2024 Winners
Past Winners
Lily Lapper, Restaurant Manager Mr Wong
Lily Lapper is the Restaurant Manager at Merivale’s renowned restaurant Mr Wong where she leads a small army of hospitality professionals. Before relocating to Sydney, Lily was the Restaurant Manager at 2-hatted Laura in the Mornington Peninsula. Lily also worked at the revered Carlton Wine Room, mentored by Travis Howe. Her trip will focus on further developing her leadership skills, visiting businesses that have a strong reputation for prioritising their team's wellbeing and hospitality tenure, while maintaining a profitable business.
Georgie Davidson-Brown, Head Sommelier Chiswick Restaurant
Georgie Davidson-Brown is the Head Sommelier at Matt Moran’s Chiswick Restaurant in Woollahra, overseeing the wine and bar programme. She has worked at some of Australia’s top restaurants, including Lûmé in South Melbourne and Restaurant Orana in Adelaide, which have been integral to developing Georgie’s interest in local produce, foraging and sustainable practices within the hospitality industry. Georgie is in the final stages of her WSET Diploma and was DUX of the Court of Master Sommeliers certified exams within her Sydney cohort. She plans to attend the MAD Academy in Copenhagen and stage at Michelin-starred restaurants, focusing on foraging and reducing food miles.
Nina Throsby, Group Sommelier Kailis Hospitality Group.
Starting at The Shorehouse in 2015, Nina Throsby has spent nearly a decade in these beachside venues honing her skills in wine, culminating in her position as the Group Sommelier for Kailis Hospitality Group. Nina has an impressive list of achievements: 2023 WAGFG Sommelier of the Year, Best Wine List in WA in 2022 and 2023, Best Sparkling List in 2022. As a key member of the opening team at Gibney earlier this year, Nina has developed an extensive wine list of iconic Australian and international producers. Nina has a keen interest in the wine judging process, having judged at various shows in Australia. She plans to use the Tranche Scholarship funds to gain overseas experience by judging at one of the major international wine competitions in the United Kingdom.
Sam Bray, Head Chef Manky Sally’s/Moo Brew
Starting his career in Adelaide, Sam staged at world-renowned Noma, and worked in some iconic kitchens before putting down roots in Tasmania. Originally working at MONA, Sam is now Head Chef at Manky Sally’s in Hobart which is on a path to becoming a zero-waste kitchen. Sam recently undertook the WSET Level 2 as well as an applied science certificate at the University of Tasmania to build his knowledge on fermentation to upcycle by-products from the hospitality, wine and brewing industries. Sam plans to visit pioneering zero waste and sustainably minded restaurants and volunteer at not-for-profit ‘Food for Soul’ founded by Massimo Bottura.