Sam Cooper

For Sam Cooper, a return to Beckons brought him to a very different landscape. The Tasmanian-born chef first joined the company in 2017, spending ten months as a commis chef at Capella Lodge during a sabbatical from his fine-dining career. He went on to work in acclaimed kitchens including Aurora in Adelaide and The Islington Hotel in Hobart before eventually finding his way to The Louise. The Barossa felt familiar in some ways, with a strong connection to the land and seasons that reminded him of Tasmania, along with the warm South Australian summers he loves. At Appellation, that connection is expressed through menus built around longstanding relationships with growers, farmers, and producers from the Barossa and across South Australia.

Sam’s cooking is grounded in those relationships. One of the most meaningful is with Ryan Edwards, a former executive chef at The Louise who now supplies the kitchen with organic ducks that Sam considers unmatched in Australia and keeps on every menu. The Barossa’s traditional winemaking culture also shapes his approach, with dishes designed to sit naturally alongside the region’s celebrated wines. But for Sam, the most rewarding part of leading a kitchen is often watching someone else find their footing in it. “When I see a junior team member learn a new set of skills, or create an exciting new dish that’s of a quality we can put on the menu,” he says, he is reminded why he loves the work. Ultimately, that same sense of discovery is what he hopes to give guests: food that exceeds expectations and creates “emotions and memories that last longer than their stay.”