After ten years at the helm of OTTO Brisbane, head chef Will Cowper has confirmed he will step away next month, bringing to a close one of the most stable and influential tenures in Queensland dining.
Will has led the kitchen since before the restaurant opened its doors in 2015, overseeing its evolution from a new interstate expansion into one of Brisbane’s most respected Italian dining rooms. His final service in March marks the end of an era not just for OTTO, but for the generation of chefs who came through his brigade.
In an industry defined by constant movement, ten years in one kitchen is rare. Building a restaurant that holds its standard over that period is rarer still.
Building a kitchen that lasted
From the beginning, Will’s approach was grounded in restraint and consistency. OTTO Brisbane was never about chasing trends. It was about clarity of flavour, technical discipline, and allowing produce to lead the plate.
Under his leadership, the restaurant held two Chef Hats consistently, cementing its position as one of the most reliable fine dining kitchens in the state.
Just as importantly, he built a culture that chefs wanted to be part of. Brigades changed, the industry shifted, but the standards inside the OTTO kitchen remained steady. Expectations were clear. Execution mattered. Details were noticed.
Many chefs who worked under Will have since gone on to lead their own kitchens, carrying forward the systems and mindset shaped during their time at OTTO.
A produce-first philosophy
Queensland’s producers became central to Will’s cooking. Over time, his relationships with farmers, fishermen and growers helped shape the identity of the restaurant. Ingredients weren’t interchangeable. They were specific, seasonal and intentional.
That connection grounded the menu in its environment, allowing OTTO Brisbane to develop its own voice while staying true to the foundations of Italian cooking.
When the restaurant relocated to South Bank, that philosophy carried forward. The kitchen remained focused, measured and disciplined, even as the dining room grew in profile and expectations increased.
Leadership that defined the restaurant
OTTO Brisbane has never known another head chef. For the team, Will’s leadership was the constant.
He led through presence rather than noise. Services ran with structure. Standards were understood. Young chefs learnt quickly that consistency was not negotiable.
That stability helped the restaurant navigate an industry that has seen enormous change over the past decade. While kitchens opened and closed around it, OTTO Brisbane remained one of the city’s benchmarks.
What comes next
Will confirmed to The Staff Canteen Australia that his next project will begin mid-2026, signalling that his departure is not a step away from the industry, but the start of a new chapter.
For now, the focus remains on his final weeks in the kitchen he helped build.
Leadership transitions inevitably change the rhythm of a brigade. New ideas enter. New systems take shape. But the foundations left behind often define what comes next.
The end of a defining chapter
Few chefs have the opportunity to shape a restaurant from opening and remain long enough to see its full evolution. Fewer still leave with its standards intact and its reputation strengthened.
Will leaves OTTO Brisbane as one of the most respected Italian kitchens in the country, and his influence will continue through the chefs he trained and the culture he built.
For Brisbane’s chef community, his departure marks the end of a defining chapter.
For Will, it marks the beginning of the next one.
