Conversations

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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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 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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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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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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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…

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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 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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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 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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