The Stage
Back for another year, The Winnings Food Experience 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 Italian summer cooking and modern pastry techniques to seasonal produce, festive sweet treats, artisan cheese and the fascinating world of Australian honey, there's plenty to discover. Learn from the experts, pick up clever kitchen techniques and uncover the stories behind what we eat and how it's made.
Expect delicious discoveries, fresh inspiration and opportunities to experience incredible flavours first-hand.
Come curious, leave inspired and probably a little hungry.
Full schedule coming soon.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
Dani Valent
2026 Sessions
Cherry & Gingerbread Tart
Tarts Anon
Get into the festive spirit with acclaimed pastry chef Gareth Whitton as he puts a contemporary twist on the nostalgic flavours of Christmas. This session explores the art of creating a beautifully layered gingerbread frangipane tart, bringing together warming spices, rich cherries and bright citrus notes.
From mulled wine-soaked cherries and silky wine gel to gingerbread Chantilly cream and a finishing touch of mandarin caramel, Gareth will reveal how each element comes together to create a showstopping festive dessert. Expect expert pastry techniques, creative finishing touches and plenty of inspiration to elevate your Christmas entertaining.
A D.O.C Summer Lunch
D.O.C Gastronomia Italiana
Join Tom Jones-Davies, Executive Chef at D.O.C. Gastronomia Italiana, as he brings the spirit of an Italian summer lunch to life. Celebrating the simplicity of regional Italian cooking, Tom will show how beautiful seasonal produce, quality ingredients and a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil can transform even the simplest dishes.
Across three delicious courses, Tom will prepare tomato bruschetta with ripe Victorian tomatoes, a fresh pasta crudaiola with basil and olives, and a beautifully simple lemon, polenta and olive oil cake. Along the way, he'll share his tips for choosing exceptional ingredients, making the most of what's in season and letting the produce speak for itself. Expect relaxed conversation, delicious inspiration and a taste of the Italian philosophy that great food doesn't need to be complicated.
The Madeleine Tree
Madeleine de Proust
Join Hyoju Park, pastry chef and co-founder of Madeleine de Proust, as she transforms the classic French madeleine into a spectacular Christmas centrepiece. Combining delicate citrus flavours with rich pistachio buttercream, raspberry jam and a crunchy pistachio chocolate coating, this festive creation is as beautiful as it is delicious.
Watch as Hyoju shares her techniques for coring, filling and finishing madeleines before revealing how to assemble and decorate them into an impressive Christmas tree tower. Along the way, she'll share expert pastry tips, creative decorating ideas and the secrets to balancing flavour and texture. Expect plenty of festive inspiration and a fresh take on a much-loved French classic that's sure to impress this Christmas.
Honey, You Have Good Taste
Honey Merchant
Think you know honey? Think again! Join Jessica Locarnini, Australia's first certified Honey Sommelier and founder of Honey Merchant, for a fascinating tasting journey into the surprisingly complex world of honey. From delicate floral and fruity notes to rich, earthy and spicy flavours, discover how flowers, landscapes and seasons shape the taste of every jar.
Sample a delicious selection of Australian honeys from Little Food Market producers Meli Honey, Bee Kool Honey, Three Bees Honey and Sunny Times Honey, as Jessica reveals how to taste honey like an expert, debunks common myths and shares her tips for choosing the very best. Expect unexpected flavours, sweet discoveries and a whole new appreciation for one of nature's most extraordinary ingredients.
The Secret Life of Cheese
Bruny Island Cheese Co.
What happens between a young cheese and a truly great one? Join acclaimed cheesemaker Nick Haddow for a fascinating journey into the world of cheese maturation and discover how time, technique and environment shape flavour, texture and character.
Using Bruny Island Cheese Co.'s celebrated Raw Milk C2, Nick will explore the remarkable transformation that occurs as cheese ages, with tastings showcasing the same cheese at different stages of maturity. Expect expert insights, delicious discoveries and a whole new appreciation for the dark art of affinage.
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