Conversation with a chef

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 O'Connell's Hotel in South Melbourne, Aaron brings with him the calm authority of someone who's done the hard yards. Aaron's career spans Michelin-starred restaurants, big-name mentors like Jason Atherton and Shane Osborn, and some of Melbourne's best-known venues like Cumulous, Scott Pickett's restaurants as well as Oakridge Winery. He still keeps recipe notebooks, mostly lists of ingredients, and draws inspiration from everywhere: books, produce, places, memory. And after all these years, he still genuinely loves being in the kitchen. That short, sharp burst of service? It's where he feels most at home.

II.II.VI is freshly open and in soft launch mode at the time of recording, which means the team is still getting into the rhythm of service and the full menu isn't live yet. The grills haven't yet been installed, which is significant, because open flame cooking is central to what head chef Haitham Richani has planned. I sat down with Haitham and executive chef Kerry Lam to talk about the thinking behind the restaurant. Haitham has worked in both front and back of house, and that range of experience has shaped everything; from kitchen layout to the way the team works together. Kerry is also behind Ministry of Crab upstairs, and at II.II.VI, he's given Haitham the reins to create something new. We talked about designing kitchens that actually make sense, the role of team input, how seasonal produce drives creativity, and why a notebook can be as valuable as a knife roll.

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 must be an old Italian man with a wooden churn…and then I found Alberto on Instagram. Not an old man. No wooden churn in sight. But every bit as traditional as you'd hope, and just as passionate. From 30 kilos a week made in a shared kitchen with a planetary mixer to importing and restoring vintage machines from the Dolomites, Alberto's journey is full of energy, joy, and a stubborn devotion to quality. He talks about butter like some people talk about wine or poetry. And I'm here for it.

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, and of course, the show-stealing burrata. Giorgio introduced burrata to the Australian market and has built his business and his reputation on passion, perseverance, and a very good palate. I last saw Giorgio at the launch of his Burrata book, the first and only book in the world dedicated to this pillowy, cream-filled cheese. It's not just a collection of recipes, though those are glorious; it's also a deep dive into the backstory of burrata; its history, its evolution, and the politics of production in its birthplace, Puglia. I sat down with Giorgio in his Thomastown HQ, to talk about how the book came together, what happened when he went looking for burrata's origins, and why he believes obstacles are often just gentle nudges in a better direction.

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 what it takes to lead with precision and creativity. When he moved to Australia, Dario brought that same energy and expertise with him, quickly making his mark on the local food scene. Now at the helm of Cannoleria and the Burrata Bar, he's not only delighting diners with playful takes on Italian classics, he's also inspiring a new generation of chefs. In this episode, we talk about his deep respect for tradition, his inventive streak (yes, there has been a Vegemite and parmesan cannolo), and what it means to build something meaningful in the ever-evolving world of food.

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 games and more spreadsheets, he is still putting out fires, in a metaphorical sense in day-to-day life in the kitchen. Ian's culinary journey has taken him through some impressive venues, including Lamaros, Copycat and Taxi Kitchen where he worked alongside the legendary Tony Twitchett. Now, he's the executive chef overseeing a diverse trio of venues: Anada, Arcadia Café and The Rochey. It's a full plate; literally and figuratively. What stood out most from talking to Ian is his ability to balance creativity with practicality. He leads with clear systems but brings a quiet warmth to the kitchen, adapting his style to suit the team around him. There's a calm, clever energy about him and he strikes me as someone who genuinely cares about doing food well, without fuss or ego.

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 a little rebellion. Mia's food, which she calls "irreverent" French, honours tradition but never feels bound by it, each plate carrying a beautiful, unexpected spark. Before stepping into Melbourne's dining scene, Mia sharpened her skills in some of Sydney's most celebrated two- and three-hatted kitchens, later moving to Melbourne to help open much-loved Town Mouse before bringing her talents to Cutler and Co, Anchovy, Lune, and Smith and Daughters, amongst others. I pulled up a stool at the bar to talk with Mia about Magnolia, about instinct and flavour, and about why a little mischief might just be tradition's best friend. We also talked about the reality of chef life and running a small business. This was an incredible chat, and I loved every minute of it.

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 National Park on Sydney's northern edge, then as Executive Chef at Burleigh Pavilion, where he led a team of 60. Today, Guillaume is channelling his focus into Chef Notepad, the software he designed to streamline recipe communication, food costing, food waste and team management, a system built by a chef who understands exactly what kitchens need. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he's also set himself the ambitious personal goal of running 2025 kilometres in 2025. I very happily sat down to chat with Guillaume on a rooftop in Prahran as the sun set over the city.

