The Pokolbin-based chef and restaurateur beat three other finalists, including Novocastrian Chris Thornton, of Restaurant Mason at the finals in Melbourne on Monday night.

Rhoades-Brown and wife Megan opened Muse Restaurant in 2004, drawing on the chef’s CV which at the time already included working with acclaimed chef Robert Molines, winning the prestigious Brett Graham Award in 2005 and time as head chef at Robert’s Restaurant.

In the decade since opening, Muse Restaurant has earned coveted chefs’ hats in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide for four years running, while sister establishment Muse Kitchen has also earned a hat for the past two years.

With his win Rhoades-Brown takes home $8000 to invest in his restaurant as well as $5000 in kitchen appliances. The prize also includes the opportunity to mingle and network with Michelin-starred chefs, industry greats and other young budding hospitality stars with an all-expenses-paid trip to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants event in Singapore.