Meet the Culinary Talent of the Horizontal Festival

Mark Best

Set in the picturesque surrounds of Centennial Vineyard in Bowral, Horizontal Festival is more than just a food and wine celebration—its part concert, part degustation menu, part art show and part wine, craft beer and distillery tasting – it’s a curated sensory journey. Over two unforgettable days guests will experience the very best of NSW regional produce, paired with world-class wine, beer and cocktails as well as art, design, music and culture.

Mark Best 

Mark is one of Australia’s most acclaimed chefs and a true pioneer of contemporary Australian cuisine. Born in South Australia, Mark began his working life as an electrician in the gold mines of Western Australia before discovering his passion for cooking at age 25. He commenced a culinary apprenticeship at Sydney's Macleay Street Bistro in 1990, where he developed a love for French food. In 1995, Mark won the Josephine Pignolet Award for Sydney’s best young chef and opened his first restaurant, Peninsula Bistro in Balmain, earning enthusiastic reviews. Mark expanded his experience by working at Michelin-starred restaurants in France and the UK, including time at L’Arpège in Paris and Le Manoir aux Quatre Saisons in the UK. In 1999, he opened the acclaimed Marque restaurant in Sydney, which would go on to achieve three consecutive years in the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants and ten years with three hats in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. Mark’s newest venture is the reimagining of Infinity at Sydney Tower to Infinity by Mark Best launching on August 13. From 81 floors above the city, Infinity by Mark Best offers a world-class dining experience featuring a contemporary Australian menu focused on provenance, storytelling, and an all-Australian wine list.

Simon Evans 

Simon Evans

Simon burst into the local scene as the chef/owner of Caveau Restaurant in Wollongong in 2015 wining a chef hat in each year it was open. He then partnered with Michelle Bishop at Bangalay Luxury Villas in Shoalhaven Heads bringing a coveted hat to this beachside luxury stronghold. He brings local foraged flavours to all his dishes and today shares one of his favourite from the hibachi grill – Slow cooked kangaroo tail, mushrooms, picked muntries and yarrow. This will be paired with a NSW red wine

Festival Details

Where: Centennial Vineyards, Bowral, Southern Highlands, New South Wales.
When: Saturday 4 October - Sunday 5 October 2025
Session Times: Day – 12:00pm - 4pm, Evening - 5:30pm–9:30pm
Ticket Price: $59 General Admission and $149 Platinum packages.

Platinum tickets for the Horizontal Festival are available at at experiencenaturegroup.com.au. General admission tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.au. Parking and buses are also available to book through Ticketmaster. For all festival information, program highlights, ticket sales, and the latest updates, visit the official Horizontal Festival website at www.horizontalfestival.com.au.

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