When Shannon Talbot stepped into the kitchen at the 2025 StrEAT Food Awards, she didn’t expect to walk away with two trophies. In her first year competing, the OCS chef not only claimed the coveted title of StrEAT Food Chef of the Year but also secured second place in the StrEAT Food Dish of the Year category, an impressive double for a first-time contender.
“Honestly, I’m overwhelmed,” she said moments after the announcement. “I believed in myself, but I didn’t think I’d place first or second. I thought my technical dish was the weaker one, so I’m still in shock, but it’s such a proud moment.”
Her winning creation, a Caribbean-inspired jerk chicken taco served with spicy pineapple salsa and a delicate micro herb salad, stood out for its balance of flavour, freshness, and authenticity. Inspired by what she calls a “Jamaican summer vibe,” Shannon’s approach was deliberately simple. “That was my goal,” she said. “I wanted something you could actually imagine buying from a street food market; approachable, vibrant, and full of life.”
It’s this clarity of concept that impressed the judges. Shannon’s food spoke of confidence through restraint. “Sometimes, less really is more,” she reflected. “You don’t need twenty components to make something shine. If the core flavours are right, you let them do the talking.”
Finding confidence through competition
Shannon’s rise through the ranks has been as unexpected as it has been inspiring. Just a year earlier, she took part in the OCS Chef of the Year competition and won. That experience, she says, was a turning point.
“I’ve never really had confidence in myself or in my cooking,” she admitted. “I used to watch MasterChef or other competitions and think, I could never do that. When my development chef put me forward for the OCS competition, I went in thinking I didn’t stand a chance, but then I won. That changed everything. It gave me proof that I actually can do this.”
That newfound self-belief clearly paid off. Her calm approach, careful preparation, and ability to trust her instincts are now hallmarks of her cooking style. Having originally trained as a pastry chef, Shannon brings patience and precision to everything she makes. “Pastry teaches you to slow down and pay attention to detail,” she said. “Even when I’m cooking savoury dishes, I can’t rush. If you’re going to do it, do it well.”
A friendly rivalry
This year’s StrEAT Food Awards came with an unexpected twist: Shannon’s husband also made it to the finals. Their employers put them both forward separately, without the organisers realising they were a couple.
“I got the email first to say they’d chosen me as one of the 16 finalists,” Shannon laughed. “I hadn’t heard anything from him yet, and I didn’t want to rub it in if he hadn’t made it. Then he rang me and said, ‘Oh, I got through too.’ Since then, it’s been a bit of a rivalry!”
The friendly competition between them added another layer of excitement to an already electric event, but in the end, Shannon’s dishes stole the show.
Cooking with heart
For Shannon, these awards show her growth, passion, and pride in representing OCS. “I just love cooking for people,” she said. “Seeing them enjoy what you’ve made, that’s the best part. These competitions push you, but they also remind you why you started.” Shannon often shares that her passion stems from her father’s cooking; both her father and brother work in catering, so she’s always been around passion in every dish. Shannon’s second dish comes straight from her South African heritage: her take on ‘bunny chow’ incorporates her heritage into her dish, her key ingredient in everything she makes.
Her story is one of quiet confidence, hard work, and self-belief rediscovered. In kitchens where speed and pressure often dominate, Shannon’s calm, thoughtful approach proves that great food comes from care as much as from skill.
As she reflects on her back-to-back wins, one thing is clear: Shannon Talbot’s recipe for success is a combination of brilliant flavours and faith in herself.
