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INTRO
IRON CHEF AUSTRALIA
is the original
sports-meets-cooking
challenge between
the best chefs in the
country, and those
aspiring to be.
Three of Australia’s world-class chefs –
Neil Perry, Guy Grossi and Guillaume
Brahimi – will go knife to knife in Kitchen
Stadium against young gun challengers –
Sacha Meier, Herb Faust, Matt Stone,
Judyta Slupnicki, Dan Hong and Chris
Badenoch and Julia Jenkins.
IRON CHEF AUSTRALIA is a timed cooking
battle built around a “secret ingredient.” Each
chef must prepare a four dishes using the
secret ingredient in each dish.
IRON CHEF AUSTRALIA host Grant Denyer
will be on hand during the battle to keep
us informed. Grant will be joined in the
commentary box by award-winning food writer
Richard Cornish. Throughout the cook-off
Richard will provide a running commentary on
details and activities on both sides of Kitchen
Stadium, as the cooking battle is played out.
The completed menu will be presented to
a respected judging trio - food critics Leo
Schofield, Larissa Dubecki and Simon
Thomsen. They will determine whose cuisine
will reign supreme on IRON CHEF AUSTRALIA.
Iron Chef, originally devised and owned by
the Fuji Creative Corporation, enjoyed huge
success in Japan and subsequently on the
Food Network in the USA achieving cult status
in both countries. In the US, over 160 ‘battles’
have been produced and the series, currently
in its ninth season, has been airing for nearly
six years. Iron Chef is one of the
Food Network’s highest rating programs and
has continued to grow season to season.
IRON CHEF AUSTRALIA is a Shine Australia
production on behalf of RDF Rights, Keller
Productions and Triage Entertainment. Iron
Chef is a Fuji Creative Corporation Format.
IRON CHEF

RULES SUMMARY
RULES SUMMARY
• The competition will is a timed event.
• At the conclusion of the hour, all food must
be fully cooked and preparation must
be completed.
• One week prior to the competition each
chef will be asked to submit a list of needs
(food and pantry items) appropriate to each
secret ingredient.
• The full list of equipment in Kitchen
Stadium will be provided to Iron Chefs
and Challengers. Additional specialist
equipment may be brought along with prior
approval. Plates for serving may also be
brought to Kitchen Stadium.
• All Chefs together with their sous chefs
will be given 30 minutes to survey
Kitchen Stadium to study the layout so
they are prepared for battle prior to the
show beginning.
• Iron Chefs and the Challengers will be
asked to prepare a four dishes using
the secret ingredient in each dish. As
some secret ingredients may not lend
themselves to a dessert option, there is NO
requirement to prepare that course.
• Each Iron Chef and the Challenger will be
asked to prepare four complete individual
dishes for the judges.
• The secret ingredient will be revealed at
the beginning of the battle, by
The Chairman
JUDGING STANDARDS
The judges will taste and award points
(a maximum of 20 points) based on the
following standards:
Taste
Plating design
Originality
10 points
5 points
5 points
IRON CHEF

