Stephanie Alexander at the Sydney Opera House: 30 Years of The Cook's Companion

For three decades, The Cook’s Companion has lived on Australian kitchen benches — dog-eared, flour-dusted and deeply loved. First published in the 1990s, it wasn’t just a cookbook. It changed the way Australians cooked and thought about food.

Join Stephanie Alexander, one of Australia’s most influential food writers and educators, for a special evening celebrating the 30th anniversary of her seminal work. Long before food blogs and social media, Stephanie taught a generation to cook with confidence by understanding ingredients, seasons and why flavours work together.

Organised with the clarity of a librarian, The Cook’s Companion is as much a teaching guide as a cookbook. In this warm and reflective conversation, Stephanie will explore the book’s enduring legacy and her wider contribution to Australian food, from farm-to-table cooking to kitchen gardens in schools.

She will be joined by acclaimed chef and cookbook author Danielle Alvarez, former head chef of Sydney’s two-hatted Fred’s and now Sydney Opera House’s culinary director of events. Renowned for her seasonal, produce-driven approach and sustainable cooking philosophy, Danielle brings expertise and insight to the conversation.

Whether The Cook’s Companion was your mum’s, aunt’s or grandma’s kitchen bible, or you’re discovering it for the first time, this is a rare opportunity to hear from a true Australian icon.