2024 Trailblazer Award

Australia’s king of hummus has taken the road less travelled. After gaining notice with his work as head chef at Bar Saracen, he went freelance and became a pop-up prince, taking over the kitchens of fellow chefs to lend his own brand of Middle Eastern magic - usually toting a variation of his signature hummus topped with king prawn and spanner crab. Based on a recipe that took years to perfect, that silken, deeply creamy hummus (minus the seafood) has become the focus of his burgeoning retail brand. Sarafian, which blends tradition, chef smarts, great Victorian produce and a dash of very polished marketing, has taken dips from a mere fridge staple, to something sought after, replete with seasonal drops of toum and harrisa. And there’s plenty more to come from chef with the skills to match the hype. Next cab off the rank; a permanent Melbourne deli and restaurant channeling his Armenian heritage. We can’t wait. “As chefs we love this kind of stuff, keeping it new and interesting” Tom says. “It’s a unique position to be in and I just love the creative freedom it gives me.”