James Viles

Chef and owner of two hatted Biota Dining & Rooms in NSW Bowral, James Viles has become one of Australia's most respected young chefs and restaurateurs, recognised particularly for his commitment to sustainability and his imaginative modern food. The restaurant takes its name from the word Biota (noun) meaning animals and plant life of a particular region. Winning a coveted chef's hat in the first year of opening, Biota Dining has become one of the most awarded regional restaurants in NSW. Biota is his first book. Biota Dining was honoured in the Australian Financial Review Top 100 Restaurants 2015 and won The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Regional Restaurant of the Year 2015 and 2014. In 2013 James was awarded Electrolux Young Restaurateur of the Year.