| George Calombaris | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 October 1978 Melbourne, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Chef, restaurateur |
| Known for | MasterChef Australia |
George Calombaris (born 4 October 1978) is an Australian chef and a judge of the Network Ten series MasterChef Australia.[1] Prior to his role on MasterChef, Calombaris regularly appeared on the daytime Ten cooking show Ready Steady Cook. He owns three restaurants in Melbourne and one in Mykonos, Greece. His flagship Melbourne restaurant, The Press Club, was awarded The Age Good Food Guide "Best New Restaurant 2008" with Calombaris named 'Chef of the Year 2008'. Calombaris draws on his Greek and Greek Cypriot heritage for inspiration.[2]
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Calombaris studied at Box Hill Institute of TAFE and won the Bon Land scholarship in 1999 while an apprentice.[3]
He started his career at the Hotel Sofitel in Melbourne under Raymond Capaldi. After his apprenticeship, he teamed up with Capaldi and the Sofitel’s executive sous chef Gary Mehigan to open Fenix, where he worked for two years. He also entered the Bocuse d’Or culinary grand prix in Lyon, France, achieving a best ever result for an Australian representative.[4]
He spent two years working at Reserve, in Melbourne’s Federation Square where, at the age of 24, he won Young Chef of the Year, Best New Restaurant and two chef’s hats in The Age Good Food Guide.[2] In 2004, the Global Food and Wine Magazine voted him as one of the Top 40 chefs of influence in the world.[5] In 2006 Calombaris opened his own restaurant in Melbourne, The Press Club. In 2008, he opened 2 other restaurants in Melbourne, Maha Bar and Grill (with chef Shane Delia) and Hellenic Republic (with chef Travis McAuley). Also in 2008, he opened his first international restaurant, The Belvedere Club, in a hotel on the Greek island of Mykonos.[2] In December 2010 Calombaris opened P M 24 with culinary legend Philippe Mouchel. In 2011 he opened St Kathrine's in Kew. He opened it with chef Shane Deliah.
Calombaris has published three cookbooks: The Press Club, Hellenic Republic: Greek Cooking from The Hellenic Heart,[2] and Your Place or Mine with MasterChef co-judge, Gary Mehigan.
He appears in Who's Who in Australia 2011 edition[6] and appeared at the 2011 Good Food & Wine Show.[7]
Calombaris and partner Natalie Tricarico have one son, James George Calombaris, born on 28 July 2011.[8]
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