HOST
GRANT
DENYER
Host Grant Denyer admits
he is not a foodie but is
honoured to be hosting IRON
CHEF AUSTRALIA being
inspired by great food and
talented chefs.
Grant joined Channel 7 in 2003 and has never
looked back. Australian audiences really got
to know Grant as Sunrise’s Weather Man,
taking the ‘Sunrise Weather Wagon’ around
the country for more than two years, going
from town to town, spending most of his time
on the road and away from home. He first
gave up the “Sunrise Weather Wagon” in 2006.
In the same year Grant embraced the
challenge of taking part in Seven’s “Dancing
with the Stars” and strutted his stuff to a
dazzling victory, taking out boxing champ
Kostya Tszyu. He then went on to host “It
Takes Two” and “Australia’s Got Talent”.
With many hours of live TV experience, 2007
saw Grant in a new role with “Sunrise” with
“Dare Denyer”. Viewers set his challenges every
week, which has seen him jump off the tallest
building in New Zealand, to wearing a “Mankini”
down at Bathurst on live national TV. Whatever
the challenge, Grant never backed down.
But he’s not just a presenter or host.
for racing go-karts. He then progressed to
Utes, and real cars, driving a FORD V8 in the
V8 Supercar Fujitsu series. He also raced
Mini Coopers, as part of Australia’s Mini
Championships.
2008 saw Grant leading the field in the Mini
Championships and he had his first win in
his V8 Supercar at Sandown races in June
2008. It was set to be the best year of his
racing career, but instead it became the
worst. In September 2008, Grant shattered
his L1 vertebrae in a Monster Truck accident.
Everything about the jump was textbook,
except the landing, which left him in intensive
care for more than two weeks. Grant’s racing,
presenting and hosting career was put on
hold whilst he recovered.
His return to television was for Seven’s
“Carols in the Domain” on December 20,
2008. He then went on to once again host
Seven’s “Australia’s Got Talent”, reported
for Seven’s “Sunday Night” and hosted
“Destroyed in Seconds” for the Network.
He also returned to a racing career having
great success for 2009 finishing in 4th place
in the V8 Fujitsu series and 4th place in the V8
Minis championship.
This year has already been a big year for
Grant. He hung up his racing gloves to return
to his old roots as the loveable weatherman
on Sunrise. There’s no weather wagon this
year, just planes, posti bikes and kombi vans!!
He also returned to his hosting duties for the
popular series of “Australia’s Got Talent” and
managed to get married as well!
Living out every male fantasy, Grant always
dreamt of being a race car driver. He started
driving cars at the age of seven around the
family farm in NSW. Due to legal issues of
racing cars under the age of 10, he settled
IRON CHEF

CHEF
GUILLAUME
BRAHIMI
Paris-born Guillaume’s
passion for cooking began
at an early age. Following
a two-year apprenticeship
at Aux Charpentiers, he
accepted a position as
Commis at the three-star
Michelin restaurant La Tour
Dargent, progressing to Chef
de Partie during his three
and a half years.
In 1986, Guillaume received an invitation to
join the kitchen of Joel Robuchon at the well
known Three-Star Michelin restaurant, Jamin
in Paris. During his four years, he progressed
from Chef de Partie to Sous Chef before
moving to Australia.
After investigating the restaurant market, he
opened a small restaurant in Sydney called
Pond. Within six months of opening, Pond
earned Two Chef Hats in the Sydney Morning
Herald Good Food Guide.
After his meteoric success, he was
approached by the owner of prestigious
Sydney restaurant, Bilsons at Circular Quay.
At that time Bilsons (later renamed Quay), had
no Chef Hats. He enthusiastically accepted
the challenge and between 1995 and 1996, he
had achieved Two Chef Hats.
By 1998, Guillaume had achieved the highest
accolade of Three Chef Hats. During this time
he was also a finalist for two years in Gourmet
Traveller Magazine, Restaurant of the Year.
At the turn of the new millennium, and having
achieved great success at Quay, Guillaume
accepted an offer to be the Food Consultant to
one of Sydney’s leading clubs, Tattersalls Club.
During this time, Guillaume committed to
establish his own restaurant. In late 2001,
he was awarded the prestigious and most
sought after contract to take over the flagship
restaurant at the Sydney Opera House,
Bennelong.
Guillaume worked with leading Australian
architect, Dale Jones-Evans to refurbish the
spectacular venue and in November 2001
opened Guillaume at Bennelong.
By early 2002, the restaurant was named
by Conde Naste Traveller as one of the top
50 new restaurants in the world. In 2003
Guillaume at Bennelong was awarded Two
Chef Hats in the Sydney Morning Herald’s
Good Food Guide and Best New Restaurant.
That same year it was named Australian
Gourmet Traveller’s Restaurant of the Year.
In 2005 Guillaume at Bennelong won the Visa
International Restaurant and Catering NSW
Metropolitant Award for Excellence, winner
of Restaurant of the Year and Fine Dining
Restaurant.
His restaurant achieved a 3 star rating in
Gourmet Traveller’s Restaurant Guide and a
Three Chef Hat status in 2007.
Guillaume is committed to various charities
and an active board member of The Sydney
Cancer Centre Foundation and the Bestest
Foundation. In 2008 Guillaume launched Bistro
Guillaume in the Crown Casino in Melbourne.
Guillaume lives in Sydney with his wife
Sanchia and three daughters, Constance,
Honor and Violet.
IRON CHEF

