South End Chefs Win Joint Chef of the Year Award

Hussein Sarhan and Alex Tong of Sydney restaurant South End were named joint Chefs of the Year at the 2027 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards, The Staff Canteen reported. The award ceremony took place at Carriageworks on Monday, 26 October 2026. The duo became the first joint recipients of the honor in over ten years. [1]

The Staff Canteen reported that South End also earned two hats in the 2027 Good Food Guide. The recognition follows the opening of the venue on King Street in Newtown just over a year ago. Sarhan and Alex Tong established the restaurant alongside co-owner and front-of-house manager Paul Guiney after working in established Sydney kitchens. [1]

A chef is a professional cook proficient in food preparation techniques, frequently specializing in a specific cuisine, and the term derives from chef de cuisine. Professionals in the field typically acquire their credentials through formal institutional training or apprenticeships under experienced kitchen directors. [2]