The Chef’s Hat Stage
Back for another year, The Chef’s Hat 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 features chefs, producers and flavour-makers sharing their tips, tricks and delicious demos across the weekend.
From pasta-making and the art of a next-level cheeseboard, it’s all about real skills, great food, and good vibes. Presented in collaboration with Chef’s Hat, the program celebrates the people, produce and passion behind every dish.
Stay tuned for the full schedule — here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming.
Sessions
Full schedule to be announced soon.
Fresh pasta, made simple
D.O.C Gastronomia Italiana
Discover the secrets behind D.O.C’s legendary pasta in this hands-on demo covering everything from flour theory and egg vs water dough, to no-equipment pasta shapes and sauce pairings. You’ll walk away knowing exactly how to mix, knead, rest and cook your own pasta at home—like a true Italian.
Tapas the MoVida way
MoVida
Experience the flavour and finesse of Spanish tapas with MoVida’s Head Chef, Kane Vokoun. From the iconic to the unexpected, Kane will bring the MoVida magic to the stage.
Supercharge your platter
Supercheese
Jeremy Spradbery, resident cheesemonger, returns with a new spin on the perfect platter. This year, he’ll focus on stylish, snackable presentation—sharing easy tips for slicing, styling, and arranging cheeses for maximum visual (and flavour) impact. Expect expert pairings, clever tricks, and local favourites.
More speakers announced soon
Speakers
Kane Vokoun
-
Kane Vokoun is the Head Chef at Melbourne’s iconic MoVida. Growing up in Barwon Heads with Indian and Czech heritage, Kane developed a deep appreciation for global flavours from an early age—starting his kitchen career at just 13.
For over a decade, Kane has worked alongside MoVida founder Frank Camorra, helping to shape the group’s distinct culinary identity. From leading the kitchen at MoVida Aqui to launching MoVida Lorne, Kane now heads up the original Flinders Lane restaurant, bringing his signature mix of technique, creativity and respect for Spanish tradition to every dish.
-
Jeremy Spradbery is a long-term cheese professional and owner of Richmond’s specialty cheese shop, Supercheese on Swan Street.
Jeremy is passionate about showcasing seriously good cheeses, focussing on benchmark cheeses produced locally and overseas, particularly raw milk cheeses.
Jeremy was only the third Australian to be inducted as Guard and Juror into the exclusive Guilde des Fromagers, a now global organisation protecting the traditions of artisanal cheese making.
Jeremy Spradbery
-
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
-
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
