Discover Our Team

 

Stéphane Brémont

Chef Owner

Stéphane is the talented chef owner behind the menu at Tukka Restaurant. He has combined his classical training with a passion for native Australian cuisine and premium regional produce. His dedication and innovation are leading the development of “Advanced Australian Fare”.

After four years in Hospitality College, in his native France, Stéphane moved to Provence, to further his training. The time spent in the south of France taught him how to select quality produce by enjoying farmers markets and asso­ciating with leading chefs. Interrupted by national service he was appointed as personal chef for a four stars General.

After twelve months he was pleased to be relieved from Army life, and moved to London to join the brigade at Mon Plaisir, a well acclaimed traditional French Restaurant in Covent Garden. He then went on to join Michelin trained chef Mark Brown at the Belvedere Restaurant, in the heart of Holland Park.

It was during this time that he decided to pursue his travels and departed for Australia. He joined Berardo’s in Noosa Heads, under the direction of Head Chef Dayle Merlo, and then award-winning Head Chef David Rayner. During this association with Rayner, he grew passionate about the Australian quality produce and found a new energy to always go further.

A new young family saw the relocation to Brisbane, where he joined Master Chef Romeo Rigo. Stéphane’s training with Romeo added further to his refined style and discipline.

Stéphane joined Tukka Restaurant in November 2004 and is now chef owner. Stéphane is applying his classical training to create a unique national cuisine incorporating the best of our local produce perfectly combined with more traditional native ingredients. 

Stéphane can be heard in a regular cooking segment on ABC 612AM with Warren Boland along side some of Brisbane’s leading chefs, such as Alastair McLeod. Stéphane is looking to expand his media commitments and promote the development of Advanced Australian Fare.

As a French chef, why are you so dedicated developing Australia’s cuisine?

"I guess that I've always been quiet attracted to what the world had to offer. Growing up in the countryside of France we use to consume natural resources which drove me towards the kitchen to pursue my passion. After settling in Australia it seemed that the potential of native produce was unexplored and its true value ignored. I saw a great opportunity with an array of amazing flavours and have always been keen on cultivating a point of difference. The challenge is proving to be an everyday excitement and our customers loyalty is the best reward I could hope for.” Stéphane Brémont

Alistair Roberts

Owner & Consultant

Alistair is the entrepreneur behind Tukka Restaurant. After four and a half years as the Managing Director, he handed over the reins to Stéphane in November 2006. He is now a major shareholder and regularly consults to the business. He was born in Brisbane, and after completing his education in the UK and America, he returned to begin his business career in Australia.

He established Cumquats Restaurant in July 2002 with the aim of creating Australia’s leading native restaurant. In early 2005 he successfully re-branded the restaurant as Tukka Restaurant. Innovative marketing, a strong niche and a dedicated and professional team have helped the restaurant to become extremely successful in a short period of time.

Alistair had his first successful company in the UK at the age of 21 promoting nightclubs and began creating Tukka Restaurant in 2002 when he was 24.  In 2004, Alistair was elected onto the boards of Brisbane Marketing and Restaurant & Catering Queensland. He was the youngest person ever to be appointed to either of these boards.

Alistair was attracted to the restaurant industry by his love of food, the opportunities for creativity and by the sheer challenge. The idea of creating a native Australian restaurant first started when he returned from overseas and found it difficult to define a strong identity for Australian cuisine. Alistair set out to create a native Australian restaurant that didn’t just appeal to tourists, but was somewhere that could push the boundaries of Australian cuisine. The goal is to see native foods incorporated more widely in Australian cuisine and to make a contribution to the evolution of our food culture.

Why did you get involved in native foods?

“Creating Tukka Restaurant and helping to define Australian cuisine represented a huge challenge and a rare opportunity. Australian produce is exceptional and the range and quality of our native foods is truly astounding. This is a concept that excited me from the start and I’m delighted our customers have embraced it” Alistair Roberts

View Alistair's profile on LinkedIn

     Bryant Wells

     Sous Chef

Bryant has worked in kitchens since he was 12 years old. He travelled around two-thirds of Australia and worked in exotic tourist locations including Ayer's Rock (longitude 131 and Sails in the Desert Hotel) for two years. He also worked in the ski fields in Thredbo for some time. Bryant met his wife while working at Ayer's Rock and is now settled in Queensland. He loves to learn new flavours and help up-coming chefs by sharing what he has learnt in his time in some of the busiest restaurants in Australia. Outside Tukka, Bryant has a serious passion for landscape photography which he is hoping to integrate with his passion for food. You will soon see some of his captured immages around the restaurant. Bryant's mission for the future is to master the art of fine dessert making and he will continue to enjoy the fast-paced adrenaline career of a chef. We quoted Bryant as saying recently: "I think I will be bored doing anything else. There is nothing like a fast-paced night where everything goes at 100 miles an hour and at the end your customrers leave with a large smnile on their face having enjoyed something you have created with your own hands.".

