Brad and his wife, Angelica opened their first restaurant in Brisbane, Lat 27. The award winning, popular venue quickly became one of Brisbane's most loved restaurants and for three consecutive years Lat 27 was one of six Queensland venues to feature in Sydney's ‘The Good Food Guide' and ‘The Melbourne Age Food Guide'

Brad and Angelica opened ‘Alchemy Restaurant and Bar' in 2005, which is spectacular, a restaurant experience like no other. Located in a stunning position on the Brisbane River, the venue has a ‘holistic' approach to fine dining incorporating exquisite architecture, contemporary décor, an invigorating menu and wine list, exceptional service and magnificent views. Brad presents modern Australian cooking at its best with an emphasis on fresh, local and seasonal produce prepared using his unique techniques.

Martin Duncan

Freestyle Tout

Freestyle Escape

Queensland Food & Beverage Industry (FBI)

Martin Duncan originally opened Freestyle Tout (tout meaning everything or all) 11 years ago in Rosalie as a gallery, florist with coffee and dessert.

“I went with the flowers and desserts originally because they are both feel good, inspired by love and are great for the soul!”

Since its inception, Freestyle Tout has grown into a dessert café with an iconic reputation throughout Brisbane and Australia.

In December 2004, Martin opened Freestyle Tout at Emporium, 1000 Ann St Emporium in Fortitude Valley. Recently Martin opened another Freestyle Tout at West End, 220 Melbourne Street. Martin still has the art and dessert concept at both restaurants enhanced by an all day savoury menu.

Each calendar month, the Freestyle Tout restaurants showcase a new artist.

Martin is a keen advocate for charities such as the Abused Child Trust, Starlight Children’s Foundation and the Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.

Martin, who is a qualified chef with a passion for desserts has regularly featured in the media promoting the hospitality industry, consults to several magazines. This includes a stint as guest chef for Virgin Blue’s inflight magazine Voyeur, with monthly food pages for 11 issues.

Martin is continually helping to promote QLD food events, such as the Celebration of Australian Food & Wine Noosa Style, Hilton Masterclass and smartFOOD.

In March 2005, Martin initiated a monthly networking evening called the Queensland Food Beverage Industry (FBI) with key media, government departments and local foodies. The FBI group is also used to showcase Queensland chefs, produce and wines.

In 2007 FBI extended to the Sunshine Coast. Events are held in both Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast four times a year, showcasing seasonal local produce to chefs, restaurateurs and media.

For more information, visit www.freestyletout.com.au or www.qldfbi.com.au

Natascha Mirosch is the food and nutrition reporter at the Courier Mail. She started off her journalistic career as a travel writer, but her love of good food and interest in the cuisines of the places she visited began to dominate her writing.

During the nineties, she freelanced for many publications in the UK , including regular restaurant reviewing and a wine column.

Between 2000 and 2004, Natascha took time off to have a child, write a book and go back to Uni to finish her degree in literature.

In 2004 she started as restaurant reviewer for The Brisbane News, then moved to the Courier Mail, beginning at HOME magazine, then moving on to feature writing for Good Life, the Tuesday food lift out.

Today, she writes about food for both the news and features section of the Courier Mail and reviews for the annual Courier Mail Food and Wine Guide as well as the Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. Natascha has judged meat for the EKKA, cheese for the Cheese Festival and helped decided What Wine Women Want for the Brisbane Fine Wine Festival.

She is a passionate supporter of artisan producers and locally grown products, a keen, (albeit erratic) cook and always an enthusiastic diner.

Visit Natascha's Blog http://blogs.news.com.au/couriermail/food/  

Peta Ellis

City Publicity

Peta Ellis has been in working Marketing and Communications since 2001. After creating Red Carpet Projects - a boutique pr / publicity firm - in 2003 she continued to specialize in working with unique businesses, service providers and personalities.

As a publicist the main priority is to manage clients brands and public profiles as well as ensuring their messages relating to what they do, who they are, and what they have to offer are always in the limelight.

Peta launched City Publicity in 2009 after identifying a gap in the market to provide accessible, affordable publicity options and useful tools to assist business owners generate valuable publicity exposure.

The rapidly growing world of social media for business with regards to; how to use it, how to engage with it, how to manage it and how to make it work for small business became such a topical issue, Peta identified a the opportunity to provide assistance and usable tools though City Publicity.

She specializes in publicity for social media and provides valuable “Publicity Audits' for companies and businesses to assess the current visibility of businesses through the eyes of the media.

City Publicity's website provides buy-as-you need traditional and online PR services, with no contracts and no monthly retainer fees, with the aim to work inline with small businesses and ease cash flow stress.

Peta prides herself on customer service, client satisfaction and return on investment in her services.

City Publicity has REAL people behind her business and boasts being at forefront of digital media communication and online publicity and takes pride in the ever evolving service offering.

“PR is constantly changing and we plan to change with it to ensure business owners know what they need to do to keep up to speed. It's easy to be left behind in the online world of business and consistently upgrading skills and techniques is imperative for survival”

For more info, visit www.citypublicity.com.au

David Solnet

University of Queensland

Shift Directions

Dr David Solnet is the Director of Industry and Government Engagement and a lecturer in Customer Service Management at the University of Queensland’s School of Tourism.

Prior to commencing his academic career in 2002, David enjoyed a successful 18-year career in the restaurant and club industries where he held senior management roles in both the United States and Australia – most recently as general manager at Brett’s Wharf in Brisbane. He completed his PhD in service management and organizational psychology – where he researched the links between employee attitudes and customer satisfaction in the hotel industry.

David has authored over 20 academic, peer reviewed papers, many in the worlds top hospitality industry journals, and was recently a short listed finalist for International Best Paper in the marketing journal, Managing Service Quality. He is currently working on a university level hospitality management textbook with co-authors from the UK.

David also engages industry in an advisory capacity, as co-director of the consulting firm ‘Shift Directions’, providing a range of programs and services in the areas of financial analysis, customer service quality, management and supervisory leadership training and performance-based remuneration programs.

Finally, David had the pleasure of serving as the Queensland State Chair of Judges in 2006 and 2007 for the National Restaurant and Catering Association’s Awards for Excellence Program.

Matthew Kuhn

AM Giles & Co

Matthew completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree (Professional Accounting major) at the University of Southern Queensland in June 1999 and immediately commenced his professional career with a medium-sized accounting firm.  Matthew commenced employment with A M Giles & Co, a boutique accountancy practice which specializes in compliance and business advisory services to the small business sector, as a graduate accountant in February 2000. 

Over the past ten years, Matthew has worked in almost every facet of the firm, and has seen A M Giles & Co grow significantly during his tenure.  Matthew has recently been appointed as a Partner of the firm.

Matthew is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a current Certificate of Public Practice issued by the Institute. Matthew's commitment to maintaining his technical skills through continuing professional development keeps him abreast of the ever-changing accounting and taxation environment.  His clients benefit from his ten years of practical experience dealing with a great number of clients from very diverse small business enterprises.

Kenneth Law

Restaurant & Catering Queensland

Kenneth is an experienced industrial relations manager, industrial advocate and an administrator in the field of industrial relations in Queensland. His IR / HR experience goes back to 1975, and includes a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of  the Industrial Relations Act 1999 (QLD), the Workplace Relations Act 1999 and the Fair Work Act 2009.

During Kenneth's career, he have also been involved in the delivery and management of training programs as a well as acting as bargaining agent for employers in the preparation, negotiation, filing and resolving of any issues regarding collective agreements / enterprise agreements as a result of the application of the relevant IR test - now the Fair Work Act 2009.