Today, I'm speaking with Kate and Bryan, the team behind Ciao Cielo in Port Melbourne. 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 ingredients to managing a busy service, it's clear their passion for what they do hasn't wavered. I first visited Ciao Cielo back in 2018, not long after they opened in their new home, the beautifully restored Port Melbourne courthouse. There was something immediately striking about the space: grand but welcoming, with a sense of purpose and care behind every detail. That balance of warmth and precision seems to echo what Kate and Bryan aim for in the kitchen and on the floor. A lot has changed on the hospo landscape since then, but their commitment to thoughtful, generous hospitality is as strong as ever, as is their limoncello, which they make in-house and insist you try. It's just one small example of the way they do things properly, with heart.

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 teenage dishwasher in Ferntree Gully to Grossi-trained pasta guy to Hanoi Hannah's head chef and beyond, Daniel's journey is less about chasing fame and more about feeding people well, mentoring his crew, and yes, finding strange joy in spreadsheets.

Every now and then, you meet people who radiate such generosity, such quiet brilliance, that you walk away feeling a little bit better about the world. Chae and Yoora, the couple behind the tiny six-seat Korean restaurantChaein the hills of Cockatoo, are exactly those kinds of people.This is a restaurant where time is the main ingredient. Years go into the ferments, and the big clay jars sitting outside, quietly brewing flavour, take up more than just physical space; they represent a completely different way of thinking about food and business. The intimacy is part of the experience: Chae, calmly plating at the bench, Yoora quietly attentive to everything else. It began humbly, in their Brunswick apartment, with Chae just giving it a go. But beneath that quiet start was a deep well of skill, philosophy and soul. ​ Now, I have a confession. This was actually the second time I sat down to record this episode. The first time, I drove out, I had a beautiful, thoughtful conversation with Chae and Yoora, drove home, and, poof. The recording vanished. Gone. A technical glitch, or maybe just the podcast gods keeping me humble. But Chae, being the gracious human she is, invited me back. And I'm so glad she did, because this chat, take two, feels even more special.

From the bustling streets of Naples to the top of Melbourne's pizza scene, Mariano De Giacomi is a pizzaiolo who lives and breathes his craft. Raised in a tight-knit family with five children and few resources, Mariano began working at the age of nine, lugging shopping bags from a local deli to neighbours' homes. His path into pizza began not with flour and fire, but with washing dishes and salvaging dough bound for the bin, training himself, quietly and obsessively, on scraps. In Naples, he spent over a decade mastering the art of pizza at Umberto, an acclaimed pizzeria and founding member of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, or True Neapolitan Pizza Association, where he developed a deep knowledge of dough science and fermentation. It was here he met Johnny Di Francesco of 400 Gradi, who later invited him to Melbourne. Mariano went on to become the Executive Chef for the Gradi Group, training an entire generation of Melbourne's pizza makers and helping build one of the city's most iconic pizza empires. Now, with his own venture, Made a Napoli, Mariano brings the show to you: mobile pizza ovens, silent disco headsets, and even his kids spinning dough at events.

There's something grounded and quietly assured about Adam Sanderson. Maybe it's the way he talks about kitchens as places of belonging. Or maybe it's the way his journey, which began in the north of England, has moved through some of the most celebrated dining rooms in the world: The Fat Duck, where creativity and precision dance together, and Noma in Copenhagen, where he learned to see ingredients through a new lens. When Adam landed in Melbourne, he felt the pulse of the city straight away; its openness, its energy, its love of food and something clicked. Now, as executive chef at Maison Batard, he's found a space where all those experiences can come together. Maison Batard is a layered, generous space set across four floors and for me exudes French style and sensibilities. The menu features reimagined French classics, a potato omelette topped with caviar, rotisserie chicken with green olives, and a chocolate mousse served at the table with just the right amount of theatre. It's a place that celebrates flavour, hospitality, and the quiet confidence of a chef who knows exactly where he is. I chatted with Adam in Le Club which is the basement burlesque bar of Maison Batard. It is all sumptuous red with velvet draping and intimate booths and at the time of day we were there, it's the quietest place to be in Maison Batard. Photography: Pete Dillon

Daniel welcomed me into the ‘red room' at Bang Bang's newest venue in St Kilda. Although it's only been open a few weeks, Bang Bang St Kilda already has a following. As executive chef and now a full partner in the Bang Bang group, Daniel oversees three restaurants and two additional kitchens across Melbourne's southeast. His chef career has come full circle, as he met his wife in St Kilda and they travelled to London to work for two years before coming back to Melbourne and moving to the Mornington Peninsula with their young family. Daniel still loves spending time in the kitchen, but his focus is now on maintaining consistency across the venues. Bang Bang's menu is Pan-Asian, drawing from Japan, Thailand, and India. Inspired by his travels, Daniel refines the menu while keeping beloved staples intact, striking a balance between authenticity and modern execution.

