The Stage

Back for another year, The Stage at The Little Food Market is your front-row seat to culinary creativity. Hosted by food journalist Dani Valent and Turnip Media’s Hilary McNevin, this year’s program brings together some of the country’s most exciting chefs, producers and flavour-makers for a weekend of live demonstrations, tastings and delicious ideas.

From modern Italian cooking and handmade pasta to seasonal pastry, festive baking and finishing techniques, artisan cheese and the fascinating world of Australian honey, there’s plenty to discover. Learn from the experts, pick up clever techniques and uncover the stories behind what we eat and how it’s made.

And because tasting is half the fun, complimentary tastings are included in every session, giving you the chance to experience the flavours first-hand.

Come curious, leave inspired and probably a little hungry.

Full schedule coming soon.

2026 Speakers

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Gareth Whitton is the founder and head pastry chef of Tarts Anon, the Melbourne-based bakery known for its refined yet approachable take on classic and contemporary tarts.
With over 18 years’ experience, Gareth has worked in some of the world’s most acclaimed kitchens, including Pier, Quay, Oud Sluis and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, honing a style that balances technical precision with bold, flavour-led creativity.
Launched during Melbourne’s lockdowns, Tarts Anon quickly built a cult following and has since grown into a multi-site business, celebrated for both its signature classics and ever-evolving seasonal offerings. In 2023, Gareth was named the winner of Dessert Masters, cementing his place as one of Australia’s leading pastry talents.

Gareth Whitton

Hyoju Park

Hyoju Park is the Co-Founder and Head Pastry Chef of Madeleine de Proust, bringing together classical technique, creative precision and a thoughtful approach to flavour and texture.
Trained across South Korea, London and Melbourne, Hyoju has worked in some of the world’s leading kitchens, including Mingles in Seoul, The Langham in London and Attica in Melbourne, where she held the role of Head Pastry Chef.
At Madeleine de Proust, Hyoju leads the development of the pâtisserie’s creations, combining technical precision with considered flavours, textures and finishes to transform the humble madeleine into something distinctly her own.

Jessica Locarnini is Australia’s first certified Honey Sommelier, an internationally recognised honey judge and the founder of Honey Merchant. A member of the Italian Register of Honey Experts, she is also a senior judge at Australia’s national honey show in Sydney and head honey judge for the Victorian and Tasmanian state shows.
On a mission to show that honey is far more than simply sweet, Jessica explores how flowers, landscape and season shape every jar - creating flavours that can be floral, fruity, spicy, earthy and entirely unexpected. Through guided tastings, she helps people discover the remarkable diversity of honey while championing local bees, beekeepers and 100% Australian honey.
Through Honey Merchant, Jessica showcases distinctive honeys and hosts tastings and masterclasses designed to inspire a new generation of honey connoisseurs and experts.

Jessica Locarnini

Tom is a classically trained chef with a passion for honest, ingredient-led Italian cooking. Raised in Wales, Tom began his culinary career in some of London’s most respected kitchens — including Michel Roux Jr’s Le Gavroche and the acclaimed Salt Yard Group — where he honed his technique and discipline.
Drawn to his Italian roots and the simplicity of regional Italian cuisine, Tom made the move to Melbourne and took on the role of Executive Chef at D.O.C. Gastronomia Italiana. Here, he fuses precision with soul, celebrating provenance and traditional flavours with contemporary flair. His menus are a love letter to Italy’s rich culinary heritage — from handmade pastas to thoughtfully sourced local produce — always guided by seasonality and authenticity.

Tom Jones-Davies

Eliza Seymour

Known online as The Veggie Scientist, Eliza Seymour is a content creator with a degree in Plant Science and seven years’ experience in the horticultural industry. Her mission is simple: to help Australians eat the best-tasting fruit and vegetables they can, while shining a light on the farms and growers behind the produce.
After discovering just how much there was to know about fresh produce - from where it comes from to what makes one variety taste better than another - Eliza saw an opportunity to bring the world of Australian farming to social media in a way that was useful, accessible and genuinely interesting to the people eating it.
Since sharing her first video in 2022, Eliza has built a community of more than 140,000 people across TikTok and Instagram, taking audiences behind the scenes on Australian farms, sharing weekly produce guides and uncovering some of the best-tasting varieties grown around the country.

Andrea Vignali

Andrea Vignali is the founder and executive chef of Melbourne’s Al Dente Enoteca, known for his contemporary approach to Italian cooking and passion for handmade pasta. Born in Milano/Brianza, Andrea trained in Michelin-starred restaurants, developing a style that balances Italian tradition with modern technique and creativity.
What began as a pasta delivery concept during Melbourne’s lockdowns has grown into a celebrated restaurant, with Andrea’s cooking earning recognition from The Age Good Food Guide, Broadsheet and Gourmet Traveller. He is also a Chef Ambassador for Prosciutto di Carpegna, championing Italian food and craftsmanship in Australia.
Most recently, Andrea was crowned World Champion at the World Tapa Competition for his innovative Spanish-Australian tapa, adding an international title to his growing list of achievements. Beyond the kitchen, his energetic approach to food and storytelling has also built him a significant following, establishing Andrea as an exciting voice in Australia’s modern Italian food scene.

Hilary McNevin has more than 15 years in the hospitality industry and 18 years in food media.
She is a Melbourne-based food communicator, writer, speaker, facilitator, and founder of Turnip Media. She contributed to Epicure in The Age and goodfood.com.au for 12 years, writing the weekly news column ‘Espresso’ for six years. She has also contributed to The Guardian, James Halliday Wine Magazine, Delicious Magazine, The Weekly Review, SBS Food Online, The Australian, Winestate Magazine, and Broadsheet Melbourne, among other publications.
Hilary founded Turnip Media in early 2017, where she creates digital content, connections, and events for food producers, winemakers, growers, purveyors, and the hospitality industry.

Hilary McNevin

Dani Valent is one of Australia’s most respected food communicators. She is a longtime freelance journalist and restaurant critic, award-winning cookbook author and host of the Dirty Linen food podcast.
Dani is a frequent media commentator on hospitality issues and an in-demand event host and guide. She was named a Legend by the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in 2022 and was honoured for her Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards 2023.