Discover the Source
Join Straight To The Source for a thought-provoking program that celebrates culinary trends, innovation, and sustainability, led by some of Australia’s most influential food industry leaders.
Curated by experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, the Discover the Source stage program delves into culinary creativity. This dynamic space offers guests a rare opportunity to connect with the producers behind Australia’s finest ingredients, uncover stories of provenance, and explore the inspirations shaping the future of food—from soil and water to plate.
Through engaging interviews, interactive cooking demonstrations, focused explorations, and invaluable networking opportunities, guests will be immersed in the ideas, people, and innovations driving the evolution of our culinary landscape.
Celebrating culinary trends, innovation, and sustainability
Featuring 11 sessions over 3 days
Hear from some of Australia's leading chefs and producers
Lucy Allon
Restaurateur and Co-Founder / Straight To The Source
Tawnya Bahr
Executive Chef & Co-Founder / Straight To The Source
Luke Mangan
/ Luke Mangan Group
Hugh Allen
/ Vue de monde
Jacqui Challinor
Group Development Chef / Trader House
Donato Toce
/ Messina
Darren O'Rourke
Brand Ambassador / Endeavour Meat
Kirsten Jenkins
/ food.styling.academy
Eddie Stewart
/ Tokyo Lamington
Pana Barbounis
/ Pana Organic Chocolate
Ross Lusted
/ Marmelo, Woodcut
Emma Stirling
Director / Scoop Nutrition
Christopher The
/ Black Star Pastry | Hearthe
Tom Hitchcock
Executive Chef / Spirit House
Telina Menzies
Executive Chef / Australian Venue Co.
Claudia Guillaume
General Manager / Modern Olives
Enrico Sgarbossa
/ Zero Waste Pizza
Caitlin Koether
/ The Mulberry Group
Heidi Walker
Managing Director / Walker Seafoods Australia
Catherine Golding
National Business Development Manager / Meat & Livestock Australia
Sam Burke
Corporate Executive Chef Product & Business Development Manager / Meat & Livestock Australia
Mary Jane Morse
Brand Content Manager / Meat & Livestock Australia
Lorcán Kan
Head Chef / Etta
Max Kleyn
Flavour Scientist / Sensate Flavours
Ashly Hicks
Culinary Director / Darling Group
Diana Desensi
Chef /
Dan Hunter
/ Brae Restaurant
Lauren Mathers
Regenerative Farmer / Bundarra Farming for Good
Jackson Graham
Journalist / The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald
Celebrating culinary trends, innovation, and sustainability
Featuring 11 sessions over 3 days
Industry Big Night Out
6:00 pm
Workflow hacks for a stress-free commercial kitchen
Sunday 18 May
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
The Main Stage
How to create a cafe customers can't stop talking about
Sunday 18 May
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm
The Main Stage
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Staying Ahead in the Evolving Coffee Landscape: Insights on cost, consumers, and sustainability
Sunday 18 May
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
The Main Stage
The Hospo Reset: The key drivers shaping the future of hospitality
Sunday 18 May
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
The Main Stage
Standing Out & Staying Ahead: Success strategies for pizza & Italian restaurants
Sunday 18 May
11:30 am - 12:10 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
How To Win Customers & Influence Decisions: Insights on consumer behaviour
Sunday 18 May
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
The Business Stage
Building Customer & Community Loyalty for Long-Term Success
Sunday 18 May
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
The Business Stage
The Future of Tech in Food: What’s next for the industry?
Sunday 18 May
10:30 am - 11:00 am
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
How to build a tech stack that brings your customers back
Sunday 18 May
11:30 am - 12:10 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Stop Wasting Money! 5 ways technology can reduce F&B waste
Sunday 18 May
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Shift Happens: Mastering the art of scheduling without losing your mind
Sunday 18 May
2:30 pm - 3:10 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Beef Bites
Monday 19 May
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Discover the Source
Catherine Golding
National Business Development Manager
Meat & Livestock Australia
Sam Burke
Corporate Executive Chef Product & Business Development Manager
Meat & Livestock Australia
Mary Jane Morse
Brand Content Manager
Meat & Livestock Australia
Telina Menzies
Executive Chef
Australian Venue Co.
