On behalf of The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, may I present this year’s finalists for the Smeg Young Chef of the Year Award. Chosen by a panel of leading industry figures as well as food writers, it’s an award that has been handed out to a rising star on the NSW and ACT restaurant scene every year since the Good Food Guide’s 1990 edition.

The winner, to be announced Monday, October 23, will join the ranks of some of the country’s most influential chefs including Dan Hong (Merivale executive chef), Lauren Eldridge (Berowra Waters Inn pastry chef), Phil Wood (Ursula’s, Paddington) and Brett Graham (the Ledbury, London).

This year’s super-talented bunch was drawn from a large field of entrants all under 30 and boy are they passionate, skilled and dedicated. They also know more about eating out in this city than almost anyone. So, as we congratulated them on the honour of reaching finalist status, we asked them to spill their secrets about the Sydney scene they know, love and are integrally involved in.

Ardyn Bernoth, Good Food Editor

Kimberly Tang, 26, Chef’s Table

After building up an impressive resume in Melbourne (at the likes of Dinner by Heston and Society), Tang moved to Sydney in June to work at Chef’s Table in Chatswood. At the intimate Japanese restaurant, Tang works as sous chef with a rotating roster of acclaimed head chefs such as Katsuji Yoshino and Takashi Yamamoto. She aspires to travel the world, mastering everything from patisserie to management skills, in the hopes of eventually opening her own zero-waste, inclusive restaurant.

Who makes the best cheese toastie in Sydney?

Cavalier 1.0 in St Leonards makes amazing toasties and has so many varieties. You can’t go wrong with their classic Cheeky Jaffle, which brings back memories of grade 4, bush camping, and Tupperware lunches (thanks Mum!).

Which bar is your go-to for a great martini?

I’m more of a wine or whisky and apple drinker, so I’m [more likely to] frequent Bar Copains or The Baxter Inn. There’s something about green apples being freshly juiced right in front of you and paired with whisky that just hits.

What’s the best dish you’ve eaten this year in Sydney?

It’d have to be an even match between LuMi Dining and Sixpenny. At LuMi, starters like the rosette (a crispy Southern Chinese pie shell made of shredded vegetables, shaped into a rose and filled with taramasalata), gunkan (Japanese sushi boats filled with stracchiatella cheese and topped with sea urchin) and soldiers (sourdough toast with tuna tartare and caviar) … were my standouts. At Sixpenny, my favourites were the Port Lincoln calamari with koji butter and charred broccolini, and of course, the Murray cod with macadamia and mustard greens.

What’s Sydney’s most killer sandwich?

Top Ryde Baker’s House probably is one of my favourites for banh mi. The menu diverges from classic Vietnamese staples to include lemongrass beef and char siu. They’re always stuffed to the brim, fulfilling every Vietnamese dad’s mantra of “more is more, especially if they have to pay for it”. But go outside peak times if you want to avoid long wait lines.

What’s the most uncheffy thing that you regularly eat out?

I absolutely love Two Peck Crispy Chicken’s nuggets and wings in plum salt. Making a semi-regular appearance in my diet is also the Macca’s double cheeseburger but with a kicker: replacing the sauce with Big Mac sauce and requesting the steamed bun (credit to my brother Tang, who is also a chef).

Who has Sydney’s best croissant?

I love Tenacious Bakehouse in Darlinghurst. If I could eat it every day, I would. Co-owner Yeongjin Park fuses his Korean heritage with traditional French pastries and reimagines it into flaky, creative and utterly delicious pastries.

Michael Lo Presti, 29, Sixpenny to Baba’s Place

Fine-dining chef Michael Lo Presti will switch gears in October, when he moves from his position as junior sous at three-hatted Stanmore restaurant Sixpenny to head chef at Marrickville restaurant Baba’s Place. It’s all part of Lo Presti’s plan to reconnect with his creativity, develop his own dishes, and lean into a holistic hospitality approach where the vibes are just as important as the food.

What’s your No.1 hidden gem in Sydney?

Corner 75 in Randwick is sick. It’s a little Hungarian spot on Frenchman’s Road with a cool, old fitout. I like to start with a pilsner, langos (sour cream flatbread) and matzo ball soup, then the chicken paprikash, and to finish, a strudel, a glass of tokaji and an apricot palinka (fruit brandy).

Who makes your favourite bowl of noodles?

The Alley Duong Hem at the top of Enmore Road does a few cracker bowls of noodles. My go-to’s are the combination beef pho, bun bo Hue and their bo kho.

Where do you go for late-night eats after work?

