2025 FINALISTS
Meet the 12 Finalists heading to the Nestlé Golden Chef's Hat Award Grand Finals at Fine Food Australia in September!
Andrew Ballard, Northern Territory
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Currently an Apprentice Chef at the Darwin Convention Centre, Andrew Ballard, aged 24 impressed judges at the Northern Territory regional cook-offs to secure his spot in the national finals.
For his main, Andrew plated up a brandy basted rump steak with lemon myrtle smoked celeriac mash, wattle seed jus and orange and rhubarb chutney made with BUITONI Sugo Al Pomodoro (Tomato Coulis). He continued his theme of bold flavours in his dessert with a baked then cold set lemon bar accompanied by a white chocolate and rosella french vanilla mousse, toasted oat and brown sugar crumble made with UNCLE TOBYS Traditional Oats.
Since he was young, Andrew has taken an interest in cooking, seeing it as a way to connect with his family. This is Andrew’s first time competing in the national finals for Golden Chef’s.
“I entered the competition to push myself out of my comfort zone and see how I stack up against other young chefs in the Northern Territory. My goal is to keep learning, growing, and travel the country to work in the best stadiums and venues for major events.”
Matilda Birkholz, South Australia
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Competing at her first ever culinary competition, Matilda Birkholz took out an impressive win at the South Australia cook-offs at just 18 years old. Matilda is currently a full-time student at Le Cordon Bleu Adelaide.
For her main Matilda served a perfectly cooked grilled rump with café de Paris butter and a caramelised onion tart, finished with a red wine jus made using MAGGI Jus Lié Beef Flavoured Sauce Mix. She continued to impress with her dessert, a baked rhubarb, olive oil orange cake and coconut custard made with MAGGI Coconut Milk Powder Mix.
For Matilda, cooking is more than just a career choice, it’s her passion. Her goal is to keep learning and eventually specialise in pastry, working with like-minded chefs in some of the best kitchens around the world.
“I am committed to learning something new every day, and this experience is a valuable chance to bring me closer to the chef I aspire to be. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
Kyle Victoriano, Western Australia
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Currently a Demi Chef at Pinelli Estate Winery Restaurant, 21 year-old Kyle Victoriano took out the regional winner’s title for a second year in a row at the Western Australia cook-offs.
Kyle was praised for his bold flavours, refined techniques, and meticulous attention to detail. His menu included a mouthwatering herb crusted rump steak with a spiced vegetable terrine, finished with a native pepperberry jus. For dessert, Kyle served up a honey and pistachio parfait with rhubarb jelly, lemon myrtle anglaise, wattleseed crumble and steeped oranges and rhubarb – all crafted using NESTLÉ DOCELLO French Vanilla Mousse and UNCLE TOBYS Traditional Oats.
Since competing at the national finals last year, Kyle credits the competition for connecting him with mentors across the country and opening doors to career-making opportunities that have helped him secure his first job since completing his culinary course.
“It’s such an incredible milestone to compete at this level again in 2025. To be part of the finals in the competition’s 60th year will be a truly unforgettable experience, and I’m honoured to have been selected to represent Western Australia and showcase what I can do on a national stage.”
Enoch Chan, Victoria
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Enoch Chan, aged 24, is currently a Commercial Cookery Student at Le Cordon Bleu and completing a placement at Vue de Monde in Melbourne. He impressed judges with his menu to score top marks at the Victoria regional cook-offs.
Enoch's main of satay beef was the true standout with complex umami notes and a smokey satay sauce made with MAGGI Seasoning. For dessert, he brought it home with a creamy banana & chocolate parfait, finished with a white chocolate crumble made with our NESTLÉ DOCELLO Snowcap White Compound Chocolate.
Growing up, Enoch was inspired by tasting dishes as they were being made by his dad and grandma in the kitchen. Today, he has a goal to travel the world to experience different cultures firsthand and reflect this in the skills and creativity of his cooking. This is Enoch’s first time heading to the Golden Chef’s national finals.
