Team Profile - Steve Gudzinski (Team Chef)

Steve Gudzinski (*pictured above) grew up in a house full of epicureans and professional chefs. He believes that his life was always destined to revolve around food. In his later years of schooling, Steve worked part-time at the Wynnum Fish Markets and developed a healthy respect for fresh Queensland produce.

After leaving school, Steve immediately channeled his passion for cooking into training as an apprentice chef. He worked in some of Brisbane's most popular establishments, such as the Pineapple Hotel and the trendy Hotel Carindale training under celebrated chefs like Keith McNeil and Didier Fournier.

Upon completing his apprenticeship and with a yearning for adventure, Steve traveled to remote areas of Queensland and New South Wales, adapting and challenging his skills and knowledge in a wide range of rural areas such as Rubyvale, Cunamulla and the ski slopes of Jindabyne. Working in such extreme and sometimes difficult environments enabled Steve to develop an aptitude for thinking on his feet with clever and inventive ideas.

Urged by Jason Ford to experience the growth of regional food and wine, Steve moved to the South Burnett in late 2001.

During his four years in the South Burnett, Steve worked a trilogy of successful head chef positions in Kingaoroy, at The Bell Tower Restaurant, Red Earth Restaurant and Explorers Restaurant. During the course of those positions, Steve achieved an unprecedented three consecutive listings in the Courier-Mail Goodlife Restaurant Guide, and was also awarded a red star of excellence. He was three-time winner of the PCA South Burnett Regional Culinary Competition, appeared on the cover of the Courier-Mail's Goodlife magazine and competed at the 2003 LifeSytle Channel Australian Regional Culinary Competition.

Steve currently resides in the Gold Coast Hinterland and is a contracted chef/manager for the Compass Group. With his close ties to the South Burnett and passion for Queensland regional cuisine and wine, Steve was a natural choice to return to Team South Burnett in a quest for culinaty gold.

*Picture coutesy of The LifeStyle Channel