Hostplus Hospitality Scholarship winner announced

Merivale Group’s Julie Davaine has been named the winner of the 2019 Hostplus Hospitality Scholarship.

Announced at Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, Davaine is general manager of four venues - Fred’s, Charlie Parker’s, The Paddington and The Chicken Shop.

French born, Davaine joined the Merivale group 10 years ago as a food runner at Sushi E before scaling her way up to general manager where she oversees more than 150 employees.

This year’s runners-up were Laura Dyba, restaurant manager at The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery, just outside Hobart, and Saba Alemayoh, owner/manager at Saba’s Ethiopian Restaurant in inner-city Melbourne.

As the winner of the scholarship, Davaine now has the opportunity to work across three countries in internationally acclaimed hospitality businesses. When she returns to Australia Davaine will continue to build on her industry experience over a year-long mentorship with a local industry leader.

Eight local identities were also inducted into the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Legends program this year.

The 2019 inductees are:

• Chef/restaurateur/hospitality professional – Con Christopoulos
• Food producer/retailer/advocate – John Portelli, Enoteca Sileno
• Drink producer/retailer/advocate – Nat White
• Communicator/educator – Richard Cornish
• Local hero – Annie Smithers, chef/owner, Du Fermier
• Hostplus Trailblazer – Mike Russell, Baker Bleu
• Honorary Legend – John Haddad
• Honorary Legend – Natalie O’Brien

Sheridan Randall, 29^th July 2019