Scott Smith

These days you can find Smith working up a sweat behind the stoves at The Mill Restaurant at Tuscany Wine Estate Resort, however he received the bulk of his training at Casuarina Restaurant, Hunter Valley Gardens. According to Smith, the original restaurant owner Peter Mier is a very talented chef, and made it his aim to push the young Smith. “His philosophy is to push you harder every day to make you a better chef and with this you either develop a passion for food or you are slaphappy,” says Smith. “There is no room for near enough’s good enough!” When home Smith likes to fire up the barbecue and cook an entire meal on it – from the entrees to mains and even some salad ingredients. Says Smith: “The beauty is being able to cook everything on it, in so many different ways, and the best part is you can enjoy a drink with friends.”