh produce being prepared on the open wood fired grill.

Brisbane born Damian started his career in the kitchens at the Brisbane Hilton. He stayed just long enough to complete his apprenticeship … the day after Damian finished his apprenticeship he was on a plane to Europe, with his knives packed in his backpack.

By January 2000, he was back in Sydney, as Sauce Chef at the Bennelong Restaurant at the Sydney Opera House. In mid 2001 he moved to Milsons as Chef de Partie, and the next year he was awarded the Josephine Pignolet Award for Best Young Chef.

In 2003 he opened the very popular Garfish, before embarking on a six month study trip (as part of his prize for the Josephine Pignolet Award) through Europe and the United Kingdom, visiting a wide variety of restaurants and meeting with some of the world’s best chefs. On returning to Australia early 2005 Damian took the role of Head Chef at Fuel Bistro, Surry Hills, Sydney.

In 2006 Damian joined forces with synonymous architect Michael McCann (architect best known for Flying Fish, Mu Shu, Whitewater, and many more) opening Pony Lounge and Dining situated in The Rocks on the doorstep of Sydney Harbour; and in 2008 Steel Bar and Grill followed situated in Carrington Street, just off Martin Place in the Sydney CBD.

Damian spends most of his time in the kitchens between his restaurants, whilst also managing to participate in cooking demonstrations, provide cooking classes and cater for private parties.

Pony Lounge and Dining
Cnr Argyle St and Kendall Lane
The Rocks
02 9252 7797
www.ponydining.com.au

Steel Bar and Grill
Carrington Street
Sydney
02 9299 9997
www.steelbarandgrill.com

Alastair McLeod

Alastair McLeod is Executive Chef at Bretts Wharf in Brisbane. It’s a busy job with the a la carte seafood restaurant, on-site function facilities and off-site catering providing food for many of Brisbane’s largest and most prestigious events.

Alastair’s a dinky-di Australian (his mother was born here) and despite the Irish accent, he knows more about Australian produce than most. He loves the opportunity which Ready Steady Cook provides, to share his passion and knowledge about the wonderful fresh produce that we have available in Australia.

Alastair’s past career includes tenures as chef at a number of Michelin listed restaurants in Europe. These included Roscoff in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Da Giovanni restaurant in Torino, Italy. Alastair also worked at one of Scotland’s finest restaurants the Ubiquitous Chip in Glasgow, Scotland and La Fregate in Collioure, France.

Under Alastair’s leadership, Bretts Wharf has won many awards including Restaurant and Catering Associations' Best Event Caterer and Best Venue Caterer as well as Best Seafood Restaurant in Australia, by Lifestyle Food.

Bretts Wharf
449 Kingsford Smith Dr Hamilton QLD
P: 07 3868 1717
www.brettswharf.com.au

Chris Cranswick-Smith

Chris Cranswick-Smith was born and raised in Sydney's Northern Beaches and has been working in kitchens since he was 14. Upon finishing his apprenticeship at just 19 he packed his bags and moved to the culinary world stage of Europe to further his training.

He spent 5 years in Europe working in Michelin starred restaurants, largely in the Basque Country of Spain and France as well as working at the 2 Michelin Starred La Broche in Madrid. To finish up his culinary adventures in the North, we was employed as Head Chef to The Prince of Bahrain on his luxury 160ft Superyacht cruising the entirety of The Mediterranean, from Mallorca to Ios and everywhere in between.

Now back in Sydney, he owns the ever popular Emmilou Lounge & Tapas Bar in Surry Hills. Emmilou is a modern European style tapas bar and cocktail lounge.

He tells us with such passion, that the focus of his flagship venue is about a product, a dining experience, not simply a means to a necessity. With a reputation for some of the best cocktails in Sydney, a focus on funky, upbeat music, a forever 'here to see and be seen' crowd spilling out it's doors and of course some of the best Modern Tapas in town it's no wonder Emmilou is one of the hottest places to be!