“Entering the Golden Chef’s competition is not just about winning for me—it’s about seeing how far I’ve come in my growth as a chef. Winning would open doors for me to work in places that would be difficult to enter otherwise. But beyond that, my goal is to continue learning and experiencing things I haven’t seen or tasted before.”
Daniel Yin, NSW Metro
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Apprentice Chef at Ciel Restaurant and Bar, 24 year-old Daniel Yin wowed judges to take out the regional winner’s title at the NSW Metro cook-offs.
Daniel dished up a sous vide rump steak for his main, accompanied by tallow seared zucchini and a wine merchant sauce made with MAGGI Jus Lié Beef Flavoured Sauce Mix. For dessert, Daniel served a white chocolate mousse made with NESTLÉ DOCELLO Snowcap White Compound Chocolate, paired with spiced poached rhubarb, a native pepper and vanilla rhubarb jelly, salted macadamia praline and rhubarb consommé.
As a passionate advocate for sustainable cooking practices, Daniel always aims to use 100% of the produce he’s been given, with a goal to one day own a business where he can showcase to customers what it means to respect ingredients. This is Daniel’s first time heading to the Golden Chef’s national finals.
“I want to push myself to a higher standard and showcase my personal passion for food. Above all, I hope to gain useful insights into the creative minds of the industry whilst also being apart of a journey shared by aspiring and passionate chefs."
Nicholas Rudeforth, Tasmania
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Nicholas Rudeforth, aged 22, scored top marks to be crowned the regional winner at the Tasmania cook-offs. He is currently a Commis Chef at Faro Bar + Restaurant at MONA.
His main of rump steak with celeriac purée not only caught the eye of judges with its vibrant green tuile, but also impressed with bold flavours, refined techniques and meticulous attention to detail. For dessert, he served an equally as eye-catching lemon tart with poached rhubarb and coconut foam made with MAGGI Coconut Milk Powder Mix.
Nicholas, who will be heading to the national finals for the first time, loves the science and technicality of cooking, the adrenaline of high-pressure service and the magic of turning simple ingredients into something extraordinary.
“I entered the competition to challenge myself and see how I stack up against other young chefs. I hope to both better myself and my career as a chef from the experience, pushing what I can do, and to hopefully do well and add another feather to my cap with a medal.”
Baxter Sanderson, Queensland
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Currently a Qualified Chef at Spirit House Restaurant, 21 year-old Baxter Sanderson won the overall regional winner’s prize at the Queensland cook-offs.
Baxter brought the vibrant flavours of Thailand to the table, impressing judges with a fragrant main of Kra Pao Beef and spicy Nam Prik Num, made with MAGGI Seasoning. He continued to raise the level in his dessert of Orange and Rhubarb Flan, made with NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk.
With a love for the fast-paced nature of cooking, this is Baxter’s first time heading to the national finals for Golden Chef’s.
“I am really looking forward to getting to know fellow young chefs and connecting more with the industry. I also believe that this competition is a great way for me to put my skills to the test, while gaining even more. My dream is to one day open my own restaurant, working with my friends and creating incredible food.”
Aonsasiphat (Rose) Chursuwannachai, Australian Capital Territory
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Patisserie Student at Canberra Institute of Technology, 23 year-old Aonsasiphat (Rose) Chursuwannachai brought her A-game to take out the regional winner’s title at the ACT cook-offs.
For her main, Rose used MAGGI Thai Tom Yum Paste to create leek-stuffed tom yum duxelles, which accompanied a sous vide rump steak, finished with a ginger jus. She continued to impress with dessert, a lemon myrtle white chocolate mousse with rhubarb jelly and coconut meringue, made with our NESTLÉ DOCELLO Snowcap White Compound Chocolate and MAGGI Coconut Milk Powder.
For Rose, food is a way to connect people and share different cultures. She cares deeply about how ingredients are used and believe that every part of the produce has value. This is Rose’s first time heading to the Golden Chef’s national finals.
