Brisbane chef Alfan Musthafa shares his journey to winning the prestigious title of Queensland Chef of the Year 2025.
Head Chef and owner of Warisan Brisbane Alfan Musthafa admitted that he enjoys competing and testing his own skills.
"I like to practice my skills to gauge my own talent," he told SBS Indonesian.
Winning this prestigious annual event wasn't something he'd been preparing for in just a month or two, but rather one he'd been working on for three years.
Chef Alfie—as this Cirebon native is affectionately known in Australia—said he has registered for this competition every year since 2022 but has never made it as the finalists.
"But every time there's a competition, I come to see the process, what the chefs cook and what the judging is like," said Chef Alfie.
With a "black box" competition system, the finalists only know the main ingredients they will be using 30 minutes before cooking time begins.
I believe that the food I will be serving--combining Australian ingredients with the traditional processes of Indonesian cooking--is something interesting, with its own merit.Chef Alfan Musthafa, Queensland Chef of the Year 2025
How did he achieve this prestigious title and what advice he has for those aspired to pursue this profession?
Listen to the full conversation.
