Tides Waterfront Dining head chef Andrew Strange voted best chef on the Sunshine Coast

From rolling around a roadhouse in a pram to serving some of the best food available, a Sunshine Coast chef has shared how he earnt his crown as the region’s best.

Head chef and part owner of Tides Waterfront Andrew Strange has been voted the Sunshine Coast's best chef. Picture: Eddie Franklin

The Sunshine Coast has had its say and chosen a well known veteran chef as the region’s best.

The Daily last week listed the Coast’s top chefs and readers were able to vote for their favourite in a bid to promote an industry doing it tough through the Covid-19 restrictions.

Tides Waterfront Dining’s Andrew Strange accumulated an impressive 29 per cent of votes out of the 19 chefs to be crowned the winner.

The Caloundra restaurant head chef and part owner has been in the industry for 32 years and said it was “excellent” to see his work pay off.

“For me to look at that list and be surrounded by those names is rewarding enough so to win is even better,” he said.

Mr Strange said he has been in the kitchen since he was a child and was always experimenting with food whenever he had the chance.

“My parents owned a roadhouse so there’s photos of me where I’m in my pram in the kitchen,” he said.

“I always say oil must’ve got into my veins or something because I’ve never left.”

After owning and operating Ellmo’s Restaurant in Maroochydore, which collected 39 awards including one of the top three fine dining restaurants in Queensland, Mr Strange was forced into consulting before taking his talents to Tides in 2019.

Head chef and part owner of Tides Waterfront Andrew Strange has been voted the Sunshine Coast's best chef. Picture: Eddie Franklin

The 50-year-old said now is the time to support your local hospitality businesses.

“We are very much a local driven restaurant but the impact of Covid-19 has hurt,” he said.

“The constant changes means a loss of customers and a major loss of produce so now things are starting to ease people can get out and experience a night out.”

Mr Strange said the hospitality industry is very tightly-knit.

“I know a lot of those names on the initial list as we’re always going to lunches or functions together,” he said.

Mr Strange said his passion is within the kitchen and he enjoys sharing his knowledge and skill set with his kitchen staff.

“One of my old apprentices was recently awarded with the best restaurant in Tasmania so you can see how it seeds through,” he said.

“You’re not going to be here forever so why not pass on or share what you know to someone that has that same passion and drive as you do.”

Originally published as Tides Waterfront Dining head chef Andrew Strange voted best chef on the Sunshine Coast