If it’s reasonably late, I go to The Sultan’s Table in Enmore. They do a killer kebab (make sure you add chilli dip to it). But, if it’s really late, I go to 7-Eleven to get an egg salad sandwich. When I get home, I add salt and vinegar chips to it and maybe a bit of hot sauce. Hot tip!

Which bar is your go-to for a great martini?

My favourite bar for a martini is Bar Planet in Enmore: great fit-out, friendly staff and not only great martinis but they’ve got delicious complimentary popcorn as well.

What’s Sydney’s most killer sandwich?

I love the sandwiches at Double Tap Coffee. It’s a cafe in industrial Marrickville with delicious sambos, great coffee and amazing service. It’s definitely an underrated spot that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.

Marcelo Munoz, 28

When Enmore restaurant Bar Louise earned a hat in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards 2023, head chef Marcelo Munoz considered it a career highlight. It was Munoz’s first time opening, then leading, a new restaurant after nine years working at acclaimed Sydney venues like Continental Deli, Hartsyard and Porteno. As he settles into the role, he’s looking to further expand his creativity and connection with customers.

Where do you go for late-night eats after work?

I’ll often go to Kebab on King in Newtown for a late-night gozleme. My pick is usually the chicken and mushroom or the spinach and cheese. They are consistently great.

What’s your No.1 hidden gem in Sydney?

Goose Bakery at Forest Lodge. Everything is perfect. All house-made pastry – cannot fault anything. This place is life. My picks are the mushroom croissant and the ham, cheese and mustard croissant.

What’s the best dish you’ve eaten this year in Sydney?

It would have to be from Ester. The wood-fired potato bread with kefir cream and dashi jelly is an absolute classic. Pure heaven. But to be honest, every bite of food I had from there was perfect.

Who makes the best cheese toastie?

Ruby Lonesome in Marrickville has a cheese, tomato and pesto toastie. Probably the best value toastie I ever had [at $12], and extra points for them because I ate 10 without even realising they were vegan.

What’s the most uncheffy thing you regularly eat out?

Tinned tuna. The one product I eat the most is tinned tuna. Specifically, Sirena (in oil of course) and if I’m feeling good, I’ll order Olasagasti tuna from work. I eat it on toast (great); in salad (great); with mayonnaise (great); and on its own (also great).

Noora Heiska, 28

Noora Heiska trained in Finland before working her way up the ranks at Canberra restaurant XO, where she ultimately became head chef. Before the restaurant closed in May, one of Heiska’s signature dishes was the lamb carpaccio: a robust, flavourful dish that combined elements from eastern and northern Thailand. Now a free agent, Heiska is looking to broaden her skill set by working under chefs across Australia and overseas.

Where do you go for late-night eats after work in Canberra?

I go to Kita in Narrabundah. They’re open until 6am so it always works, no matter how late I finish. My picks of the menu are the nasi goreng, ayam goreng or any of their pastries.

Who makes the best cheese toastie in Canberra?

Melted in Fyshwick: they exclusively offer toasted sandwiches, but they can get pretty creative. Think flavours like truffle mac and cheese, pizza and mi goreng in a toastie.

What’s the most uncheffy thing that you eat out, regularly?

I do love a good kebab, especially on busy days when I haven’t had time to eat. Preferably from Turkish Halal Pide House in Yarralumla. Their kebabs are massive and some of the best in Canberra.

Who has Canberra’s best croissant?

My favourite at the moment is a ham and cheese croissant from Under bakery in Mawson. Perfectly flaky and buttery with really flavoursome fillings. Under also does excellent Scandi-style cinnamon and cardamom buns, which always remind me of my childhood.

What’s Canberra’s most killer sandwich?

For a killer sandwich, I go to Sandoochie in [Canberra CBD]. They change the menu quite frequently but trust me, whatever is on will be delicious.

Shashank Achuta, 29

Brasserie 1930 sous chef Shashank Achuta isn’t afraid of dreaming big. One day, he says, he hopes to become the face of South Asian cooking in Australia. In the meantime, he’s working with The Bentley Group at their latest grand brasserie, after building up an impressive resume of hatted restaurants (think Cafe Paci, Fred’s and Restaurant Hubert). But keep an eye on his socials – he’s been known to hold pop-up dinner collaborations focusing on regional, home-cooked Indian food (through his business Sydney Tiffin Room).

Who has Sydney’s best croissant and why?

A.P Bakery’s croissant with macadamia, burnt honey and thyme is the best. It’s unusual: savoury and sweet at the same time, using a tried-and-tested recipe with the perfect croissant pastry-to-macadamia ratio.

What’s the best dish you’ve eaten this year in Sydney?

