Melbourne Food & Wine makes public the 2026 Legends and Trailblazers award winners

Melbourne Food & Wine established its ‘Legends Hall of Fame’ in 1993, and it has become the nation’s longest-standing peer-voted recognition in the food and drink trade. The trailblazer category was established in 2024 to recognise those under 40 who have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to Victorian food and drink.

“The Legends and Trailblazers we celebrate are the players whose forward-thinking, courage and contributions to hospitality are both the foundations and the future of the world-class food scene Victoria enjoys today,” explains Anthea Loucas Bosha, CEO of Food + Drink Victoria, the organisation behind Melbourne Food & Wine and Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF). Nominations for the awards are made by the 200 people who make up the Legends Hall of Fame, and the winners are chose by a panel of food and drink experts. The 2026 judging panel included Good Food Guide Co-Editor Emma Breheny, Broadsheet Editor Nick Connellan, Blackhearts & Sparrows Wine Buyer Adam Cotterell, Produce Expert, Author, and Broadcaster Thanh Truong, and Melbourne Food & Wine Industry Lead Kim Danks and Creative Director Pat Nourse.

Food Producer/Retailer/Advocate

Legend: Alison Lansley, co-founder of Long Paddock Cheese alongside French affineur Ivan Larcher. “Alison funded the school with a dream to educate a new generation of artisan cheese makers,” says Will Studd. “Her integrity. Vision made a difference.” Food writer Richard Cornish credits Lansley for putting her energy into the trade for over 30 years. “Tireless in advocacy, encouragement and mentorship, she shared knowledge with both new and experienced cheesemakers.”

Trailblazer: Paul Miragliotta, operator of certified organic property Day’s Walk Farm

Chef Tom Sarafian uses Day’s Walk produce at his restaurant Zareh.

He comments on the “amazing quality of the beautiful organic produce” and how the variety of heirloom vegetables, from tomatoes and onions to beetroot and eggplants, “inspire many chefs and their menus across Melbourne”.

Legend: James Smith, founder and editor of Crafty Pint

Gabrielle Moore of East Gippsland’s Sailors Grave Brewing calls Smith the heart and soul of the craft beer scene. “Everyone looks to The Crafty Pint as the leading voice in craft beer in Australia, whether it’s for trends or news, because he makes sure it’s independent and trustworthy,” she states. “He’s been a supporter of ours since we introduced. He actually popped in before we even opened and the validation we got from him was so important.

And let’s face it – he’s great, just a lot of fun.”

Trailblazer: Sofia Levin, founder of The Seasoned Traveller and MasterChef judge

MasterChef alum Alice Zaslavsky commended Levin’s work. “Through her diligent, thorough, and thoughtful work, Sofia has flourished, bringing stories to light from so many different cultures and cuisines and in doing so has become something of an ambassador for the industry as a whole,” said Zaslavsky.

Drink Producer/Retailer/Advocate

Legend: Patrick Walsh, sommelier, distributor, inaugural Frankland Estate International Riesling Scholarship recipient, and former president of the Australian Sommeliers Association (now Sommeliers Australia). According to Wine writer Max Allen, walsh helped “turn Melbourne into the most exciting and adventurous wine market in the country”.

Trailblazer: Nick Tesar, Four Pillars creative director of gin drinks, author, and Marionette co-founder. MFWF creative director Pat Nourse states, “Nick is all over it, as much a keen student of restaurants as he is good produce as he is good bars – his love of hospitality, and the joy he finds either side of the bar is something to behold.”

Chef/Restaurateur/Hospitality Professional

Legend: Teage Ezard, restaurateur and chef

Ezard passed away this year aged 59. “I can’t emphasise enough that his first love was hospitality. Restaurants,” explains his widow, Tina Ezard. “As much as we had this beautiful relationship and love, I knew how fond he was of hospitality. It was something that was so important to him and to Australia.

He would always spruik how important it was to have restaurants that actually define who we are and to pass that on to the people he worked with.”

Trailblazer: Hugh Allen, executive chef at Vue de Monde and Yiaga

Going to MFWF Legend Tony Tan, he is “staggered by [Allen’s] passionate commitment and vision to promote Melbourne as a culinary destination by presenting an outstanding venue and exquisite food to the world stage”.

Local Hero

Legends: the Toscano family, grocers

Nourse explains that even in a city where fresh food marketplaces and specialist grocers are in no short supply, Toscano’s has few rivals. “Just like they say you can’t make old friends, could you even make a new Toscano’s if you tried?

So much of what makes it great stems from its history, the knowledge of produce and Victoria and relationships with producers and suppliers and shoppers. Auguri, Toscano’s, and bravo, famiglia Toscano.

Melbourne is so much the better for your efforts.”

Trailblazer: Alex Dekker, Alex Makes Meals

“At his age, to be such a veteran of feeding people and encouraging us all to think about food security… he’s a legend ahead of his time,” says MFWF Legend Duré Dara.

Sustainability Champion

Legend: Graham Jefferies, Samesyn 2.0

“He’s quietly and unobtrusively trying to make his corner of the world a better place, and his approach is so inspirational,” explains Matt Preston. “But doing it without compromising the deliciousness of the meal you’ll eat at Samesyn is a whole other box of slow-roasted, chewy caramel-reclaimed carrots – with lovage and pumpkin glaze, natch.”

Trailblazer: Southern Seagreens

They’re doing hard and weighty work with the best mode of communication: food,” says Trailblazer and zero-waste champion Jo Barrett. “I feel very grateful to have them in Victoria – and from a chef’s perspective, to have access to hand-dived Australian ingredients.”

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