Our Culinary Maestros
LOUIS TIKARAM: FOOD CURATOR CAPER BYRON BAY 2024
This year, Caper Food & Culture Festival is thrilled to have acclaimed chef Louis Tikaram as our Food Curator.
Hailing from the Northern Rivers in NSW and once recognized as “Young Chef of the Year” by Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, Louis brings a wealth of culinary expertise and a deep connection to the region.
Having been a guest chef at the inaugural Caper Festival in 2022, Louis is delighted to return home to Byron Shire and showcase his impressive culinary and curation skills. Raised on a 110-acre farm in Mullumbimby, Louis's culinary journey led him to work alongside industry heavyweights in renowned Sydney establishments Longrain, Bentley, and Tetsuya’s before being handpicked by Chef Martin Boetz to take over from him as Executive Chef of Longrain.
Louis then headed to the USA as founding chef of acclaimed E.P & L.P in West Hollywood and returned home in 2019 to Head Chef the now celebrated Stanley in Brisbane. He’s shaking up the Brisbane dining scene and back on everyone’s radar, including Broadsheet’s “Class of 2023’s Most Exciting Chefs.”
You can savour Louis cheffing prowess at two Caper events, the Festival's Official Closing Party - We Like to Tiki on Sunday 26th May and at Hutong Harry's Shanghai Nights on Friday 24th May.
HEADLINE GUEST CHEFS
Introducing our headline guest chefs, Jake Kellie and Ross Magnaye, who will be joining forces for our Fire with Fire event at Three Meadows. Jake Kellie, co-owner and Head Chef of arkhé, brings his expertise in smoking and charring to ensure every dish ignites the senses. Ross Magnaye, owner and Head Chef of Serai Kitchen, renowned as the Best New Restaurant of 2023 by Gourmet Traveller Magazine, infuses his tantalizing Filipino flair, creating a fusion of flavors that promise to captivate your taste buds.
They join a line-up of dozens of stand-out local chefs collaborating on our opening event, Taste the Cape.
Our Local Star Chefs
Get ready to savor the culinary delights of our local star chefs at Caper Byron Bay 2024, especially during our opening event, Taste the Cape! Featuring a lineup of the region's finest culinary talents:
- Darren Robertson from Three Blue Ducks
- Jason Saxby from Raes on Wategos
- Marcello Polifrone from Harvest Newrybar
- Bruno Conti from The Hut
- Ben Devlin from Pipit
- Matt Stone from You Beauty
- Karl Kanetani from Beach Byron Bay
- Alanna Sapwell from The Eltham
- Robbie Oijvall from Light Years
- Jedd Rifai from North Byron Hotel
- Pepsi Nakbunchuay from Bang Bang Byron Bay
- Mindy Woods from Karkalla
- David Moyle from Salty Mangrove
This culinary extravaganza promises to be an unforgettable experience showcasing the best of Byron Bay's food scene!