“This competition isn’t just about winning, it’s about growing, sharing ideas, and being part of something bigger in the food world. It's an important step in my journey as a chef.”
Ashleigh Handsaker, NSW Regional
2025 Regional Winner, Gold Medal
Currently a Sous Chef at Iron Gate Kitchen, 22 year-old Ashleigh Handsaker topped the scoreboard for the NSW Regional to secure a spot in the national finals.
For her main, Ashleigh complemented her hero protein of beef rump with a braised leek puree, celeriac pavé, pickled celeriac and celeriac cream finished with a red wine onion jus made with MAGGI Jus Lié Sauce Mix. For dessert, she used NESTLÉ Continental Bitter Dark Couverture Chocolate to create a dark chocolate and wattleseed cremeux, dark chocolate macadamia shell, pumpkin and spiced stout cream.
Ashleigh’s dream is to open up her own restaurant focused on locally sourced, sustainable produce which can be a place of learning for both the customers and the staff. This is Ashleigh’s fourth time heading to the Golden Chef’s national finals.
“While competing, you build relationships with fellow competitors and chefs within the industry, whilst supporting each other and encouraging each other, which extends beyond the competition. This competition pushes you to be the best you can be.”
Emily Morgan, NZ North Island
2025 Regional Winner, Silver Medal
Currently a Culinary Student at Auckland University of Technology, Emily Morgan, aged 19 took out the regional winner’s title for the second year in a row at the NZ North Island cook-offs.
For main, Emily served up a sous vide beef rump with parmesan espuma, mashed potato, duchess potatoes and swiss chard cigars, all finished with a mushroom jus made with MAGGI Jus Lié Beef Flavoured Sauce Mix. For dessert, she dished up a delicate tamarillo souffle with crème fraîche, french vanilla mousse, manuka honey & oat crumble made with UNCLE TOBYS Traditional Oats.
Emily’s aspiration as a chef is to be able to connect people through food and provide everyone with the opportunity to eat, whether this is through charity or volunteer work. She placed second at last year’s Golden Chef’s national finals.
“I competed last year and had the most amazing time and memorable experiences. I also want to push myself to do better than I did last year and hopefully win.”
Sam Kissell, NZ South Island
2025 Regional Winner, Silver Medal
Chef de Partie at Euna Invercargill, 20 year-old Sam Kissell scored top marks to be crowned the overall regional winner at the NZ South Island cook-offs.
For his main, Sam dished up seared beef rump, accompanied by a smooth broccoli puree, red wine jus and horopito and cumin croquette for the perfect textural contrast. He continued to impress with a dessert of shortbread, lemon & white chocolate crémeux, made with our NESTLÉ DOCELLO Snowcap White Compound Chocolate.
This is Sam’s second time competing in Golden Chef’s and the first time he’s heading to the national finals. Sam’s goal is to see if he can push himself further and explore opportunities overseas.
“Reaching this stage of the competition is an amazing achievement. Being in the finals feels like a pivotal step in my career, and I’m looking forward to developing my skills further and demonstrating what I’m capable of at an advanced level.”
Kira Boulton, Wildcard Entry
2025 Highest Scorer – NSW Regional, Grafton, Gold Medal
Currently an Apprentice Chef at Heart and Soul Wholefood Cafe, 18 year-old Kira Boulton scored the highest overall marks at the NSW Regional, Grafton cook-offs, and is the competition’s Wildcard Entry for 2025!
Kira won judges over with her main of beef jus rump spectacular using MAGGI Jus Lié Sauce Mix and continued to impress with her dessert of white chocolate covered caramel and banana filled mousse cake made with NESTLÉ DOCELLO French Vanilla Mousse Mix.
Kira has been working in the kitchen since she could remember and inherited her passion for the kitchen from her mum. This is Kira’s second time competing in Golden Chef’s and her first time heading to the national finals.
“I yearn for knowledge, I want a career that continues to teach me and keep me learning at every step. I want to learn from a range of knowledgeable chefs so one day I have all the right tools for opening my own business someday.”