Shannon Bennett is one of Australia's most highly acclaimed chefs, responsible for Vue de Monde, considered one of the best restaurants in Australia. Bennett worked in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe in the kitchens of Albert Roux, John Burton-Race, Marco Pierre White and Alain Ducasse, before returning to Australia in 2000 to open his first restaurant in Carlton. The Vue de Monde brand has since expanded into multiple locations across Melbourne – including an ambitious flagship space at the top of the Rialto Building, one of Melbourne's tallest. This is destination dining at its very best. Bennett has been invited to be the first Australian member of the associations Jeunes Restaurateurs D’Europe and Le Grand Tables Du Monde, and in 2007 Shannon was a guest chef at New York’s Star Chefs Congress. He travels regularly and food is always his number one priority. At home, he is a man on a mission. His redevelopment of the 66 acre property Burnham Beeches, in the Dandenongs, has produced another stunning destination for food lovers. Stage one is the Piggery Cafe and Burnham Bakery, lawn bowls, croquet and bocce pitches, a 500-tree truffiere and extensive vegetable gardens that service the Vue Group restaurants. Also in the works on the property for the near future is Australia's first six-star luxury retreat, the country's longest chicken run, a 16-cow diary, microbrewery, and steakhouse. Shannon has an ongoing role as a key mentor on Masterchef, is a Miele ambassador, and a judge of the prestigious Delicious Produce awards. His face is increasingly well known in Australia. He is married to actress Madeleine West and the couple have six children.