Callum Nugent might be relatively new to Stokehouse Pasta & Bar, but he's no stranger to high-pressure kitchens. Since stepping into his first official head chef role in December, he's embraced the challenge with enthusiasm. His love of food started young; he remembers being glued to TV cooking shows at just three years old and spending time in the kitchen with his mum, nonna, and godmother. With experience at places like Chateau Yering, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and a formative 18 month stage in San Sebastian when he was 19, Callum has shaped his leadership style around balance: precision and creativity, discipline and support. He's passionate about keeping his team inspired, changing the menu every two weeks, and making sure hospitality is as rewarding for those in the kitchen as it is for those at the table.

Cameron Tay-Yap didn't really set out to be a chef, initially cooking for his family was a way to avoid doing his homework. But in secondary school, he took a chance on hospitality, and a friendly rivalry with a classmate pushed him to take food seriously. That competitive streak led to a stage at Attica, where he found his rhythm in the high-stakes world of fine dining. Since then, he has travelled and spent time as the head chef at Amaru. But his latest venture, Pebble at La Roca, is something different. What began as a pop-up in a car park evolved into a space where Cameron could step back, experiment, and bring people together—though, true to form, his “relaxed” project still involves weekly menu changes and exacting standards. Cameron reflects on his journey, the discipline of top-tier kitchens, and why, after a decade in fine dining, rustic cooking is harder than it looks. Generous with his insights, he shares here what the industry has taught him—not just about food, but about patience, compassion, and the kind of leadership that brings out the best in a team.

Johnny Ly has been the head chef at Green Man's Arms for five and a half years, bringing creativity and passion to plant-based cooking. His journey began at University House at Melbourne Uni, where he completed his apprenticeship and worked for a decade, gaining experience across a variety of cuisines. After stints at RACV fine dining and vegan eateries like The Alley and Serotonin Eatery, he was drawn back to restaurant-style dining, ultimately landing at Green Man's Arms. Johnny takes an innovative approach to plant-based food, reimagining classic dishes while accommodating dietary needs. He credits his mother for sparking his love of food and fosters a collaborative kitchen where his team shares in the creative process. For Johnny, food is deeply personal; a way to evoke memories, bring people together, and create something meaningful.

Dan Lidgard has always known he was meant to be a chef. Growing up in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand, he was drawn to the kitchen from an early age and never looked back. His career has taken him through some of Australia's best restaurants, including Stokehouse and Attica, where he honed his skills and developed his own bold, produce-driven style. Now, as executive chef at Patsy's, Bau Bau, and Bistro Elba, he's creating dishes that are fun, fresh, and packed with flavour. It is obvious from talking with Dan that he loves cooking and can't imagine doing anything else. He kept popping up on my radar as other chefs mentioned him in glowing terms and then I read Broadsheet's recent article about the ‘cool' chefs cooking in Bouldering Gym carparks. Dan is one of them, joining mate and founder of Pebble at La Roca, Cameron Tay-Yap this Sunday to cook up an Italian feast. It was high time I chatted to Dan and I am so glad I did.

Simon Cassar has always been immersed in food, working in hospo from a young age and then as an editor at Urban List, where he wrote about Melbourne's dining scene. Now he is the owner of his own pizza shop. His journey from writer to pizzaiolo wasn't immediate. He spent time working at DOC in Mornington, running pop-ups in Sorrento, Flinders and over summer at Quealy Wines in Balnarring, and obsessively refining his dough. Inspired by a hybrid pizza style he encountered in New York and London, Simon aims to strike a balance between Neapolitan tradition and the crisp, structured slices of New York. Now, after years of honing his craft, he's taking the plunge with a bricks-and-mortar space, where he'll keep things simple: a tight menu, top-quality local ingredients, and a deep commitment to making great pizza.