CHEF
GUILLAUME
BRAHIMI
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING ONE OF
OUR IRON CHEFS?
Very privileged and excited. It’s a
good challenge.
WHAT MAKES AN IRON CHEF?
It’s someone with lots of knowledge and
experience and being competitive.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BEAT YOU?
Hopefully a lot!
WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
I think I’m passionate about what I do; I’ve
been lucky enough to have some great
mentors during the last 26 years I’ve been
cooking.
WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM SECRET
INGREDIENT BE?
I think anything French – I’d be happy with
beef, mushrooms, butter.
WHAT SECRET INGREDIENT DO YOU FEAR
THE MOST?
There aren’t that many ingredients I don’t
like. I’m pretty open to anything.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT?
I’ve been working in the restaurant industry
for 25 years and this November Bennelong
celebrates 10 years. That’s a pretty good feat.
IRON CHEF

CHEF
GUY
GROSSI
Guy Grossi is a leading
Australian chef, presenter and
food and media personality.
He is the owner and head
chef of Grossi Restaurants
including Melbourne’s
iconic Grossi Florentino, the
colourful Mirka at Tolarno
Hotel in St Kilda and Grossi
Trattoria, Bangkok.
Guy is frequently sought out to present his
love and expertise in Italian cooking across
many media platforms including international
and national television and radio.
As well as being a guest judge on Channel
Seven’s My Kitchen Rules, he joined Maeve
O’Mara this year as co-host of SBS’ Italian
Food Safari.
Guy features weekly in the Melbourne Sunday
Herald Sun providing Victorians with simple,
tasty recipes for the home cook.
A champion of presenting Italian cooking in
Australia, Guy was awarded the prestigious
L’insegna Del Ristorante Italiano, by the
president of Italy in 1996.
Guy and Grossi Florentino are also an integral
part of the Melbourne Cup and Spring Racing
carnival with iconic events such as Cup Eve
Luncheon and the Cup Farwell dinner hosted
at the Restaurant.
In 2010 Guy Grossi celebrates the Melbourne
Cup’s 150th anniversary as Tour Ambassador. He
will travel internationally with the Cup, designing
menus for the gala dinners held worldwide.
Guy has also been engaged by the Victorian
Government as Victoria’s face of food and
wine during the Shanghai World Expo 2010.
Guy, a passionate advocate for Victoria’s
culinary pedigree, will highlight the state’s
premium produce to a global stage.
This year saw Guy take to the stage in his
own highly acclaimed production, In The Raw
Dinner and Live Show with Guy Grossi and
Luke Mangan. Guy shared the set with longtime
friend and fellow chef Luke to deliver this
cabaret-style show in Melbourne.
Guy has also developed a premium
quality product range, available at Grossi
Restaurants and specific essential ingredient
stores. His hand-crafted range include: extra
virgin olive oil, grissini, antipasto, passata,
antipasto, red wine vinegar, panforte and a
variety of pastas just to name a few.
Guy is also a committed philanthropist with
particular consideration for sustainable
practices and social responsibility.
This year also saw legendary performer
Jerry Lewis personally invite Guy to design a
menu for his Muscular Dystrophy Association
fundraising dinner event, of which Guy was
instrumental in raising awareness and funds.
Guy is also the author of two cookbooks:
Guy Grossi - My Italian Heart and Grossi
Florentino - Secrets & Recipes, which won
the Australian Food Media Book of the Year
Award in 2004.
Guy lives in Melbourne with his wife Melissa
and their two children, Carlo and Loredana.
IRON CHEF

CHEF
GUY
GROSSI
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING ONE OF
OUR IRON CHEFS?
I’m really excited. I think it’s a great
opportunity to see what sort of young talent
is out there. I’m looking forward to meeting
some of the great new chefs coming through
the ranks.
WHAT MAKES AN IRON CHEF?
WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
Endurance and perseverance. I like to get
things done to a high level and I like to finish
the job. I don’t like to leave things half-done,
so whatever it takes.
WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM SECRET
INGREDIENT BE?
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT?
Cooking for Luciano Pavarotti on his private
plane when he was flying from Melbourne
to Western Australia. We had to stock up the
plane for him with lots of food. He loved it!
He liked the Italian flavours and the fresh
Australian approach.
I think longevity, being able to stand the test
of time. It’s about performing at a high level
consistently.
I like meaty ingredients. So if I got something
like veal, beef, lamb or pork – I love all those
things. That’s what I love to cook with.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BEAT YOU?
It will take skill and knowledge. The
challenger will have to be very driven but
most of all they have to have the desire.
Anyone who has the will to win will be able
to rise to the challenge. If all those elements
come together for them on the day certainly
they’ll have a great chance at winning.
WHAT SECRET INGREDIENT DO YOU FEAR
THE MOST?
Sheep’s eyes! There’s only so many dishes
you’d be able to do with sheep’s eyes.
IRON CHEF

