The West Australian’s food hub: Meet the A-team of food and wine reviewers

When it comes to dream jobs, being a food or wine reviewer is up there with travel writer or professional chocolate taster.

But for the review team at The West Australian and The Sunday Times, serving up their verdicts on Perth’s food and drinks scene is a serious business.

From the latest hotspot for dinner and drinks to an affordable eatery to take the family for a no-fuss meal, these writers have made it their mission to seek out the best our State has to offer.

And while they all have their different areas of expertise, there’s one thing our six-person team has in common (other than a serious passion for food and wine): offering an independent verdict. That means that unlike other reviews you might read online or on social media, you can trust our team to offer only honest, unbiased insights to help you make an informed choice on where to spend your precious time and money.

So just who are the members of our epicurean A-team?

Kate Emery

Cafe Queen

Over nearly 20 years in journalism Kate Emery has written about fashion and bikini waxes for women’s magazines, covered the stock market as a business reporter during the global financial crisis and gone to more council meetings than she cares to remember as a one-time local government reporter.

These days she is the social affairs editor for The West Australian and The Sunday Times when she’s not reviewing Perth’s best (and worst) breakfast and brunch spots.

You can find her long-running Perth Breakfast & Brunch column inside STM in The Sunday Times.

Jade Jurewicz

Hotspot Hunter

As the face of the popular Eating Out column, which is published in the PerthNow newspapers every Thursday, Jade is the ultimate authority for restaurant recommendations.

Whether you’re looking for a venue to impress an out-of-town visitor, a bar to host your birthday drinks, or the perfect spot for a long-lunch with friends, she is the go-to for venues that tick every box.

Simon Collins

Taste Buddy

Armed with a notepad, a pen and now a fork, Simon has documented WA’s music, entertainment, cultural, culinary and brewing scenes for The West Australian’s readers since the late 90s.

He’s passionate about what Perth has to offer and is on a mission to cover places offering very good food, at good value with a good experience.

You can find his restaurant and hospitality columns inside The West’s PLAY magazine each Saturday.

Amanda Keenan

Dining Diva

Amanda is a journalist with 30 years experience in newspapers, television and politics, and is The West’s managing editor.

A hospitality fangirl more than an expert, Amanda has a deep respect for the people around the State doing all things delicious.

April Ooi

Citizen Critic

After winning The West Australian’s Citizen Food Critic search in 2022, law student April has well and truly sunk her teeth into her new role, hitting the pavement each week to seek out Perth’s hidden hospitality gems.

From hole-in-the-wall cafes in the city to amazing eateries in the suburbs, she is all about uncovering the quiet achievers of the Perth foodie scene.

You can find her reviews in The West Australian’s Today liftout each Thursday, and of course on TikTok where her delicious videos bring her foodie adventures to life.

Paul Edwards

Wine Whisperer

This vino veteran first leveraged his love of a good drop into a career path in the 1990s, lending his palate to gigs as a wine judge, hospitality director and educator, among others.

Each Saturday in Play magazine he delights fellow wine lovers with columns on the latest trends, profiles on up-and-coming wineries, local industry news and of course, his verdict on the best drops to stock up on — be it a life-changing cab sav or a cheap-as-chips chardonnay.