Michael Lambie is a renowned chef and restaurateur who has significantly influenced Melbourne's dining scene since the late 1990s. Originally from the UK, Lambie trained under esteemed chefs, including Marco Pierre White and Alain Roux, before relocating to Australia. In Melbourne, he made his mark with establishments such as Stokehouse, Circa at The Prince, Taxi Dining Room, and Lucy Liu. After selling Lucy Liu in 2020 and a brief period in Queensland, Lambie returned to Melbourne to open Juni in late 2024. Named in honour of his late mother, June, Juni offers a contemporary pan-Asian menu which includes dishes that nod to some of Michael's favourites across his career. Michael tells the best stories about chef life in the nineties: wild kitchens, big personalities, and the industry's transformation into what it is today. I loved every minute of this chat, and I could have listened to Michael for hours.

Why doesn't almond milk ever taste like real almonds? That question sent Marialuisa Castrignano on a journey to create Al Naturale, a nut milk company dedicated to making fresh, high-quality almond milk right here in Melbourne. Frustrated by store-bought options that lacked real almond flavour, she set out to craft a pure, additive-free alternative—one where you could actually taste the richness of the almonds. Each nut milk is made with the highest quality of activated nuts. Their bottles include either 20% or 8% almonds, 12% walnut, or 12% hazelnut, filtered water, date and a pinch of salt which makes Al Naturale the best authentic plant-based milk in Australia. A year ago, Marialuisa opened a cafe in St Kilda so that Melburnians could enjoy Al Naturale as part of their daily coffee ritual. Tucked away from the bustle of Fitzroy Street, this café is a serene retreat, bathed in soft green tones and filled with lush greenery. As well as the nut milks, they serve Italian-style breakfast and lunch dishes.

Zac Shearer is a chef with a deep-rooted love for food that started in Tasmania, where his dad was a fisherman and his mum took him on trips to Melbourne's Food and Wine shows. He's been cooking since he was 18, spending time in Melbourne kitchens such as The Lincoln and French Saloon. Now, he's taking on a new challenge—training to be a food studies teacher—while also launching Tiny Bar in Brunswick East with his partner, Jamila. I had been wanting to chat to Zac for a while and now that there's so much happening, it was the perfect time. We talked about his journey, the shift from head chef roles restaurant kitchens to the classroom and a very tiny bar where the kitchen is literally a step from the tables. We also talked about why Tiny Bar is already such a special addition to Melbourne's food scene, a couple of weeks in where it seems to be exactly what everyone was waiting for.

Lyndey Milan is a vibrant force in Australian food, known for her warm personality and deep love of good food and wine. With decades of experience as a TV presenter, cookbook author, and food educator, she's passionate about making cooking accessible and enjoyable. She was the food director at Australian Women's Weekly, has hosted numerous TV shows, and also created Tasting Success, a mentoring program for women chefs. Whether she's sharing recipes, hosting culinary tours, or championing Australian produce, her enthusiasm is infectious. Who better to host an exclusive food and wine adventure at this year's Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (MFWF)? This six-day journey in collaboration with Intrepid is billed as a Culinary Adventure and takes you through Melbourne and regional Victoria's best food and wine experiences. From the unmissable World's Longest Lunch to a rare spirits and international cheese tasting in Melbourne and a three-hour degustation aboard The Q Train, this really will be an amazing six days. I was delighted at the opportunity to speak to Lyndey and hear about the tour but also to hear about her career and how she got to where she is today.

For over 30 years, Phillippa Grogan has been a beloved name in Melbourne's food scene. Founder of Phillippa's Bakery, she draws inspiration from her New Zealand childhood and nine formative years with Sally Clarke at her restaurant and foodstore in London. Phillippa is unyielding in her use of top-quality ingredients, traditional recipes and flavour. Phillippa is absolutely all about flavour. Because of that, her creations have been a staple for generations of Melburnians. Walking into her Armadale shop feels like walking into a farmhouse kitchen with its beautiful wooden sideboards and display cabinets full of delicious quiches and breads and the hugely popular cardamom buns. I was delighted to have the chance to sit with Phillippa and hear her story and I will definitely be back very soon for another cardamom bun.