The lobster kottu roti (an elevated take on the Sri Lankan street food, where roti, curried lobster, egg and vegetables are cleaved into small pieces as they fry on a hot grill) at new Sri Lankan restaurant Kurumba in Newtown. Their lobster kottu uses the best Australian rock lobsters to create arguably the best kottu roti ever made. Ever.

Who makes your favourite bowl of noodles?

My choice of ramen spots is Hakata Gensuke at the Regent Place Shopping Centre. Hakata Gensuke is a Melbourne cult classic, and I’ve been obsessed with them since I first visited them in Melbourne a few years ago. Recently, they’ve come to Sydney and this definitely lives up to the hype. My pick is the signature God Fire Ramen (loaded with crushed sesame seeds and raw garlic).

Who makes the best cheese toastie in Sydney?

Penny’s Cheese Shop in Potts Point has one of the best cheese offerings in Sydney. The star of the show is the cheese toastie. It’s a daily special, which means the cheeses and fillings change every day, and they usually sell out quickly. One of their best ones is a kimchi, gouda and taleggio toastie. It is to die for.

Bremmy Hizkia Setiyoko, 30

Stepping into the kitchen at Sepia in 2018 was a career-shaping experience for Bremmy Hizkia Setiyoko, who had long dreamed of working under acclaimed chef Martin Benn. A few restaurants later (including XOPP, Tiva and Hey Chu) and Setyoko still holds on to Benn’s purpose-driven approach. In October, he’ll step into the role of head chef at Penelope’s, a new Circular Quay restaurant from the Hello Auntie team.

What’s the best dish you’ve eaten this year in Sydney?

The nasi bungkus by Garam Merica in Pitt Street. The literal translation is nasi (rice) and bungkus (takeaway). So, it’s a takeaway dish made up of fragrant jasmine rice and your topping of choice (beef rendang, turmeric fried chicken, and sambal), packed using oil paper and banana leaf. It’s a cure for my homesickness.

Is there anywhere that you order off-menu – and what do you ask for?

Golden Century used to make the best XO sauce in Australia and at XOPP by Golden Century, I ask them to add a few tablespoons to the seafood fried rice.

Who makes your favourite bowl of noodles?

Malay Chinese in Pitt Street. It’s the OG Malaysian restaurant, serving the one of best chicken laksa in Sydney. Creamy, coconutty, and heaps of spice. Personally, I like to give it a twist by eating the laksa with steamed jasmine rice: not traditional, but definitely delicious.

What’s the most uncheffy thing you regularly eat out?

Chicken McNuggets. It’s dangerous having a Maccas open until midnight within a five-minute walk from work because it’s the best thing to eat when you’re feeling snackish after service. I have got to stop though, I need my summer body back!

Which bar is your go-to for a great martini?

Tiva in King Street. They make a really good gin martini using Four Pillars navy strength gin. Unlike James Bond, I preferred mine stirred, not shaken.

Jack Mosher, 24

Jack Mosher is the senior chef at The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023 Bar of the Year ANTE, after working in the kitchens of Automata, Poly and RE bar. He values simplicity and sustainability in his dishes, drawing inspiration from international chefs like Christian Puglisi (of now-closed Copenhagen restaurant Relæ) and Junya Yamasaki (of Los Angeles restaurant Yess).

What’s your No.1 hidden gem in Sydney?

It would have to be coffee at 108Warehouse in Marrickville. Although they’re not a cafe, the coffee they roast for retail (at the 108Coffee Stand inside the shop) is first-class. If you’re lucky, you might catch them making a pot for you to sip while browsing.

What’s Sydney’s most killer sandwich?

Sydney’s most killer sandwich would have to be the eggplant katsu sandwich from Kurumac in Marrickville. It’s got a chunky egg mayo, crispy eggplant, and really soft bread. What more could you want?

What’s the best dish you’ve eaten this year in Sydney?

The best dish I’ve had this year has to be the watermelon granita and fior di latte ice-cream from Bella Brutta in Newtown. The granita was so fresh and the ice-cream had an incredible chew to it. The food at Bella is always great, but this was a standout for sure.

Who has Sydney’s best croissant and why?

I’d have to say A.P Bakery’s croissants are the best in Sydney, for sure. They’re perfectly baked and they offer the classic flavours as well as some unconventional ones, and they all go great with coffee.

The Smeg Young Chef of the Year winner will be announced October 23 at the Good Food Guide 2024 Awards presented by Vittoria Coffee and Oceania Cruises. The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2024 will be on sale from October 24.

CORRECTION — Chef’s Table is located at Chatswood, not Cabramatta as was initially published.