And what is on the cards for 2010? The multilingual 28 year is releasing the Emmilou Compilation Album in April this year (available for purchase through their website) and currently in the process of launching a 'sexy' catering company ready for business later this year (of course there will be a focus on music and cocktails as well as sexy morsels of food). And if that wasn't enough? Chris is busy consulting on several projects including a Tapas Bar in Sri Lanka and keeping en eye out for a suitable space to open Emmilou Two, most likely in Melbourne.

He speaks French and Spanish fluently and his modern European influence to balancing textures and flavours is reflected in every mouthful. "Lime Cheese Cake with Tequila Jelly and Organic Agave Syrup" anyone?

Adam Swanson

Adelaide born Adam Swanson is the owner and Executive Chef of Zucca Greek Mezze, at Holdfast Shores in Glenelg. At the tender age of 17, Adam realised he had an uncompromised fascination and passion for food. He invested 7 years of training with Majeros restaurant, but always knew he was destined for bigger and more inspiring dreams. By his mid twenties, Adam had become the owner of his own restaurant!

Now, with 13 years of experience, his devoted love affair with food has become a personal and professional success! People who know Adam describe him as an 'old soul'. His inspiration comes from the much loved traditional home style cooking which was a major part of his upbringing. "I spent my free time in my family's cheese making business, and countless hours falling in love with the flavours and smells from my grandma's kitchen."

Adam's achievements are a testament to his devoted work and love for food. His first restaurant Zucca Greek Mezze was established in late 2003. It had only been open for one year when it won the 'Best Mediterranean Restaurant' award. It went on to win this award for three consecutive years and as a result Zucca was entered into the hall of fame by the Restaurant and Catering Association of South Australia. More recently in 2009, Zucca restaurant also won the association's first ever category 'Best Greek Restaurant'. Adam also was a founding owner and Executive Chef at Esca, also at Holdfast Shores until February of 2010. Esca accumulated multiple awards including Best New Restaurant (2005) and Best European Restaurant (2006) in the South Australian Restaurant and Catering Association Awards.

Extending his passion for food, Adam is also a regular chef on TEN’s Ready Steady Cook and is the ambassador for pasta maker San Remo.

Zucca Greek Mezza Restaurant
Shop 5 Marina Pier Holdfast Shores, Adelaide, SA
P: 08 8376 8222
W: www.zucca.com.au

Tom Kime

Tom Kime has an insatiable appetite for his craft, having worked in some of the most famous restaurants in London, including Terence Conran’s Le Pont de la Tour, and The River Café. He has worked with celebrity chef Rick Stein at the Seafood Restaurant as well as the award-winning restaurants Cicada and Darley Street Thai in Sydney.

In 2009 Tom launched his fifth book 'Fish Tales' stories and recipes from sustainable fisheries around the world with the Marine Stewardship Council. Published by Kyle Cathie 2009. The influential Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant named the Dutch version of the book "Best Cookbook of the Year 2009". Tom’s Fourth book 'Tom’s Table' published by Parragon, won the World Gourmand award 2008 For Best Entertaining Cook Book of the year. Tom’s books ‘Street Food’ and ‘Asian Bites’ were both published by Dorling Kindersley in 2007 and 2008 to critical acclaim 'Street Food' was awarded the silver medal for the Best Foreign Cookbook from the World Gourmand Awards 2008.

Tom’s first book 'Exploring Taste and Flavour’' published by Kyle Cathie 2005 won 'Best first cook book in Britain 2005' by the World Gourmand Awards. In 2006 it was a finalist in the Chef and Restaurant category in the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) awards in the United States. In 2007 the book was a finalist in the Cordon Bleu World food Media awards.

Tom’s catering company creates bespoke private parties, from Royal Thai banquets, to celebrity media launches. His clients include A-list celebrities and royalty from Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. He has set up two acclaimed restaurants in London and in Malta, both well received by London’s food critics and in the press. He is currently expanding his restaurant work internationally. He runs private and corporate cooking schools and demonstrations.

Shane Delia

At only 29 years of age, Shane Delia is one of Melbourne’s most innovative young chefs. Opening his much awarded first restaurant Maha Bar and Grill in February 2008, Shane has excited diners with his fresh Mediterranean approach to Middle Eastern cuisine.

