Conversations
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Aaron Brodie at O’Connell’s Hotel
You can tell a lot about a chef by how they talk about repetition. For Aaron, it’s not tedious, it’s essential. He grew up in Perth, found his culinary footing in a small seafood kitchen, and went on to cook in some of London’s most intense and celebrated restaurants. Now heading up the kitchen at…
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Haitham Richani & Kerry Lam at ii.ii.vi
II.II.VI has just opened on Flinders Lane, tucked into the basement of a heritage-listed building. The restaurant centres around open flame cooking; charcoal grills and fire are at the heart of what head chef Haitham Richani has planned. I sat down with Haitham and executive chef Kerry Lam to talk about the thinking behind the…
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Alberto Borghi at Del Bocia Butter
This week I sat down with Alberto Borghi of Del Bocia Butter, although calling it “butter” barely covers it. This is butter with soul, butter with story. I first came across Alberto’s work at DOC in St Kilda, where a seaweed butter and a very memorable Alfredo pasta got me hooked. I imagined the maker…
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Giorgio Linguanti at That’s Amore Cheese
Giorgio Linguanti arrived in Australia from Sicily with no English, no cheese-making experience, and no plans to start a dairy empire, and yet, here we are. That’s Amore Cheese, the company he founded, is now beloved across the country and beyond our shores for its fresh, authentic Italian cheeses, from silky ricotta to smoky scamorza,…
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Dario Di Clerico at Cannoleria
Dario Di Clerico’s culinary story began at just 14, when he first stepped into a professional kitchen in his native Italy. Since then, he’s forged a path defined by talent, grit and unshakeable passion. He trained under the youngest (at the time) Michelin-starred chef in the UK, refining his skills in high-pressure kitchens and learning…
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Ian Ho at Añada, Arcadia Cafe and The Rochey
When Ian Ho was a kid growing up in Malaysia, he dreamed of being a firefighter, not for the danger or the drama, but because he lived next to a fire station and from what he could see, they got to play sport all day. Fast forward a few decades and, while there are fewer…
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Mia Coady-Plumb at Magnolia
Step into Bar Magnolia on Sydney Road and you're wrapped in it straight away: the low golden light, the easy murmur of good conversation, the quiet thrill of something thoughtful happening behind the bar. Co-owners chef Mia Coady-Plumb and winemaker Lawrence Scanlon have created a space where classic French technique flickers with wit, soul, and…
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Guillaume Zika at Chef Notepad
Guillaume Zika began his career in some of France's most revered Michelin-starred kitchens, honing his craft in Paris and the south of France before moving on to Per Se in New York and Hibiscus in London. Australia became the next chapter, first as head chef at the iconic Cottage Point Inn in the Ku-ring-gai Chase…
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Bryan Nelson & Kate Dickens at Ciao Cielo
Kate Dickens and Bryan Nelson are the team behind Ciao Cielo in Port Melbourne and it was lovely to sit down with them both. We talk about how they adapted through Covid, how their vision for the restaurant has evolved, and what it takes to keep things moving in a fast-changing hospitality world. From sourcing…
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Daniel Migliaccio at Studio Amaro
When I first asked Daniel Migliaccio at Studio Amaro for a chat, he politely declined: not one for the media spotlight, he said. But persistence pays off, and second time lucky, I found myself at Studio Amaro with a chef who’s been quietly steering the ship across Commune Group kitchens for nearly seven years. From…