The Age Good Food Symposium presented by Lightspeed
Please join us for the next Melbourne Good Food Symposium, presented by Lightspeed, where a panel of industry experts will discuss how consumer behaviour and the hospitality industry’s revenue streams are shifting.
Consumer behaviour is shifting as takeaway and delivery are on the rise, meaning dine-in is no longer the unchallenged engine of growth. On top of that, different generations have vastly different spending habits, so predicting what your customers are going to do is getting increasingly harder. But with change comes opportunity, as operators turn to brand diffusion lines, niche trends, chef collaborations, events and new business structures. Understanding these options is central to longevity in 2026 and beyond – as is where to put your attention.
From fine-dining professionals to quick-service operators, our panellists will discuss this and more, sharing practical ideas on where the next dollar of growth will come from, how to read the shifting habits of your customers, and how to structure your business to make the most of what’s next.
Host and panellists revealed shortly. This event is open to anyone working in hospitality, with registration via the link. This event is proudly supported by SevenRooms.
THE AGE GOOD FOOD SYMPOSIUM | MONDAY 7 SEPTEMBER | 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Meet our panellists:
Dani Valent (Host) – Food writer and restaurant reviewer
Accomplished journalist, author, and long-standing restaurant critic for The Sunday Age. Dani brings deep insight into Melbourne’s dining landscape and evolving consumer behaviour.
Marco Finanzio – Owner & Operator, Umberto Group
Marco Finanzio is the owner and operator of Umberto Group, where he’s grown a successful group of neighbourhood venues. At The Age Good Food Symposium, he’ll share his perspective on navigating the day-to-day realities of hospitality while building and scaling a thriving venue group.
Coşkun Uysal – Chef & Author, Tulum
Coşkun Uysal is the chef and author behind Tulum. He’ll share his insights across diversifying fine dining through more casual concepts to reach new audiences.
Shannon Martinez – Chef & Author, Smith and Daughters
You can’t think of vegan food in Melbourne without thinking of Shannon. At the Good Food Symposium, she’ll discuss evolving a plant-based business through partnerships, wholesale and new formats.
Sutinee “Tinee” Suntivatana – Chef & Operator, Tori’s
At The Age Good Food Symposium, Tinee will discuss tapping into viral trends and the ‘small treat’ economy to drive customer demand.
Rob Stone – Senior Director, APAC Hospitality, Lightspeed
Rob leads hospitality across the Asia-Pacific for Lightspeed. At the Good Food Symposium, he’ll share the industry-wide data on what’s shifting, and how technology and AI can help hospitality businesses adapt and grow.
READ OUR GOOD FOOD ARTICLE BY ERINA STARKEY HERE
See our previous Good Food Symposia via the links below:
Melbourne Good Food Symposium Recap
Sydney Good Food Symposium Recap
