Will Cowper

After ten years leading the kitchen at OTTO Brisbane, @willcowper is stepping into the next chapter of his career with the highly anticipated opening of @pici.brisbane in New Farm this spring. Join us at @avidreader in West End for a conversation around @chefseatbrisbane , restaurant culture, leadership in the kitchen and what it means to build something lasting in Brisbane hospitality. We’ll be discussing Will’s chapter in Chefs Eat Brisbane alongside the next chapter of his career: Pici, with an inside look at the restaurant, the vision behind it and what’s next for one of Brisbane’s most respected chefs. MONDAY 1st JUNE 6pm for a 6.30pm start 60 minute conversation DM us for the ticket link or head to @avidreader website for Tickets!

Pici is looking to grow our family. Front of house & back of house, all levels of experience. Opening soon in New Farm. Send us your CV, tell us a little about yourself, and become part of the first chapter of Pici. 📩 [email protected]

Former Otto chef @willcowper to bring comfy Italian to storied New Farm spot. He’s partnered with a major seafood supplier to deliver a real locals’ venue, with house-made pasta and mains accompanied by cocktails and Italian wines. @pici.brisbane opens in September. Story for @brisbane_times and @goodfoodau . Link in bio. 📷 @morganrobertsphoto #brisbanefood #brisbaneeats #brisbanefoodie #visitbrisbane #eatoutbrisbane

Before Pici, there was a corner everyone knew. Set at the intersection of Brunswick Street and Barker Street, this heritage site has long been part of New Farm’s rhythm, familiar, storied, and waiting for its next chapter. We saw more than a building. We saw potential to bring something back to life. To honour what was, while creating something entirely new. Pici begins here.

For the first time, Will Cowper is stepping into something that’s truly his. Not just as a chef but as a Co-owner. After years in some of Brisbane’s most loved kitchens, it started to feel like the right time… to slow things down a little, and build something more personal. Something shaped by everything he’s learnt, but also by the life he’s building with his wife Gianna. Pici is a reflection of that.

Pici [pee-chee] a simple, hand-rolled pasta, traditionally made in Tuscany. No machines. No shortcuts. Just flour, water, and time. It’s this same philosophy that shapes Pici. A space built around simplicity, seasonality, and the kind of dining that feels natural whether it’s a quick pasta and a drink at the bar, or settle in and make a night of it. Relaxed, but considered. Effortless, but intentional.

When I walked through the doors of Otto Sydney 16 years ago, I could never have imagined how deeply the Fink Group and many iterations of the Otto kitchen team would shape my life. After being given the opportunity to move to Brisbane I was able to build a restaurant I treated as my own and a team culture I am incredibly proud of. I still remember the first few months watching an empty space turn into an amazing restaurant. The endless meetings out of the Marriott hotel and wondering how am I going to build a team from scratch in a new city, the unknowns were endless and honestly a little terrifying. I definitely couldn’t have achieved what we did without so many people both past and present. Thank you for your trust, support, friendship, and dedication. Leon fink, @foodfilmfink @jeremycourmadias @graham_ackling @richardptacnik @alanhunter84 @panfro @samantha_purdie @gianna_louisa @john_1jamieson Nicole @elizabethhewson @katewww @amandayallop @sarahbarker22 @nik_to It is because of you, Otto Brisbane is cemented in the hospitality dining scene forever. Of course I couldn’t do what I do without the producers and suppliers that work as hard behind the scenes to give us the best produce Queensland and the country has to offer. I now consider many of you not just friends but family. @Rangers Valley @longreach_organic_lamb @thefishfactorybrisbane @selectfresh_qld @thaihoa_grocer @lariofinefoodpurveyor @jotofreshfish @sunnybank_fish_market @thefishgirl @thefollytruffles Last but definitely not least I need to thank all the customers/regulars, without your continued support Otto wouldn’t be as successful as it is today ❤️ While I am excited to be moving on to a new chapter, I take with me invaluable lessons, memories and friendships. Otto will always hold a special place in my heart 💗 #ottobrisbane #brisbane #chef

‘There’s always a time limit’: Otto Brisbane to lose star chef. The upmarket riverside restaurant will farewell the only head chef it’s ever known when @willcowper departs next month. But owner Fink Group isn’t in retreat, with a former Sydney mentor taking the reins. Exclusive for @brisbane_times and @goodfoodau . Link in bio. 📷 @morganrobertsphoto

Chef’s Seat WILL COWPER | OTTO BRISBANE Quiet confidence on the river. Precision without theatre. Produce treated with respect. Will Cowper leads with calm authority, shaping one of Brisbane’s most enduring dining rooms. Local • Simple • Sophisticated Chefs Eat Brisbane is available for pre-order now. Link In @chefseatbrisbane bio.

Mango season 🥭🥭🥭 #queensland #mango #dessert @gianna_louisa 🫰

[PART 3] CHEF SPOTLIGHT | WILL COWPER | OTTO-BRISBANE In Part 3 of our Chef Spotlight series, Will Cowper, Head Chef at Otto - Brisbane talks about how his daily calls with Sam and Andrew from The Fish Factory help him stay across what’s fresh and in season when it comes to seafood. Our Chef Spotlight series - celebrates some of the talented chefs across South East Queensland who we work with.

[PART 2] CHEF SPOTLIGHT | WILL COWPER | OTTO-BRISBANE In Part 2 of our Chef Spotlight series, Head Chef Will Cowper from Otto - Brisbane, shares that patience and gaining experience are essential for the next generation of chefs - and reveals who he’d love to cook for.