This year’s Shoot the Chef competition has been taken out by photographer Andy Nowell for his photo of Adelaide chef Stewart Wesson.
The winning image depicts Wesson holding the hand of his young daughter, Lily, while cooking in his shed amongst pickled carrots, a 20kg bag of cow manure and various garden tools.
As well as the glory, Nowell’s winning prize includes $5,000 cash, a Nikon D750 DSLR camera with AF-S 24-70mm and AF-S 85mm f1.4 Nikkor lenses (valued at $7,500), a 12 month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan, a photography mentorship with a Fairfax photographer and a two-week artist residency with Parramatta Artist Studios and Raffles College of Design & Commerce.
"Stewart suggested he get naked and hang next to a carcass … we also thought about putting him in a bath of egg yolk, but we agreed that doing something like that was a bit expected," Nowell told SMH.
Nowell said that he decided on the shed setting as he “wanted something that was personable that people could connect with."
"A lot of people have kitchens that aren't in kitchens, out in the garden, in the shed. Stewarts' shed kitchen is a bit of a sacred place. It's a nice soft tender image that we can all relate to."
Shoot the Chef will be displayed as part of the Parramatta Lanes festival from October 6-9 in Sydney, and at Southgate mall Melbourne, during Good Food Month in November.
Stewart Wesson, head chef of The Flinders Street Project in Adelaide, cooking in his shed with daughter Lilly. Photo: Andy Nowell
"The Watermelon Girl" – Zali Ferguson. Photo: Brett Ferguson
Jake Smyth of Mary's Burgers. Photo: Parker Blain.
Simon Poole from The European in Melbourne. Photo: Patrick Varney
Sokyo chef Chase Kojima. Photo: Alan Richardson
Nonna Rosa in her shipping container kitchen, Tea Tree, Tasmania. Photo: Justin Bernhaut
Heston Blumenthal, the mad scientist of all mad scientist chefs, at his Melbourne restaurant, The Fat Duck. Photo: Brett Stevens
Luke Powell of LP's Quality Meats in Chippendale. Photo: Gavin Johns
Chef Adam Liaw in the Arctic and Scandinavia in the upcoming SBS TV series Destination Flavour Scandinavia. Photo: Philip Myers.
Maslow's head chef Jack New loves the comfort of ramen and manga after work. Photo: Rafael De Leon
Janelle and Ian on their property in Victoria with their two young children. Photo: Sarah Hayes & Skye Tuohey
Joe Grbac from Saint Crispin, Collingwood. Photo: Kristoffer Paulsen
Bennelong's Chef de Cuisine, Rob Cockerill stands proudly between the sails of the Sydney Opera House. Photo: Nikki To
Nahji Chu of MissChu Photo: Julie Crespel
Chefs going over the menu at Cl?rchens Ballhaus in Berlin. Photo: Kane Bonke
Maria Ciavarella with her great-grandsons, Patrick Bateman (centre) and Sampson Bateman (right). Photo: Ronnie Bateman.
Photo: Matthew Willmann
Russell Scott at the Lismore Car Boot market. Photo: Rosie Kew
"The Lemonade Maker" – Cleo Elliott. Photo: Merlyn Cantwell.
George Frazis, at his son's Rozelle coffee bar, Latticini, (with wife Anthippe in the background). Photo: John McRae.
Katherine Taylor from St Regis Food and Wine Bar, Waurn Ponds. Photo: Stephanie McDonald.
Chef Geoff Gill. Photo: Matthew Senior
"Squid" (Harvest Cafe head executive chef Bret Cameron). Photo: Demetre Minchev
Pensioner George. Photo: Michael Barbayanni
