Conversations
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Vaishali Narang at Le Cordon Bleu Graduate
Originally from Delhi, Vaishali recently graduated from Le Cordon Bleu with an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management. She has a particular interest in patisserie and when she used to work as an auditor, she would bake to relax. What started as a hobby became a dream to own and make pastries and cakes for her…
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Dan Briggs at Chin Chin
Dan Briggs is the loveliest guy, a gentle giant with two great passions; his family (including a brand new and super cute puppy he got for Father's Day) and his job as Executive chef at Chin Chin. Dan has been part of the Chin Chin family for his whole career, which says a lot about…
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Tim McDonald at Fonda
Eleven years ago, Tim McDonald and his business partner, Dave Youl, saw a gap in the market and opened Fonda, the bright, happy home of Mexican street food in Melbourne. From the flagship venue in Swan Street, the business has grown to nine venues across Melbourne and now also, Sydney, but the pair ensure that…
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Apoorva Kunte at The Westin Melbourne
Apoorva Kunte is the Executive Chef at The Westin Melbourne. Apoorva loves food and knew from an early age that he wanted to be a chef. He worked in hotels in India and the Middle East before coming to Sydney and now, luckily for us, he is here in Melbourne. Wherever he goes, he likes…
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Soon Lim at Vaporetto
Soon Lim is originally from Kuching, on the Borneo island of East Malaysia, but went to Christchurch, New Zealand at 15 years old to study at high school and then on to Canterbury University. After giving Civil Engineering a red hot go for two years, enter a plot twist and explanations to his parents because…
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Stefan Armentano at Small French Bar
When I went to the Bastille Day French Festival in Federation Square a couple of weeks ago, I was captivated by a video showing Stefan Armentano making ratatouille at his Small French Bar in Footscray. If you're a friend of the podcast or website and have listened to or read a few, you have probably…
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Ollie Chan Chan at Motte
I went over to Yarraville to chat to Ollie on a sunny Saturday morning. I arrived near the end of his 9.00 10.30am bakery pop-up and the queue did not get any smaller until just after 10.30am. I had seen a video of Ollie talking about his patisserie, Motte, at the Bastille Day French festival…
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Gareth Whitton at Tarts Anon
I was lucky enough to chat to Gareth and his partner Catherine at Tarts Anon for Broadsheet right before their Cremorne shop opened for dine-in customers. I probably picked the worst time to hit up Gareth for my own chef chat, given they have only just opened a second shop in Collingwood and they have…
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Adrian Li & Danny Natoli at La Madonna
I'm a big fan of La Madonna in the Next Hotel on Little Collins Street. I love the glorious golden chandelier hanging in the spiral stairwell. I love the dining room that manages to feel cosy and enveloping despite its size and I love the story behind the name. When Danny Natoli first walked into…
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Neil Rocke at The Commons Collective
When I went in to talk to Neil Rocke at The Commons Collective in Ormond Hall, a beautiful art deco complex with various venues like the Moubray Bar, Rose Garden, Conservatory, Chapel and more, I actually felt as though I had stepped back in time in the hall which has the most beautiful wooden panelling…