Sunshine Coast restaurant owners, chefs, authors showcase region best offerings

The Sunshine Coast is home to many culinary delights, including some of the country’s top chefs and foodies. See how they’re shaping the industry.

The Sunshine Coast is home to some of Queensland’s best restaurants and dining experiences.

The region played host to nearly 100 food inspired events as part of the Sunshine Coast Council’s annual festival, The Curated Plate. 

Events included Seasonal Tastings at the Falls Farm, Bush Tucker and Botanics at the Maleny Botanic Gardens, and a meet and greet with chef Matt Golinski at the Eumundi Markets.

Several new Sunshine Coast restaurants which opened their doors this year have also rocketed into the delicious. 100 rankings for Queensland’s best restaurants of 2022.

“The food scene on the Sunshine Coast is really starting to come alive in 2022,” Queensland delicious. 100 editor Anooska Tucker-Evans said.

“There really has been no better time than now to eat out on the Sunshine Coast with a plethora of top notch venues serving up everything from tacos and tequila to seafood and sauvignon blanc.”

But there’s a lot of work to be done before the plate arrives for diners to enjoy.

The Daily takes a look at some of the Sunshine Coast’s foodies and their influence across the region.

Tony Kelly – restaurant owner and chef

Celebrated chef Tony Kelly. Picture: Matty Holdsworth

Tony Kelly is the owner of some of the most popular eateries on the Sunshine Coast, including Rice Boi, Market Bistro and Bocca.

Mr Kelly told the Daily in May, 2022 the food and beverage scene from Caloundra through to Noosa was experiencing an exciting period where new restaurants were opening and old favourites were thriving.

“It feels like the Sunshine Coast has grown up … there’s a lot of well educated, well travelled people that live here now and their expectations are good food, good service and nice wine and drinks,” Mr Kelly said.

“You’ve got Ocean St which has clearly stamped its mark on the late night venues like nightclubs and bars, then you’ve places like The Wharf where we feed all the families and the new Maroochydore CBD which is a whole different market altogether.”

Katelyn and Jonny Giles – restaurant owners

Cotton Tree Beach Bar co-owner Katelyn Giles, left, and co-owner Jonny Giles, right, with their daughter Mahlia, 2.

Having recently opened their second restaurant, Cotton Tree Beach Bar, in June this year, restaurant owners Katelyn and Jonny Giles have found the secret to success.

The husband and wife team were encouraged to open their second business off the success of Kings Beach Bar, which they’d opened in Caloundra in 2018.

Mrs Giles told the Daily in June, 2022 customers had welcomed the new live music cafe and bar.

“We thought we had a good concept and it’d do well but we didn’t fully understand how much people wanted something like this,” she said.

“We’re on to something.”

Matt Sinclair – celebrity chef

Celebrity chef Matt Sinclair showing off his skills.

MasterChef Australia contestant turned restaurateur Matt Sinclair continues to shine on the Coast, with his ever popular Asian fusion restaurant Sum Yung Guys.

The co-owner launched the restaurant in 2017 with friends Dylan Campbell, Michael Rickard and Jeremiah Jones.

Their success has seen the restaurant relocate to Noosaville after moving from Sunshine Beach in May 2021 to create mores space.

Sum Yung Guys also made headlines in April, 2021 after more than 4000 bookings were recorded in the first 24 hours of the restaurant announcing it would reopen at its new Noosaville location.

Matt Golinski – celebrity chef

Matt Golinski in preparation for Baconfest in Kingaroy. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The former Ready Steady Cook celebrity chef continues to delight fans across the country with his cooking skills.

Based on the Sunshine Coast, Mr Golinski tours Australia showcasing what each region has to offer in the terms of food and delicious treats.

He’s most recently presented to a sold out Curated Plate experience and was earlier in the year visiting the Sawtell Chilli Festival.

Mr Golinski will also be a guest judge at the upcoming Baconfest in Kingaroy on August 19-21, 2022.

Martin Duncan – Sunshine Coast Foodie

The "Sunshine Coast Foodie" Martin Duncan.

Known by his fans as the Sunshine Coast Foodie, Mr Duncan is a proud advocate for the region’s food and agriculture industry.

He hosts chef and producer events, showcasing the Sunshine Coast and Mary Valley’s local produce, as well as hosting farmgate tours.

Mr Duncan works closely with the Food and Agribusiness Network, Hinterland Tourism, Slow Food Noosa, Noosa Tourism and Visit Sunshine Coast to promote the region to the rest of Australia.

Kim McCosker – author

Kim McCosker. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The Sunshine Coast based author of Four Ingredients cookbooks continues to delight people at home looking for a simple dinner.

Ms McCosker has pioneered a hugely successful cookbook empire, with more than of 30 titles to her name.

The Four Ingredients cookbooks have become a staple in the homes of families in Australia and worldwide.