A Culinary Canvas by Danielle Alvarez

Danielle Alvarez is one of Australia’s most celebrated female chefs. Raised in a food-loving Cuban-American family, she honed her cooking skills at The French Laundry and Chez Panisse in California's Napa. Danielle was also the creative force behind the beloved Fred’s in Paddington, Sydney where she held two chefs hats for her entire tenure. She is now the Culinary Director at the Sydney Opera House, crafting signature menus for events at this iconic venue.

Louella Mathews is a leading figure in Australian wine and the group sommelier for Trippas White Group. Beyond this, she's a wine consultant, writer, and event host. Alongside winemaker Nadja Wallington, she co-founded wine label The Somm and The Winemaker. She has also earned accolades like the 2020 Sommeliers’ Choice Award and Young Sommelier of the Year nomination.

A passionate vigneron from Canowindra, NSW Nadja Wallington first discovered her love for winemaking during high school while working at her family's vineyard. Since those early days, she has honed her craft extensively across Australia and internationally in California, South Africa, and France. Nadja was named Young Winemaker of the Year 2022 and is currently winemaker at ChaLou in Orange, NSW.  

Chief Winemaker at First Creek since 2008, Liz Silkman is one of Australia’s most highly awarded and regarded winemakers. She’s often referred to as the ‘Queen of Hunter Chardonnay’ and has elevated First Creek to award-winning status. Leveraging premium local Hunter Valley water sources and blending traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques, she has ensured that their wines exemplify the high standards set by its founders 2005.  

Monica joined See Saw, the Orange region, award-winning organic winery, in October 2021 as the lead winemaker. With a Bachelor of Wine Science from Charles Sturt University, she has experience in Orange, Canberra, and Mudgee, as well as abroad in Germany and France. Monica regularly judges wine shows and champions sustainable, organic winemaking, contributing significantly to the community through educational initiatives. 

The Senior Winemaker of Henschke, in the Barossa’s Eden Valley, Gwyn Olsen has been fascinated with science from a young age and her interest in the environment ultimately led her to winemaking. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a degree in Oenology and she has held several senior winemaking positions across Australia. She was recognised as Gourmet Traveller WINE Young Winemaker of the Year 2014 and Wine Australia Future Leaders 2017.

Head of winemaking and viticulture at Giant Steps, Melanie Chester was previously the head winemaker at Sutton Grange Winery in Central Victoria. Melanie was the youngest ever scholar selected for The Len Evans Tutorial and in 2015, she was named Young Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine. She is also the panel chair for the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards.

Over the past 20 years, five-time ARIA award-winning artist Katie Noonan has proven herself one of Australia’s most hardworking, versatile and prolific musicians. Named one of the greatest Australian singers of all time by the Herald Sun, Katie has produced 21 studio albums over her career with seven x platinum record sales under her belt and 27 ARIA award nominations. Katie has performed for royalty, national and international leaders, and blazed a trail for young women artists. Music, for Katie, is a lifelong lesson, a generous act of giving, and a means to change the world.