KEY SPEAKER

Peter Howard is one of Australia’s most recognised food and wine commentators with a growing international reputation as both a presenter and consultant on food, wine and tourism issues. He is passionate about all areas to do with food, wine and tourism.

For 16 years his national television segments, regular radio interviews and articles in magazines and newspapers have kept Australian audiences informed of the latest trends in food and wine. His extensive public appearances, both in Australia and overseas,  have sharpened his communication skills which have led him to become one of Australia’s most sought after media and presentation skills trainers. 

The foundation of his success is his professional background in hospitality.  He is experienced in hotel and restaurant management (having run his own catering business and four restaurants in the 70s, 80s and 90s) and was a lecturer at the prestigious Ryde Catering College, Sydney, from 1979 to 1988.  With Jeffrey Puckeridge, he wrote his first textbook - The Professional Waiter - while studying for his degree in education.  This went on to become the highest selling Australian textbook on waiting – a second textbook followed, The Professional Bar Attendant. 

Peter has a passionate interest in all things edible! This encourages him to search out new developments in food and wine which he presented on weekly appearances on the National 9 Network’s ‘Today Show’ for 14 years as Food Editor; and at cooking classes and demonstrations. 

He retired from the Today Show in December 2002 to make way for other interests in TV and travel.

He is also committed to promoting excellence in all aspects of Australia’s food and wine industries.  In May 1996 he convened the first Culinary Tourism Advisory Committee, now known as FWTAC, to make recommendations to Tourism New South Wales on how to best use food and wine in tourism promotions.    

Peter has worked in the USA, Canada, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom both independently and as a representative and consultant to major food manufacturers and wine producers.   

While President of the Food Media Club of Australia he oversaw the bi-annual Food Forum which highlighted the quality and diversity of regional Australian cuisine, and introduced the organisation’s bi-annual Food Writers’ Awards. 

Peter works closely with the hospitality industry as an adviser, coordinator and presenter, to help lift Australia’s food and wine profile.  In the past six years, he has:

• prepared a cocktail party for Australian wines in Verona, as part of the Vin Italy wine exhibition

• presented two one-day cooking and wine tasting classes for Good Housekeeping Institute Magazine in the UK

• organised and cooked a luncheon highlighting Australian food styles and wines at an up-market resort in St Mellions, (UK)

• designed the menu for the Australia Day celebrations at the St Pierre, New York’s famous Fifth Avenue hotel and restaurant

• launched the new rices for the Ricegrowers Cooperative in Australia and New Zealand

• orchestrated the regional cooking component at Wine Australia ’96 and ‘98 and worked with McWilliams at this event for 2000, and 2002

• chaired the Regional Cooking Competition at the inaugural Tasting Australia ‘97 and subsequently went on to become the Eastern Seaboard Coordinator for Tasting Australia ’99 and Chairman for the 2001 and 2003 competition. 

• filmed the Australian lamb promotion for the Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation in New York after having worked for five years at trade shows for this organization in the USA; in 2002, he launched the Summer Lamb Campaign in New York.

• was a part of the awarding winning team of writers that won bronze at the International Food Media Awards in Adelaide in August 2001 for the Le Cordon Bleu’s book, Wine Essentials.   

Peter Howard is a past President of the National Board of the Australian Culinary Foundation.  He has been a President and a Committee member of the Food Media Club Australia. Peter chaired the Industry Reference Board for Australian Contemporary Cuisine at the Ryde Catering College and has been the chairman for the national Awards of Excellence for the Australian Restaurant and Caterers’ Association for 7 years 

In 1998 he was appointed as a Councillor to the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) where he sits on several food and wine committees and is Chairman of the Dairy Produce Committee.  He is Chairman of the Noosa Regional Food Group Inc. and was proudly in partnership with Chef Garry Flynn in ebb bar and bistro for 9 months before media commitments made it impossible for him to continue. 

Peter works with two leading Australian companies in a consultancy role, both food and wine related – these market leaders are McWilliams Wines and Constellation (formerly Touraust) Hotels. 

Peter is on the “speakers” circuit where he mostly delivers papers on matters around agriculture and horticulture. He has a passionate belief in rural Australia and the people that make it the best country in the world in which to live. 

On an annual basis, Peter is an Australia Day Ambassador and has been since 1996. He has been recognised a Living Legend of Australian Tourism - one of 100 only in Australia. 

His book, BARBEQUED! was a sell out (sold out in 4 weeks) with more reprints on the way; some  destined for the UK, Canada and  USA. His current book, Meat! Is now on sale and features recipes and charts on meat cooking for all ages. He is currently writing barbecued!2 for release in September 2004

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• Past President, National Board, Australian Culinary Foundation

•  Current President and Past President and Ex-Committee Member, Food Media Club Australia

•  Ex-Committee Member, NSW Wine Press Club

•  Chair, Industry Reference Board for Australian Contemporary Cuisine, at Ryde  Catering College, Sydney

•  Chairman of Judges for Awards for Excellence for the National Restaurant and Caterers Industry Association.

•  Convenor of the Culinary Tourism Advisory Committee.

•  Chairman, Noosa Regional Food Group Inc.

•  Consultant to Constellation Hotels Corporation

•  Consultant to McWilliams Wines

•  Consultant to Roundtable Catering, University of NSW

Peter Howard is the author of the following books:

•  Cooking with Peter Howard

•  Peter Howard’s Favourite Menus

•  Peter Howard’s Favourite Menus and Their Recipes

•  Midday to Midnight Recipe Collection from Peter Howard

•  Cooking Today with Peter Howard

•  Entertaining with Liqueurs (co-authored with Lesley Richardson)

• John West Quick and Easy Cookbook (co-authored with Lesley Richardson)

•  The Professional Waiter (co-authored with Jeffrey Puckeridge)

•  The Professional Bar Attendant (co-authored with Jeffrey Puckeridge)

•  Barbecued!  New Holland.

•  Meat! Lothian

 VIDEOS RELEASED

 Cooking Today With Peter Howard.