CHEF
NEIL
PERRY
Neil Perry is a prominent
Australian chef,
restaurateur, author and
television presenter. He is
the co-owner and executive
chef of the critically
acclaimed restaurants
Rockpool, Spice Temple,
Rockpool Bar & Grill.
Neil’s career in hospitality began at Sails
restaurant at McMahons Point and Rose Bay.
Neil then became head chef at Barrenjoey
Restaurant, Palm Beach and was also given
creative control over Perry’s in Paddington.
In October 1986, he opened the Blue Water
Grill at Bondi Beach taking the site from a 20
year failure to an overnight success.
He then opened Rockpool in February 1989
with his business partner and cousin Trish
Richards, with the intention of establishing
one of Australia’s finest restaurants. After
only six months it was voted Sydney’s best
new restaurant in the Good Food Guide and
over the years has gone on to win a long list of
awards, both here and overseas.
Rockpool Bar & Grill in Melbourne followed in
October 2006, with Spice Temple and Rockpool
Bar & Grill Sydney both opening in early 2009.
Neil is also the author of numerous recipe
books, which include Good Food, Simply Asian,
The Food I Love, and Balance & Harmony.
Neil’s passion and the importance he places
on quality produce is evident in all his dishes
and the business projects he undertakes.
The numerous awards and accolades won by
the restaurants that make up the Rockpool
Restaurant Group are a testament to this.
In October this year, Neil will open two new
restaurants in Melbourne, Temple Bar and
The Waiting Room.
Neil has three daughters – Josephine, Macy and
Indy, and lives with his wife Samantha in Sydney.
Neil also heads a team of six consultants
to Qantas Airways. x`Menus are developed
quarterly for International First and
Business class travellers. The team over see
the implementation and introduction of
their menues.
IRON CHEF

CHEF
NEIL
PERRY
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING ONE OF
OUR IRON CHEFS?
WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
WHAT SECRET INGREDIENT DO YOU FEAR
THE MOST?
Those are really wonderful achievements.
It’a an amazing privilege.
WHAT MAKES AN IRON CHEF?
I think the ethos is really one of stability,
ability and longevity in the industry. It’s also
about great skill and flexibility as you have to
take on all challenges. You have to be able to
move in and out of your genre and depending
on who you’re pitted up against you’ve got to
be flexible enough to rise to the challenge.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BEAT YOU?
A good cook hopefully. I want to go out there
and represent myself and Rockpool well.
We’ll certainly be striving for perfection -
striving to create an experience for the judges
that, hopefully, will put us in front every time.
Probably my flexibility. I cook modern
Australian, additionally I am well versed in
Asian cooking. I’m in a situation where I’m
able to call on the skills i need in order to win
the challenge. I’m not locked into a box.
WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM SECRET
INGREDIENT BE?
That’s really hard for me because I cook
Chinese, Thai, French, modern-Australian. So I
have a lot of ingredients I love to cook with. But if
I really had to choose I’d say a beautiful fish like
bass grouper or some really wonderful protein
like a gorgeous chicken or pork – something we
can really work some magic with.
Seasonings are more difficult than a main
ingredient because you have to create a dish
that has a significant amount of the secret
ingredient through it – so with seasoning
that’s a bit difficult. If it was cumin for
instance – I know a lot of great dishes with
cumin but I’d have to make sure that it was in
perfect balance with each dish. Overall I can’t
think of anything I don’t like cooking with.
There’s not much I don’t like including offal.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT?
It was most exciting to be selected in the
top 50 restaurants in the world and then
subsequently doing it for seven years in a row.
That was a pretty amazing achievement. And
the first year we won Gourmet Traveller’s
Best Restaurant and we did that three more
times. And also winning Sydney Morning
Herald’s three hats and restaurant of the year.
IRON CHEF

