Conversations

  • Jake Read at Neptune

    I've always had a soft spot for Neptune in Windsor, so what better excuse to head back over there than a new head chef. Last year, after 12 years working in the UK across Michelin and boutique hotel restaurants as well as running his own private dining business, Jake Read felt drawn to Melbourne. He…

    Read more…

  • Sebastian Pasinetti at OKO Rooftop & Cafe

    Sebastian Pasinetti is no stranger to hospitality, being born into a hospo family and taking the plunge himself at 15. He is the co-founder of OKO Restaurant, OKO Rooftop & Cafe and OKO Catering and a proud queer Person of Colour. Sebastian is also the Co-Founder of Minds en Place, a hospitality hub for diversity,…

    Read more…

  • Chloe Kim at Sushi Baby

    Sushi Baby in Brighton has switched things up by renovating the space and taking their takeaway offer to new levels, becoming a lovely new brightly hued dine-in restaurant. Inspired by Japanese cuisine, Head Chef Chloe Kim is creating a mix of sushi, nori tacos, nigiri, inari, tataki, share plates and a Kaiseki experience with its…

    Read more…

  • Murat Ovaz at i Carusi II

    I caught up with Murat Ovaz at i Carusi II in St. Kilda and I felt as though I was catching up with an old friend. I spoke to Murat when he opened Yagiz in South Yarra about six years ago and that was a fun conversation about the adventures that had got him into…

    Read more…

  • Matthew Butcher at ETO Collective

    Matthew Butcher is a larger-than-life character, who loves hugs as greetings and immediately made me feel at home and as though I was talking to an old friend when I went in to talk to him at Ronnie's. Matthew talked a lot about how lucky he has been in following his dads advice to surround…

    Read more…

  • Jae Bang at Freyja

    Nordic-inspired Freyja, the glorious two-level restaurant on Collins Street was the last piece in Soren Trampedach's puzzle to bring people together to work and play in his Work Club Global human eco-system. It also stands alone as a statement restaurant headed in the kitchen by Michelin star chef Jae Bang. For Jae, the Nordic approach…

    Read more…

  • Juan Berbeo at Berbeo Bros.

    I met Juan Berbeo on Christmas Eve in the entrance to my apartment building. He was wearing an apron and I asked if he was doing some cooking. He replied, "Yes, I'm a chef." You can imagine my excitement. We had a brief chat in the lift and to my delight, he agreed to talk…

    Read more…

  • Matilda Smith at Penny for Pound

    If you're into excellent croissants and inventive viennoiserie (think chocolate fondant croissants), you'll have heard of Penny for Pound. Pastry chef, Matilda Smith, and her partner in life and business, Ben Wilson opened their original hole in the wall shop in Richmond in 2018. They quickly garnered a following and Penny for Pound became the…

    Read more…

  • Eddie Basich at Flirtatious Food

    I drove to Geelong on a sunny day at the start of January to talk to Eddie Basich. We had a coffee at Pavilion Geelong, and it was full summer carnival vibes. People were having picnics, the pool and waterfront were packed and there was a cruise ship out in the bay. Eddie is a…

    Read more…

  • Elia Donati at Personal Chef

    Elia Donati has loved food and cooking since a young age, watching his mamma and nonna in the kitchen preparing his favourite meals. It wasn't until he was 22 and in search of adventure on the other side of the world that he started learning to cook professionally. As soon as Elia moved to Melbourne…

    Read more…