Lucy Allon
Restaurateur and Co-Founder
Straight To The Source
Session sponsor
Recipe of Resilience + A Seat at the Table: Celebrating Women in Food & Drinks Networking Event
Monday 19 May
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Discover the Source
Session sponsor
Scaling with Precision: How top QSR franchises optimise their supply chains for consistency
Monday 19 May
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
The Main Stage
Executive Perspectives: How QSRs can stand out in a crowded market
Monday 19 May
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
The Main Stage
Session sponsor
Transforming your hotel restaurant into a hotspot for guests AND locals
Monday 19 May
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
The Main Stage
The Eco-Eats Advantage: Win customers with sustainable menu design
Monday 19 May
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
The Main Stage
Stop Wasting Money! 5 ways technology can reduce F&B waste
Monday 19 May
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
The Main Stage
How to optimise workflow in a commercial kitchen design
Monday 19 May
10:30 am - 11:00 am
The Business Stage
Revolutionising kitchen operations with sustainable & efficient solutions
Monday 19 May
11:30 am - 12:10 pm
The Business Stage
How To Maximise Margins With Efficiency & Culture: Lessons from Marco Pierre White Restaurants
Monday 19 May
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm
The Business Stage
Redefining Kitchen Culture: Leading the next generation of chefs
Monday 19 May
2:00 pm - 2:40 pm
The Business Stage
Steal these retention strategies to win and keep the best team
Monday 19 May
4:00 pm - 4:40 pm
The Business Stage
How smart payments & data can drive customer loyalty in hospitality
Monday 19 May
10:30 am - 11:10 am
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
10 strategies to take control of food costs
Monday 19 May
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
Stock Smarter, Not Harder: How tech can revolutionise inventory management
Monday 19 May
12:20 pm - 1:00 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Fast, Fresh & Frictionless: Optimising operations with tech
Monday 19 May
1:45 pm - 2:25 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
Revolutionising food safety with IoT and AI
Monday 19 May
2:45 pm - 3:25 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Australia's Best Burger Awards Ceremony
Monday 19 May
4:30 pm
Australia's Best Burger Awards & Competition
Australia’s Best Pizza Awards Ceremony
Monday 19 May
4:30 pm
Australia's Best Pizza Awards & Competition
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Timeless in Melbourne: The secrets to building a lasting legacy
Tuesday 20 May
10:00 am - 10:45 am
The Main Stage
Session sponsor
Stay for Another Round: How to keep your staff engaged and your customers happy
Tuesday 20 May
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
The Main Stage
Menu Maverick: Crafting a unique menu in a copycat world
Tuesday 20 May
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
The Main Stage
Tomorrow's Tastes Today: Get ahead of 2025's biggest food trends
Tuesday 20 May
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
The Main Stage
Feeding the Next Generation: How young leaders are redefining hospitality
Tuesday 20 May
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
The Main Stage
How to build trust with sustainable sourcing and supply chains
Tuesday 20 May
10:30 am - 11:10 am
The Business Stage
The power of authentic storytelling in branding
Tuesday 20 May
10:30 am - 11:10 am
The Business Stage
Why the experience economy is shaping the future of dining
Tuesday 20 May
12:45 pm - 1:25 pm
The Business Stage
The Loyalty Playbook: How to design, launch and grow your loyalty program in 4 easy steps
Tuesday 20 May
1:35 pm - 2:05 pm
The Business Stage
The smart approach to choosing tech that powers your business
Tuesday 20 May
10:30 am - 11:10 am
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
AI In Hospitality: How smart tech is changing the game for restaurants & cafés
Tuesday 20 May
11:30 am - 12:10 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
Building a tech-enabled workforce to tackle labour shortages
Tuesday 20 May
12:30 pm - 1:10 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
5 key lessons from Australia's first AI powered drive-thru
Tuesday 20 May
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Data Driven Diners: Understanding and leveraging your data for success
Tuesday 20 May
2:15 pm - 2:55 pm
The Restaurant & Hospitality Tech Exchange
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
How to prepare a true Neapolitan Pizza according to AVPN regulations & Gigi Pizza
Tuesday 20 May
11:00 am
The Pizza Pasta Masterclass
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Session sponsor
Mastering the Art of Pasta: A Masterclass with Andrea Tranchero, Crafted with Barilla
Tuesday 20 May
12:00 pm
Pizza Masterclasses
Session sponsor
LIVE Cheesemaking Demonstration by Vannella Cheese
Tuesday 20 May
10:00 am
The Pizza Pasta Masterclass
Session sponsor
Brought to you by
Straight To The Source
A passionate and progressive team of food industry leaders with a wealth of experience and authentic, far-reaching networks. We proudly serve as strategic partners and connectors for primary and artisan producers, chefs, regions, hospitality and agricultural industries to drive business opportunities and nurture meaningful relationships.
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