JUDGE
LEO
SCHOFIELD
Leo Schofield, Editor at
Large, Australian Gourmet
Traveller, is a well known
figure in media and the arts
in Australia.
Mr Schofield spent 25 years in the
advertising and communications industry,
mostly in Australia but with stints in London
and New York. He was Creative Director of
several of the country’s largest advertising
agencies before setting up his own
communications consultancy.
During this time, Mr Schofield developed a
parallel career in journalism and broadcasting.
For over a decade his weekly column in
The Sydney Morning Herald and later The
Sunday Telegraph enjoyed one of the largest
readerships in the country.
In 1975 he wrote the first guide to eating out
in Sydney. He assumed the role of senior
restaurant critic for The Sydney Morning
Herald and inaugurated the Good Food Guide
to Sydney, editing eight successive editions
of this prestigious guide. His career as a
critic spanned more than two decades. Even
though he no longer reviews restaurants
on a regular basis, his residual reputation
makes him one the country’s most influential
commentators on the social and cultural
implications of food and dining.
Since 2006 he has been Editor-at-large for
Gourmet Traveller, Australia’s leading food
and travel magazine, to which he contributes a
regular column as well as major travel pieces,
often with an emphasis on food and trends
in taste. He is also a contributor to several of
Gourmet’s sister publications including House
and Garden and Men’s Style.
Always a passionate advocate for the arts, Mr
Schofield was appointed Artistic Director of
the Melbourne International Festival of the
Arts in 1993 and directed the 1994, ‘95 and
’96 festivals. Returning to his home city, he
directed the Sydney Festival from 1998 – 2001
and also directed the Sydney 2000 Olympic
Arts Festival and the subsequent festival for
the Paralympic Games.
IRON CHEF

JUDGE
LARISSA
DUBECKI
Larissa Dubecki is The
Age newspaper’s chief
restaurant critic. Her weekly
reviews appear in the
popular food section Epicure.
Larissa leads the reviewing team for the
Good Food Guide published annually by
The Age and has also written for Gourmet
Traveller and Cuisine magazines.
Before taking on the role in 2009, Larissa
was a news reporter specialising in
popular culture, and wrote regularly on
entertainment, television, and the arts.
Larissa was the editor of The Age’s weekly
entertainment lift-out EG until August 2006.
In this role Larissa also wrote on topics
relating to entertainment and popular
culture, including reviewing television for the
Green Guide and restaurants for the Good
Food Guide and Cheap Eats Guide.
Larissa began as a trainee at The Age in
2000 after completing an Arts Law degree at
the University of Melbourne. She has been
assigned to rounds including crime, state
politics, and popular culture. Her first editing
job was on the technology lift-out Livewire.
IRON CHEF

JUDGE
SIMON
THOMSEN
Simon Thomsen is
restaurant critic for The
Daily Telegraph in Sydney.
His reviews appear in the
taste.com.au food and wine
section every Tuesday.
Simon has written award-winning stories on
food and travel for numerous publications,
including The Weekend Australian Magazine
and Travel + Leisure Australia.
He’s worked as a restaurant critic for 15 years
and spent the last six years as editor of the
best-selling The Sydney Morning Herald Good
Food Guide. He was chief restaurant critic at
The Sydney Morning Herald for four years and
prior to that, was editor and owner of a weekly
newspaper in northern NSW.
In a past life, Simon wandered the world,
working as a chef and waiter before deciding
he wields a pen better than a knife. Simon’s
wife calls him the World’s Most Sustainable
Fisherman because, despite wetting a line
regularly, he takes nothing from the sea.
Friends panic when inviting him over for
dinner, until they realise Simon’s perfect meal
is pork and fennel sausages with mash.
Simon does a weekly Thursday morning
talkback slot about food on ABC 702. He has
appeared on Masterchef and featured in two
SBS documentaries, High Steaks and Heat in
the Kitchen.
IRON CHEF

