Shannon Martinez

Biography

Shannon Martinez is an unlikely candidate to be the poster girl for plant-based dining. But she is and she’s unstoppable. Shannon is well and truly underway in her mission to change the way the world perceives plant-based dining and changing the way people eat. This time, it’s coming from a different perspective. Being a meat eater gives this mega talented chef the capability to create unique tastes and textures unlike anything on the market today, one that truly replicate meats, cheeses, and good old family recipes. Meat eating, paired with a lifetime of cooking experience (literally since she can remember), outside the box methods, and the willpower of a freight train, she will stop at nothing to try everything, and perfect her recipes until they’re suitable to her own extremely high standards.

Armed with a strong hospitality network, and proven tenure in her industry with great success in plant-based dining, Shannon has a foundation for veg food to be taken seriously in some of Australia’s most meat-driven kitchens, with some of Australia’s most unconvinced carnivorous chefs. She’s converted them, taken their restaurants, sold out events within hours, and shown them just how crazy the market for vegan food really is. Works every time.

The charismatic Chef has been cooking in kitchens for the past 22 years in Melbourne and is the Owner of Australia’s two most prolific plant-based businesses, Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli. This has led to her becoming the author of best-selling books Smith & Daughters: a cookbook and Smith & DELIcious: Food From Our Deli (both to be vegan).

In Demand as Chef, collaborator, host and author. Her latest influence has been with the OVOLO group of companies as head Curator and Menu design for their newly opened and celebrated, Lona Misa Restaurant in Melbourne.