Shane prides himself on his original culinary style that stems from the eclectic influences that have surrounded him both personally and professionally. Shane married his Lebanese-Australian wife Maha, with whom his first restaurant shares its name, in 2007. His new extended family has opened his eyes and heart to the many similarities between his own Maltese upbringing and culture, and those of his Lebanese neighbours across the Mediterranean. He began to experiment with fusing middle-eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, the results planted the seeds for what would become Maha Bar and Grill.

His love for food and family is at the centre of what makes Maha Bar and Grill extraordinary. Blending his classical training and his passion for honest, fresh and innovative Middle Eastern cuisine, Shane’s “maha cooking” is captivating.

Receiving chef’s hats in both the 2009 and 2010 editions of the Age Good Food Guide and the Restaurant and Catering Association of Victoria award for the Best New Restaurant 2008, Shane is thrilled to know that the critics are as much in love with his contemporary Middle-Eastern dining room as are the people of Melbourne.

Preparing to open his second venue ‘St. Katherine’s’ in late 2010, Shane is laying the foundations to become an Australian dining icon and it seems that Melbourne are ready to share his ideology.

Visit Shane's website at http://www.shanedelia.com.au/

Warren Turnbull

Warren Turnbull is a highly respected chef on the Sydney restaurant scene with his restaurant Assiette regarded amongst Sydney’s best restaurants.

But food wasn’t his first career choice.

"When I was little I always wanted to be a pilot. My mother suggested to me that perhaps I should go to cooking school. My initial response was to inform her that "cooking was for girls". Begrudgingly I went along regardless & quickly ate my words. After day one I was in love."

Two years on, Warren moved from New Zealand to London where he worked at numerous renowned restaurants before moving to Sydney 12 years ago.

For the next six years Warren worked at BANC, one of Sydney’s most respected kitchens, moving through the ranks to become head chef, until Banc’s doors closed.

Warren opened his own restaurant, Assiette, in Surry Hills, five years ago and quickly earned a reputation for high quality and reasonable prices; receiving numerous accolades and awards including two Chef Hats by both the Australian Good Food & Travel Guide and the Sydney Morning Herald, and ranking in the Top 100 Australian Restaurants by the Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Warren describes his style as modern classic.

Matt Kemp

Matthew Kemp is the owner and executive chef of Restaurant Balzac in Randwick, Sydney .

"By the time I was 13 I knew I wanted to cook," says Matthew Kemp. "There were no ifs, ands or buts."

His mother was a waitress and she got him his first job at a café in Essex before helping him to get an apprenticeship with a catering company when he was 16.

"Everything I took at school from age 14 on was all about cooking," he admits, "I took French because it's the language of food; art for the creativity and knowledge of aesthetic presentation; and chemistry so I could understand the basics of gastronomy."

Since those early days, Matthew has honed his skills at restaurants around the globe, working at some of London's finest hotels and restaurants including The Square, a Michelin two-starred restaurant.

Ultimately, Matthew returned to Australia, via two months travelling in Africa, where he worked as Chef de Cuisine at the respected but now defunct Banc.

In the ten years since opening Restaurant Balzac, Matt has won many awards including Best French Restaurant for the Restaurant and Catering Association, NSW and Best European Restaurant for the Restaurant and Catering Association, Australia. It has won and kept Two Chefs Hats.

Matt has married his British roots and French cuisine for a modern classic style of cooking which includes his famous bread and butter pudding, which is caramelised on top and served with homemade pain d’epice ice-cream.

Logan Campbell

Logan Campbell had big shoes to fill when he stepped into the position of head chef at Lucio's in Paddington.

