Take a peek behind the curtain and get to know the people who's ultimate goal is to crown somebody the camp oven cook off champion.
Franz Schuerer stumbled across the Cook Out way back in 2004 in it's first year. Since then he has competed many times and has become a real ambassador for the event. In recent years Franz has come down from the hill and taken up the position as head judge who's job it is is to complete the panel of experts. Luckily for us he brings along a panel of esteemed friends and colleagues who make up the formidable judging panel.
Franz Scheurer
grew up in a Swiss hotelier family, tasted his first Burgundy Grand Cru at the age of 5 and quickly discovered that his favourite room in the hotel was the kitchen. He ate his way around Europe from a young age, and later travelled to the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia to broaden his culinary horizons, before settling in Australia in 1973.
He started Australian Gourmet Pages website and e-newsletter dedicated to good food, wine, spirits and food/wine related travel in 1998, in order to share his passion with a wider audience. Subscription to the e-newsletter and access to the site are completely free, and Franz refuses to allow any advertising on the site as this could compromise his independence. It is this independence that has led to his loyal following (particularly in the food and restaurant industry, where he is known to speak his mind 'without fear or favour'). His annual Australian Pinot Challenge is unique and a focus point for serious pinotphiles around the world. Franz is also the spirits writer for the Gourmet Traveller Wine, writes restaurant reviews and a spirits column for Vogue Entertaining + Travel, and has been published in Wine & Dine Singapore and the American Express Platinum Magazine. Recently named ambassador for Australia and New Zealand for the Islay Whisky Club he was also a plenary speaker at the Australian Whisky Convention in Sydney in August 2005. In his spare time, Franz runs FSP Advertising Agency, specialising in below the line and point of sale material. Franz loves his motorbike and currently rides a Triumph Rocket III.
GEORGE FRANCISCO
Since late 2005 George Francisco has been Executive Chef of Jonah’s. George’s modern Australian style of cooking has a significant French influence, but it is his passion for finding and using the best and freshest local produce that ensures Jonah’s diners are as impressed about the food as they are about the view.
After working in some of the most revered restaurants on the US West Coast including San Francisco’s Star’s and Farallon, George moved to Australia in 2001. “Having visited Australia on many occasions I was so impressed with the Sydney food scene. Somehow the food tasted fresher, and anything I cooked here tasted better than anything I had cooked in the US”, he said.
In mid 2001 opportunity really knocked for George when he opened DISH restaurant in Newport, affording George the chance to design his own menu and inject it with his incredible passion for food. Having earned a chef’s hat from the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide two years running (2004/2005), as well as the Bent Fork Award from Sydney Eats, George certainly put Dish on the Sydney food map.
Since Georges arrival at Jonah’s in October 2005 the restaurant has been awarded –
Ø A ‘Chefs Hat’ in the 2007 and 2009 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide,
Ø Finalist in the Restaurant & Catering Awards for Excellence, Fine Dining Restaurant in Hotel Award in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008
Ø Finalist in the Restaurant & Catering Awards for Excellence, Wedding Caterer Award in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008
Ø Gourmet Traveller top 100 Restaurants in Australia in 2006, 2007 and 2008
Ø Sydney Eats Bent Fork Award in 2007
GRAHAM WRIGHT 
Graham is currently a director of the Odd Whisky Coy, Australia’s only specialist importer of fine, rare and hard to find whiskies and is also an auctioneer, fine wine consultant and valuer at Oddbins Wine Auctions, Australia’s oldest fine wine auction house. In the immediate past, he managed Baily & Baily St Georges Cellars, one of Australia’s leading fine wine retail outlets. Graham is a specialist in European wines and rare and collectable single malt whiskies.
Graham has a diverse and somewhat quizzical background. After much physical and mental exertion, he was able to achieve an Honours Degree in Arts from that semi august institution, Monash University. However, his main claim to scholastic fame was the release and marketing the Dept. of Geography's Chât Geographé dry red wine (sic) in his final year.
After a short stint in advising the Victorian State government on how to spend its public housing dollar and just before the collapse of the said State Government, he fled to UK to undertake extensive research into real ales, real pubs and real morris dancing. He absconded from the EC in the early 90’s, eventually surfacing in Adelaide advising psychiatrists on how not to talk to their patients via computer. Fearing old age and an under-developed palate, Graham commenced a career in hospitality. Fortunately, local retailing identity, Martin Baily can certainly spot talent: as some years ago he invited Graham joined the then highly successful team of independent retailers Baily & Baily at their flagship store, St Georges cellars.
From this point onwards he was able to….
- Topped the first Certificate in Wine Studies offered in Australia.
- Achieved a distinction in the UK based Wine and Spirit Trust's Higher Certificate.
- Undertook the rigorous Australian Wine Research Institute's Wine Assessment Programme (Show judge training).
- Maintained St Georges Cellars reputation as a specialist imported and fine wine outlet, especially through its Wineline direct marketing programme.
- Set up St Georges Cellars as Australia's specialist importer of rare and collectable single malt whiskies.
- Set up the Odd Whisky Coy, Australia’s only specialist importer of fine and hard to find whiskies of the world.
- Became a director of the Odd Whisky Coy & Oddbins Wine Auctions.
- Regular media contributor and commentator including a regular column with Winestate Magazine and radio stations 5AA, 5DN & ABC 891.
- Guest presenter, trainer & advisor to numerous consumer and hospitality industry groups that include specialist restaurants, bars, hotels and liquor retailers across the eastern seaboard of Australia.
- Collaborator with Australian Gourmet Pages’ Mr Franz Scheurer, in promoting whisky to both the general public and professional hospitality staff across Australia.
- Provides ongoing valuation & cellar management services to both TOWC & Oddbins clientele & the general public.
- Provides professional valuation services to legal, insurance and banking industries, covering matrimonial, loss adjustment and winery wine stock valuations.
- Provides ongoing tasting and valuation assessments for both TOWC & Oddbins clientele & the general public including commercial tasting & assessments for the wine industry.
- Auctioneer at specialist auctions such as the Barossa Valley Vintage Festival, Langhorne Creek’s Wine Affair, McLaren Vale Bushing Festival, Faith Lutheran School Auction, Scammell’s Antiques Auction House, Tasting Australia Wine Auction and the Australian Malt Whisky Convention Fine & Rare Auction.
- Founding member of the Malt Whisky Society of Australia and was on the organizing committee of the 1st and 2nd Australian Malt Whisky Conventions and for his sins, is still on the organizing committee for the 3rd Convention to held in August 2007.
- He is also a malt whisky show judge for the MWSOA and wine & spirits judge for Winestate Magazine.
SIMON THOMSEN 
Simon Thomsen cooked his way around the world in his twenties before deciding he was better weilding a fork and pen than sharp knives. He's been a restaurant critic for more 14 years and co-editor of The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide for the past six years. Nonetheless, his perfect world is made of good pork sausages with mash.