THE CHAIRMAN
MARK
DACASCOS
The Chairman is portrayed by
actor and martial artist Mark
Dacascos, who plays the same
role on Iron Chef America.
The Chairman reveals the secret ingredient
and oversees Kitchen Stadium
Mark Dacascos has appeared in a wide
variety of feature films during the course
of his career. Among his credits are the
internationally acclaimed French epic
Brotherhood of the Wolf, Cradle to the Grave
in which he starred opposite Jet Li, Only
the Strong, in which he plays a capoeira
instructor, the global cult favorite Drive and
the indie film, Only the Brave.
Mark also starred in the period piece Nomad,
which was filmed in Kazakhstan over a twoyear
period.
His TV roles include Eric Draven in The Crow:
Stairway to Heaven and Eubulon, the Advent
Master, on Kamen Rider Dragon Knight.
He also competed in season nine of the US
version of Dancing with the Stars. His partner
was So You Think You Can Dance finalist
Lacey Schwimmer. The pair was eliminated in
the seventh episode.
Malia Bernal, was the first woman to grace
the cover of Black Belt magazine. Both are
former national champions who still teach.
Mark likens the energy in Kitchen Stadium
to that of a martial arts tournament. “The
energy in Kitchen Stadium during a battle
is amazing,” he says. “My parents are both
Kung-Fu teachers and I fought in Martial Arts
tournaments from the age of 7-18.
“The feeling that’s in the air before and during
a battle is palpable, and brings me right
back to my earlier years when I was the one
entering the ring.”
Mark is married to actress Julie Condra, who
starred with him in Crying Freeman. The
couple has two sons and a daughter.
At home he loves to cook for his family. “My
favorite dish to cook is my Aunty Gwen’s
banana pancakes. My kids expect me to cook
them banana pancakes every Sunday morning
and I love that they expect that from me.
This is Mark’s second trip to Australia. He
first visited our shores in 1996 to film The
Island of Dr Moreau with legendary actor
Marlon Brando. “I played his first son. We
shot in Cairns. It was an honour to work with
Brando, who arrived two weeks late so I
learnt how to scuba dive during that time. So I
thank him for my extra time here.”
Mark’s passion for Martial Arts began at an
early age under the tutelage of his parents.
His father, Al Dacascos, is the founder of the
martial art Wun Hop Kuen Do and his mother,
“It’s become our tradition. I love watching the
kids play, and show me their drawings, or
explain to me what they’ve built with Leggo
while I’m cooking in the kitchen.”
IRON CHEF

COMMENTATOR
RICHARD
CORNISH
Richard Cornish is an award
winning food writer whose
love of the land led him to
explore the issues around
food, where it comes from,
how does it get to us and why
do some foods taste better
than others.
Richard is a senior features writer for The
Age Epicure in Melbourne in which he has
a weekly column called Brain Food. He has
co-written two books on Spanish food with
MoVida chef Frank Camorra namely MoVida
and MoVida Rustica, both of which have been
awarded ‘Best Book’ title.
Richard has worked writing comedy for
breakfast radio and prime time television
before moving across into a role as a
television producer. He combined his loves
of entertainment and food, producing highly
successful food events such as a one woman
bio-stage show based on the life of Britain’s
most famous food writer, Elizabeth David,
An Omelette and a Glass of Wine it and
Snagtastica! a show about sausage making,
were hits for several years running at the
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
He was Co-Creative Director for the 2010
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. He is
travelling to Spain this Spring to co-write
a foodie’s guide book with MoVida’s Frank
Camorra for MUP.
A constant and vocal commentator on
Australian food and food politics. Richard
lives in Melbourne with fashion designer
Tiffany Treloar, two daughters Ginger and
Sunday, and a rambling, sometimes out of
control, vegetable garden.
IRON CHEF

THE CHALLENGERS
CHRIS BADENOCH
Restaurant owner, Josie
Bones, Melbourne, VIC
Ex-Masterchef contestant, Chris Badenoch
(dubbed the beer guy) will soon be opening a
restaurant in Melbourne called Josie Bones
with fellow Masterchef contestant and now
partner Julia Jenkins (the pastry girl).
Julia will be joining Chris in Kitchen Stadium
along with Sous Chef Hew Colebatch.
Chris has a cookbook coming out which caters
to his food mantra in using all of an animal and
not wasting anything, called The Entire Beast,
featuring his ‘nose to tail’ dishes.
Julia set her career in marketing aside to
pursue her life’s passion – food! She now
enjoys a career focusing on the food industry
cooking, writing, developing recipes. In 2010
she presented her the television cooking
show Delish on 7 TWO.
IRON CHEF

