Event description

ACF Victoria - Competition Ready: Masterclass with Andrew Ballard
A 3-hour session of experienced advice, planning tools and behind-the-scenes insights

Join us for an exclusive masterclass, proudly sponsored by Nestlé Professional, and led by Australian Culinary Team Captain, Andrew Ballard. This masterclass is designed to give aspiring competitors and professional emerging chefs the inside edge on competition preparation.

Whether you're planning your first entry or refining your approach, Andrew will guide you through what matters most—criteria, strategy, planning, and mindset.

Details
📍 Venue: William Angliss Demonstration Room
🕕 Time: 3-hour evening session
🍽 Light supper and drinks provided
🎟 Limited spots available

This session is proudly sponsored by Nestlé Professional – helping support the next generation of Australian food talent.

this event is available to all ACF members for a FEE

About Andrew Ballard
Chef. Small business owner. Culinary competitor.

Andrew is currently based in Osaka, Japan, where he serves as Executive Chef for the Australian Pavilion at the World Expo. Known for his calm presence under pressure and sharp focus, Andrew has built a reputation across Australia and internationally for his expertise in food competitions. Between managing international service and collecting Japanese porcelain, Andrew remains passionate about mentoring emerging chefs.
Back in Australia, Andrew is the driving force behind Simmer Culinary, a dynamic hospitality company based on the Mornington Peninsula. With a firm commitment to ethical sourcing and a “paddock-to-plate” philosophy, Simmer Culinary delivers personalized dining experiences that highlight the best of local produce. Adding another layer to his culinary pursuits, Andrew spearheads the Gastronomique Development Kitchen, a high-performance training ground where chefs and apprentices sharpen their skills for elite-level cookery competitions. Here, precision, discipline, and the occasional existential crisis over plating techniques come together in pursuit of culinary excellence. Andrew’s most prized role? Captain of the Australian National Culinary Team. Under his leadership, the team secured silver and bronze at the 2024 Culinary Olympics and clinched 5th place at the World Global Chef Challenge

MAKING MORE POSSIBLE in Australia for over 50 years.

Having a foodservices team in Australia for over five decades we pride ourselves on being at the industry trend forefront and changing with our customer needs over time.

Today we have a team of over 300 dedicated Nestlé Professional employees. In addition we draw on support from the broader +5,000 Nestlé employee community in Oceania, and the +10,000 Nestlé Professional employees throughout the world. The majority of our extensive product portfolio is produced locally, including numerous culinary lines made in Cambria Park (New Zealand), NESCAFÉ and BUONDI coffee produced in Gympie (QLD) and MILO produced at Smithtown (NSW).