Tired of products made by people who've never worked a service? We totally get it. That's why ChefPanel caught our eye. It's a community that actually listens to Chefs. They bring real insights into product development so the stuff hitting your kitchen is actually made for you.
Who Is ChefPanel?
ChefPanel is a global community of foodservice professionals building a connection between foodservice suppliers and Chefs.
ChefPanel gathers feedback from Chefs for Chefs to help improve products and services that they use. With over 5000+ Chefs in Australia and New Zealand, they are the leading research organisation for both local and international food sector companies.
Why ChefPanel Matters: Elevating the Voice of Chefs in the Food Industry
In a fast-changing foodservice landscape, meaningful innovation only happens when the right people are involved in the process. That’s where ChefPanel comes in.
ChefPanel is a unique research and ideation community that puts professional chefs at the heart of product development. By connecting chefs directly with major foodservice manufacturers, ChefPanel ensures that the products entering commercial kitchens are not only innovative and relevant, but practical, functional, and designed for chefs in commercial cooking.
Real kitchen insight
Too often, new products are developed in boardrooms or labs without enough input from the people who will use them. ChefPanel is changing that. Through industry studies, product trials, group discussions, and creative ideation sessions, manufacturers gain access to genuine chef feedback before launching a product.
This isn’t just about taste tests. It’s about understanding product convenience, staff efficiency, versatility, value and minimising wastage - everything a chef weighs up when deciding whether to put something on the menu. ChefPanel provides the industry with insights that are grounded in the realities of day-to-day service.
Chefs in the panel get to collaborate with leading food brands, influence what comes next, and ensure their practical needs are being met. It’s a chance to advocate for better, smarter, more efficient solutions - and get paid to do it.
For Chefs, ChefPanel is more than a feedback channel. It’s also paid work that recognises the value of their expertise - something that’s increasingly important in an industry where time is precious and skills deserve to be rewarded.
Creating Better Products, Together
When chefs and manufacturers collaborate meaningfully, everyone wins. The foodservice industry gets products that are more likely to succeed. Chefs get tools that actually help them do their jobs better. And customers get meals that reflect the best ideas and techniques from talented culinary professionals.
ChefPanel is building that bridge - one insight at a time.
ChefPanel also run the Chefs Decision Awards Program designed to recognise the best products in foodservice - voted by the chefs who actually use them. Unlike traditional industry awards driven by marketing campaigns or sales, Chef’s Decision reflects the preferences of Chefs using products in that category. From condiments and cooking oils to bakery items and frozen goods, each product is evaluated for texture, taste, ease of use, versatility and value. Winning a Chef’s Decision award means a product has earned the trust and approval of culinary professionals on the frontline.