The winner of the Hostplus Hospitality Scholarship has been announced alongside the 2023 inductees to the Legends program.
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival has awarded the scholarship to Stefanie Wee, a Perth chef who has spent the past 12 years working across the industry from owning her own cafe to working in hotels.
“My real passion is the people and culture that make the foundation of hospitality,” she says.
“The scholarship will be an incredible opportunity for me to further my skills, especially getting accredited as a mental health first-aid trainer.”
2023 has also seen six hospitality figures inducted into the Legends hall of fame including early sourdough adaptor John Dench, Good Food’s Roslyn Grundy, Kenzan’s Boeing Cho, Black Pearl’s Tash Conte, Gippsland Jersey’s Sallie Jones, and Second Bite’s Ian and Simone Carson.
In addition, the Trailblazer award was secured by Anchovy and Ca Com’s Thi Le.
“The Legends and Trailblazers awards recognise the innovators and stayers of the hospitality industry, says Hostplus’ Umberto Mecchi.
“This year’s winners represent another group of outstanding performers who have demonstrated exceptional passion, skill and commitment to the industry and the broader community.”