Conversations
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Joel Alderdice at TarraWarra Estate
Joel Alderdice grew up in Badger Creek in the Yarra Ranges and completed his apprenticeship at TarraWarra Estate under chef Robin Sutcliffe. Having completed his training and won Best Apprenticeship of the Year, Robin encouraged him to broaden his horizons and move to the city to check out some other venues. He certainly did that,…
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Scott Huggins at Magill Estate
Scott Huggins is mates with two of my favourite chefs, Scott Pickett and Dan Hunter and is, himself one of Australi'as top chefs. Scott told me that he has always loved eating and cooking and once he had decided to pursue cooking as a career and was accepted as an apprentice, he felt super excited…
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Thays Zukas & Suzan Almeida at Bossa Nova Cafe
Bossa Nova is a colourful cafe in Carlton where owners Gabriel and Gabriela Gebaile are serving up food that will remind people of the food back home in Brazil or introduce people to Brazilian flavours if they haven't tried them before. I wrote about them for Broadsheet when Bossa Nova first opened, and I was…
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Luke Farrell at Bakers Delight
Luke Farrell loves being a baker. I find it intoxicating to talk to people who are so passionate about what they do. Luke is the Product Development and Bakery Support Manager at Bakers Delight. My favourite bread ever (apart from a baguette bought from a boulangerie IN France) is the Cape seed loaf from Bakers…
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Jason Lear at Luci
I was lucky enough to be invited to Luci a few weeks ago for a five-course degustation showcasing new head chef Jason Lear's spring menu. Jason is all about seasonality and not mucking around too much with the produce. Highlights of the night for me were the oysters with fennel mignonette, the tortellini with roast…
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Ivanra and Linna Hun at Cambodia’s Kitchen
I have just had the loveliest time at Cambodia's Kitchen in the CBD. I went in to have a chat to brother and sister team, Ivanra and Linna about how things have been going since they opened in May and why they saw a need for Cambodian food in the city. Ivanra told me that…
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Barry Davis at Le Cordon Bleu Australia
Barry drove in to the city from his home on the Mornington Peninsula to talk to me and we sat outside in the sun at Frankie Says in Abbotsford. Talking to Barry was such a good time. He pretty much started talking as soon as he arrived and at some point I thought to push…
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Amarjeet Singh at Horn Please
When I posted photos of my recent feast at Horn Please, I got so many comments from people saying how much they love it there. It's easy to see why. Horn Please is bright and fun with Bollywood film projections and hand-painted pictures of peacocks and old fashioned portraits on the walls. Cyndi Lauper and…
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Anthony Dispensa at Ronnie’s
Ronnie's is a casual eatery in the Intercontinental on Collins Street and it is all about the fun there. Owner Matthew Butcherhas worked alongside the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Shannon Bennett. Matthew grew up watching his dad Ronnie cook in the family takeaway shop. A country boy with a heart of gold and values…
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Luciana Pasinetti & Kim Maree Moore at Oko
Oko recently opened in Fitzroy in the heritage listed building that was Hell of the North for a few years. Headed by mother and son team, Luciana and Sebastian Pasinetti, with head chef Kim Maree Moore, Oko is a celebration of all the best things you might imagine about Mediterranean dining, and the team draw…