The Cook's Pantry with Matt Sinclair

About

The Cook’s Pantry is a weekly cooking show that celebrates the creation of wholesome Australian food. Successful Masterchef contestants, Matt Sinclair and his fellow foodies Courtney Roulston and Michael Weldon have teamed up with Wine Selectors for the next 12 weeks to bring you the best food and wine matches in the country.

The Cook's Pantry- Meet The Chefs

Matt Sinclair

From an early age, Matt Sinclair knew he wanted to create something unique with his food. From the suburbs of Sydney, his family influence in the kitchen moulded his passion to create home cooking with a twist.

Matty spent over a decade working in hospitality. Here he evolved a curiosity of the industry, and the desire to work with food as a career. This saw him audition for Series 8 of Masterchef, where he quickly became a household favourite, triumphing as the 2016 runner up.

Shortly after, Matt’s dream to own a successful food truck business came true. He established his business at the Eat Street market in Brisbane with his business partner. The quick growth and success saw their business grow into a fully-fledged restaurant in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.

Courtney Roulston

Courtney is the youngest of six, from a small farm in Kellyville. Taking her inspiration from Margaret Fulton’s cookbooks, Courtney’s passion for food evolved as she experimented with home cooking in the family kitchen.

Courtney’s success in the kitchen first started as a popular contestant on Series 2 of Masterchef in 2010. Since then, she has shared her passion for reinventing the humble salad in her very own book – promoting exciting dishes, using fresh, healthy ingredients.

Courtney continues to be a great influencer in the food industry. Her many accomplishments include acting as an ambassador for Coles, running her ever-growing catering business, participating in regular cooking demonstrations, and appearing at Food and Wine Shows around Australia.

Michael Weldon

Michael hails from South Australia. He has a passion of supporting home-grown businesses in the food industry. An Adelaide boy at heart – Michael’s culinary tastes can easily take you on a journey to local fresh food markets, small unique restaurants, boutique wineries in the Adelaide Hills, and even a karaoke bar or two!

As the Masterchef 2011 runner up, he quickly became a popular and entertaining personality within the food industry. His love for cooking has only grown since this experience.

Successfully running catering companies, working as head chef, hosting cooking demonstrations, and being proud ambassador for Coles, San Remo and Coopers.

Wine Selectors- Meet Our Wine Experts

Vern Taylor

Growing up on a dairy farm in the idyllic Bombay Hills of NZ, Vern soon decided that freezing early morning milking wasn’t for him!

At 18 he started his hospitality and wine career working in some Auckland and Queenstown's premier restaurants including the famed "Hotel du Vin", before moving to Australia and working in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine-country where his discovery of aged Hunter Semillon turned him off Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for good!

After a stint managing restaurants at the renowned Cable Beach Club in Broome, he moved to Etihad airlines as a Food and Beverage manager, a dream job combining his love of food, wine and travel together.

However, after 3 years of skipping around the globe, it was time to return to Australia in 2010 and he has been sharing his knowledge of food and wine with Wine Selectors members ever since.

Adam Walls

For 10 years, Adam served wine and developed wine lists in restaurants and hotels in both Australia and the UK, solidifying his love of all things vinous and planting the seed for further wine exploration.

After returning to Australia from the UK, he worked for Tower Estate in the Hunter Valley before joining Wine Selectors in 2010.

Adam has completed wine based training in both Europe and Australia and holds a WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits.

He was awarded the Fellowship at the 2015 Australian Alternative Varieties wine show and is an active associate judge at wines show around the country.

Belinda Taylor

Starting in hospitality from a young age, Bel quickly developed a love for all things wine!

Joining the Wine Selectors team in Sunny Brisbane as an agent five and a half years ago, Bel was provided with fantastic training and coaching that enabled her to reach her goals and quickly progress through the management ranks.

As manager of the NSW team, you will find Bel at one of Wine Selectors’ Sydney Cellar Doors, constantly winning over new members with her awesome smile and bubbly personality.

She loves training up new staff members and supporting her team in their coaching sessions.