What do you love most about being part of Tukka?

"My wife and I wanted to dine at Tukka for a long time. I finally took the full native food plunge and as soon as I took the first taste of our appetizer I thought "I can't wait for my next course". I knew that this was where I wanted to learn. That is what it is all about for me: if your customers are craving for the next course then you are doing something right. When I heard that there would be soon a position available I chased it so I could learn a whole range of new flavours. I found a world class chef in Stéphane and haven't loooked back."

Daniel Jess

Assistant Manager

Daniel joined the restaurant in February 2006 as Restaurant Supervisor and gained promotion to Assistant Manager in March 2007. Having trained under various innovative chefs and sommeliers, his experience in handling complex dining rooms shows. He is an experienced hand at large and small events alike and really enjoys organising corporate events.

Raised in rural Queensland, Daniel spent time traveling to explore the flavours of the country before settling down to study.  He actively promotes good Australian wines and has completed studies in commercial cookery, business management and classical voice.

Outside Tukka's walls, Daniel teaches singing students from a home studio and is a member of the Australian Institute of Management.  He is a cultural Australia Day award recipient and anticipates being part of the continued success that is, Advanced Australian Fare.  Daniel also consults for the wine and hospitality industry from within a private firm.

What do you love most about being part of Tukka?

“Every day at Tukka, quality produce is churned into sensational dishes, served alongside truly superb Australian wine in a reliable, hospitable dining room. Like many of our guests, I stand and applaud the concept and am excited to ponder the future of Australian food culture and my place within it.” Daniel Jess

Veronica Woo

3rd Year Chef Apprentice

Veronica is an Apprentice Chef at Tukka Restaurant. Veronica is an Australian born Chinese who has been living in Australia since starting high school at St. Peters Lutheran College in Indooroopilly (Brisbane). Through studying Hospitality at school, Veronica found her love for food. During her last six months of her senior studies, Veronica completed a school-based traineeship with Tukka. At the start of 2005, Veronica continued to pursue her career to become a Chef by becoming an apprentice at Tukka.

Taking part in the Toques Blanches Cultural and Culinary Challenge Veronica was awarded gold medal in the category first and second year best apprentice. Well done!

What do you love most about being part of Tukka?

“I love the opportunity to work with such a vast variety of native ingredients and local produce.” Veronica Woo

Eka Sukarini

Waitperson

My name is Eka and I come from Bali (Indonesia). I came to Australia three years ago to study Hospitality Management and I lived in Sydney for the first two years. The Australian lifestyle has changed me a lot, from a Balinese girl full of tradition and culture to a more open-minded person. I love to try new things and I am learning a lot here.

After I finished my diploma I moved from Sydney to Brisbane for a more relaxed lifestyle. I am continuing study in accounting at QUT and I love working in hospitality.

Outside study and work I teach Balinese dance in Queensland Balinese Community. I am so proud I can show my own culture to other people in Brisbane by dancing in a lot of events. Being more open minded in the new life style, culture and environment but I am still a Balinese girl who will never forget where I came from.

What do you love most about being part of Tukka?

“I found Tukka as my first work place in Brisbane. This job challenged me to try and learn about Australian native foods that I had never even imagined (crocodile, emu, kangaroo and possum). People may think it sounds so wrong that I work for Tukka as a non-Australian, but I am very happy here with all the people I work with. Tukka gives me a lot of new information about native foods, I am constantly improving my hospitality skills and I always try to give the best service possible to our customers” Eka Sukarini

New team members

Once our new team members have been with us at least three months, they will gain their own introduction alongside their dedicated teammates.

We are always looking for the best candidates to join our team. If you are passionate about hospitality or know someone who is, please refer to our careers page. We are growing rapidly and would be only too happy to discuss the opportunities at Tukka Restaurant.

Visit our careers page for more information.

Tukka Rewards Careers