Long regarded as a Sydney institution for its wonderful northern Italian cuisine, Campbell has proved himself more than equal to the challenge, most recently by again scoring two chef's hats in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

New Zealand-born, but Sydney-trained, Campbell has worked at some of Sydney's top restaurants with Sydney’s most respected chefs. He worked with Danny Drinkwater at the Park Hyatt where Drinkwater gave him what he describes as "essential hotel experience". At Cicada, under Peter Doyle (who he describes as a great inspiration, along with Tim Fisher and Angel Fernandez), he learnt "discipline and respect for ingredients". Valuable time was also spent at Mezzaluna working with Beppi, Norma and Marc Polese who are well-known for creating Sydney’s first and longest-standing Italian restaurant - Beppi's.

In his own time, Campbell prefers to cook anything that’s quick and easy, unlike his father who he remembers slaughtering chickens in the backyard before preparing them for dinner. He counts Tabou in Surry Hills among his favourite restaurants for Jacob Brown's classic French cooking along with Pier in Rose Bay as "the perfect special occasion restaurant".

His number one kitchen secret? “If you touch it, season it!”

Logan's father, also a chef, taught him butchering techniques and how to prepare a meal from paddock to plate.

After completing his training at the Ryde College Logan’s professional career began in renowned Sydney restaurant Catalina, where the "fine dining" foundations were set.

Logan is actively involved in sharing his knowledge beyond the restaurant via charity cooking events and Master Classes held at Simon Johnson, The Sydney Fish Markets and the Council of Italian Restaurants in Australia (CIRA) cooking school to name a few.

He is a father of two young children and is a volunteer with the SES.

Frederic Barreau

Frederic Barreau is the head chef of Piato Restaurant at McMahons Point.

Frederic's passion for food and cooking began young, as all great chef s do. With a grandmother and mother who loved to cook for big family get-togethers it was no surprise that Frederic was elbow deep helping in the kitchen.

After finishing his apprenticeship in his hometown in Brittany, Frederic headed to London to begin his career with Gordon Ramsay; starting at his restaurant Claridges. From here he joined the team that set up and opened Marcus-Wareing at The Savoy Grill, then to Hospital Road then Petrus at the Berkley Hotel .

In 2005 Frederic arrived in Australia keen to work his way into some of Sydney’s finest kitchens with stints at ARIA and Glass at The Hilton before settling in at Piato Restaurantwhere he is head chef .

Frederic cooks classic European favourites for the cosy family run business in McMahon's Point.

Alex Herbert

Alex Herbert is the executive chef and Co Owner of Bird Cow Fish, Surry Hills, Sydney.

During her twenty two year career Alex has worked alongside some of Australia’s finest chefs and restaurateurs. All the chefs have given her something unique.

Alex’s independent career as a business owner and chef began in 1991 when Alex took on the role of proprietor manager/contract caterer of Pine Log Restaurant, at the Hardy’s Bay RSL in Hardy’s Bay on the central coast of NSW. During this time the restaurant was awarded Sydney Morning Herald Country Restaurant of the Year 1993 by Leo Schofield.

In March 2006 Bird Cow Fish reopened in its current incarnation in Surry Hills after having previously been founded in Balmain in 1996. Alex is the co-owner and Head Chef overseeing a busy team in this past paced bistro using sustainable and locally sourced produce.

Alex goes to Flemington Markets once a week to source her fruit and vegetable produce and she has established an extensive network of suppliers who share her passion and commitment for humanely reared and quality seasonal products.

The food retail experience that Alex gained at her store Delish in Lindfield on Sydney’s North Shore which she ran with a business partner for four years from 1998 and the subsequent Retail Food Consultancy that she became involved with, with Success Cycle Consultancy and Trippas White Catering has been invaluable in separating the passionate chef from the consumer demands and clarifying how these two seemingly inseparable players must successfully interact.

Alex has also been involved with Anaphylaxis Australia since 2007, cooking for their annual major Fundraiser and more recently in October 2008, Alex assisted with the launch of the Greenpeace True Food Guide. Alex is a member of Slow Food and was an Australian cook delegate at Terra Madre in Turin in 2008.

Alex has appeared as a regular guest on ABC Radio with Deborah Cameron and Simon Marnie and with Clive Robertson and Murray Wilton on 2UE and has been presenting classes at Accoutrement Cooking School for over 15 years.