THE CHALLENGERS
HERB FAUST
Head Chef, Scotch College,
Perth, WA
35 year old Herb grew up in Perth and from a
young age had a passion for fresh
interesting food.
Herb completed his apprenticeship at
E’Cucina restaurant in Perth. He has worked
in a wide variety of restaurants across
Australia ranging in styles from modern
Italian, Latin American and contemporary
Australian cuisine.
As Head Chef at Scotch College he cooks for 150
boarders plus staff and school functions. He
is known to cook a good curry for his students
and says the stigma for boarding school food
doesn’t apply to his school. Gone are the days of
powdered mash, everything is done from scratch
using the freshest of ingredients.
Sous Chef’s Brett Barrett and Michael
Forder will be on hand to help Herb on
Iron Chef Australia.
IRON CHEF

THE CHALLENGERS
DAN HONG
Head Chef, Lotus Bistro and
Bar, Sydney, New South Wales
Dan Hong was so keen on competing on Iron
Chef Australia that he delayed his honeymoon!
25 year old Dan mixes Asian influences
with fresh European flavours and modern
cooking techniques.
His mother Angie Hong, is an icon in
Vietnamese cuisine in Sydney. In 1993 she
opened her first Vietnamese restaurant
in Cabramatta and quickly followed with a
second in Newtown both are renowned for
great authentic Vietnamese food.
Inspired by his mother’s love for Vietnamese
food and his family heritage, 25-year-old Dan is
currently opening another restaurant which will
feature modern Vietnamese sharing plates.
Dan will be ably assisted in the Iron Chef
kitchen by Sous Chef’s Jowett Yu and Tom Hoi.
IRON CHEF

THE CHALLENGERS
SACHA MEIER
Head Chef and Manager, Ba
Ba Lu Restaurant and Bar,
Lorne, Victoria
Sacha is the Head Chef and Manager of
the popular beachside restaurant Ba Ba
Lu Restaurant and Bar on the Great Ocean
Road which specialises in Spanish-style
food and tapas.
His restaurant comes alive on Sunday nights
when Sacha cooks his famous Paella in a
huge pan in the courtyard. Eager patrons line
up with their plates to enjoy the food.
He is passionate about fresh food. Having
worked in Malaysia, Switzerland, Barbados
and New York Sacha is confident the simple
flavours in his food will be enough to beat the
Iron Chef.
Sacha will be joined in the kitchen stadium by
Sous Chef’s Nico Busso and Amanda Garner.
IRON CHEF

THE CHALLENGERS
JUDYTA SLUPNICKI
Head Chef & Owner,
Phore Seasons, Adelaide,
South Australia
36 year old Judyta didn’t become a chef the
regular way. With a love for food and her
kitchen, she found herself questioning her 10
years as an accountant and decided to follow
her passion and open an Italian restaurant.
Her love for food stems from her grandfather
who was an acclaimed chef in Poland. Her
aim in life is to take old school recipes from
her homeland of Poland and give them a
modern edge.
Judyta hasn’t done it easily. Her family
escaped communist Poland in 1981.
She will be supported on Iron Chef by Sous
chef’s Simone McDonald and Adrian Gillett.
IRON CHEF

THE CHALLENGERS
MATT STONE
Head Chef, Greenhouse
Restaurant, Perth
Matt started cooking in Margaret River in 2002.
After moving to Perth and working in all
sections of the kitchen at Star Anise he was
appointed Sous Chef at the age of 20.
His love of food and cooking took him to
Asia and Europe where he discovered new
ingredients and styles of cooking.
In 2009 Matt assisted in the development
of Pata Negra restaurant before joining the
Greenhouse as Head Chef, leading a young
and dynamic team of enthusiasts.
Greenhouse prides itself on being
sustainable and carbon neutral with a
vegetable garden on the roof.
Matt is passionate about healthy sustainable
gourmet food. He recently won the Gourmet
Traveller Australian Best New Talent
for 2011 Award.
23 year old Matt has the confidence and ability
to take on any Iron Chef and will have his Sous
Chefs - brother Jake and Daniel Dobra at his
side during the competition.
IRON CHEF

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
ROBYN SMITH
CHANNEL SEVEN PUBLICITY MELBOURNE
T: 03 9697 7765 M: 0400 189 197
ROBYNSMITH@SEVEN.COM.AU
LISA BERGER
CHANNEL SEVEN PUBLICITY MELBOURNE
T: 03 9697 7761 M: 0438 777 459
LBERGER@SEVEN.COM.AU
IRON CHEF