The face of hospitality’s future was revealed on Monday evening at The Age Good Food Guide awards, as two young women from both sides of the restaurant industry – kitchen and front-of-house – attained prizes that will propel their careers.

In front of a crowd of 500 peers at the Plaza Ballroom, Saavni Krishnan of Manze restaurant won Young Chef of the Year presented by Smeg, an honour that’s been awarded to the likes of Andrew McConnell, Robin Wickens and Phil Wood in previous years.

Nicole Sharrad of Alta Trattoria received the inaugural Katie McCormack Young Service Talent award, recognising professionals aged 30 or under working in front-of-house roles.

Founding judges Bronwyn Kabboord (Du Fermier) and Hannah Green (Etta) wanted the new prize to inspire young waiters, sommeliers and managers in the same way the award for young chefs has since 2002 in Victoria.

Naming it after the late Katie McCormack, who died at 39 in 2022, was a way to honour an industry leader widely respected for her front-of-house skills, generosity and commitment to staff development, showcased at venues including Congress (which she also co-founded) and Merricote. The judges said McCormack’s values informed the award criteria.

“It was always about other people for Katie, about educating and giving back,” says Green.

Sharrad, 29, impressed the panel with her maturity, warmth and varied interests in all things food and hospitality.

“The idea is to shine a light on young talent who want to be [in front-of-house] and give them something to work towards and keep them here.”

Hannah Green, Etta

She studied horticulture after working at fine-diners including Attica and Hazel, wanting to understand more about the food she was serving. In her current role as restaurant manager of Alta Trattoria, which specialises in northern Italian food, she tracks down Piedmontese literature to share titbits about the region’s culture with diners.

“I love building rapport with people and helping distract them from their daily lives. Isn’t that why we eat out?” Sharrad wrote in her application.

Green and Kabboord said the award was important for the future of their industry, which has suffered skills shortages since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The idea is to shine a light on young talent who want to be [in front-of-house] and give them something to work towards and keep them here,” says Green.

Sharrad says the award is “really beneficial” for staff on the floor, who typically receive less recognition than chefs.

“It’s not a particularly respected profession in the scheme of things. People assume you’re on minimum wage, you’re a bit stupid, you didn’t finish high school. It’s really nice for young people moving up in the industry to see other people around them excelling.”

Tedesca Osteria owner-chef Brigitte Hafner, one of the judges for the Young Chef prize, was excited by the vision that the next generation of chefs showcased in their applications.

“I got a glimpse of a new generation of chefs who are grounded, who care about their team and who are building a career for themselves that is healthy and sustainable. Perhaps with fresh eyes they are questioning the status quo, which I think is great,” she says.

Winner Saavni Krishnan, 30, grew up in India and has spent the last eight years honing her culinary skills at highly regarded Australian restaurants, including Fred’s in Sydney under Danielle Alvarez and Etta in Brunswick East. Her early years in Australia were difficult at times: she was teased about her accent in some kitchens and withdrew, finding it hard to meet friends.

“I did not expect [to win]. There were so many great finalists,” says Krishnan. “It was really an honour to be recognised through the process.”

In 2022, she began running a pop-up restaurant series, Saadi, with husband Sriram Aditya Suresh. At takeovers of restaurants around Melbourne, the pair cook dishes inspired by their childhoods, their European training and the style of dining they love.

“For someone so young, she’s putting herself out there. That takes a lot of courage,” says Hafner.

Currently sous chef at Manze in North Melbourne, Krishnan hopes to open a 30-seat restaurant with Suresh that’s focused on wood-fired cooking and dishes that broaden perceptions of Indian food.

“We need a permanent space to showcase what we know and what we want to contribute towards the food scene in Australia,” Krishnan says.

But first she would like to learn the foundations of running a business.

Both prizes include mentoring for the winner to help them build skills and work towards their goals.

Sharrad says she will use the prize to access hospitality leadership training, which is often not available to those working in smaller restaurants.

“It does need to be taught, otherwise you just perpetuate what you’ve been shown in your past,” she says.

Like Krishnan, she also hopes to one day open a restaurant, perhaps with a kitchen garden to use her knowledge of plants, and would like to see more women owning and leading venues.

Each award was judged by a panel of industry professionals and a Good Food Guide representative, with contenders self-nominating via a written application and attending an in-person interview.

The new Good Food app is now available to download, featuring Good Food Guide reviews, recipes and food news. It’s available as a standalone subscription and as part of Nine’s Premium Digital packages for subscribers of The Age. Premium Digital subscribers can download the Good Food app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store now.