The role of Head of Fermentation is not something you come across every day. In fact, Caitlin Koether is somewhat of a pioneer in this space and holds one of the first such positions in Australia, a role with The Mulberry Group which was uniquely crafted around her expertise. Caitlin's work is all about preservation, finding ways to extend the life of seasonal produce, create new flavours, and reduce waste. Her approach balances creativity and science, turning sometimes imperfect ingredients into something extraordinary. With the resources of Common Ground farm on the Bellarine Peninsula, she works closely with the chefs in the group as well as the farmers to use ingredients that enhance menus in thoughtful ways. From condiments to non-alcoholic beverages, her creations are seamlessly integrated into dishes, showcasing how fermentation can elevate flavour while supporting the planet. I sat down to chat with Caitlin at Little Molli in Abbotsford and then ate a delicious smoked chicken tartine with chickpea miso mayo and pickled celery and drank a striking Miso Wave which is a blue spirulina shake inspired by the look of the Erewhon Coconut Cloud Smoothie. As the first Conversation with a chef for the year, Caitlin has set the bar high. Passionate, articulate and a joy to talk to, Caitlin is one to watch and if I were you, dear listener, I would be getting to Little Molli as quickly as you can to experience the goodness for yourself.

Mordialloc is a vibe and the team from La Cabra are here for it. Set just back from the beach, and only metres from the train station, the latest Mexican addition to the Mordi strip is also La Cabra's ninth and biggest to date. Housed across three levels in a heritage building, complete with a rooftop deck and stunning views across the bay, it is perfect for watching the sunset with a spicy marg in hand. Foodwise, you'll find all the favourites, think chargrilled corn, jalapeno poppers, nachos, quesadillas, and plenty of tacos. I sat down with founders Sherinder Kohli, Derrick Chandra and Joshua Smith on a hot sunny day when the beach was packed, and hundreds of kids were jumping into the sea from the end of the pier. The three friends met through a shared love of hospitality and a desire to create a super fun dining destination. Since 2019 they have created nine such venues and they have plans for even more. And just a little note to the adventurous, anyone who dines at the Mordi La Cabra from 13 January to 30 March, 2025 will go into the draw to win a week-long trip to Mexico. The trip for two includes accommodation, flights and the winners will be taken on a tour of Mexico's iconic Casa Herradura Tequila Distillery, just rack up $50 on your bill and you'll be in with a shot.

Max's Restaurant was the first winery restaurant on the Mornington Peninsula and was started by owner and chef, Max Paganoni in 1994. The views are spectacular. From the dining room, you look out over the vines to Western Port and across to Seal Rock. Max has always been passionate about using and promoting local produce and he has now very happily brought in two equally enthusiastic chefs, Michael Demagistris and Ryan James to work with him at Max's. Michael has worked at top-tier venues, including Jacques Reymond in Melbourne, Alinea and The Publican in Chicago, and Noma in Copenhagen. In 2013, he became a household name as a top four finalist on MasterChef Australia: The Professionals. Over the years, Demagistris has held executive chef roles at places like Sorrento Golf Club and Buckley's Chance and owned his own restaurant East Bar and Dining in Mount Martha. Most recently, he has worked at Polperro Winery and was executive chef with Searoad Ferries and Tarra. Best friend, Ryan considers Michael a mentor, having met him at East Bar and Dining before going on to some of the same venues. These two are absolutely the A team. They hold the same values for cooking and for connection with the community and they are both ecstatic to be cooking at Max's Restaurant. They've worked with farmer and chef, Karl Breese to harvest vegetables they are excited about and they are putting up a degustation menu full of imaginative and delicious twists and turns. I had such a lovely chat with Michael and Ryan and then was treated to some of the snacks and desserts they had told me about. I can't wait to go back to the lush and verdant setting that is Max's Restaurant to share it all with friends.

Geraldine is a lovely rural town in South Canterbury in the South Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand and it is also home to the family-owned business, Barker's. Barker's have been filling kiwi pantries since 1969 and their products are still made on the family farm in Geraldine. I remember Barker's blackcurrant syrup and Barker's jams when I was growing up, but they have so many more products than that now: chutneys, sauces, compotes and meal bases. I was pleasantly surprised when I was walking down Park Street in South Melbourne to see the Barker's Foodstore and Eatery sign and had to go in. The café stocks a lot of Barker's products and chef, Elle Casta's menu showcases them. Elle started her cheffing career a little later after working as a paralegal and then in advertising. She always loved cooking for her friends and, after apprenticeships at Ocha in Kew and Vue de Monde, her love for cooking only grew and there was no looking back. She now very happily works day shifts and particularly loves her loyal following of the Barker's dogs for whom she bakes big batches of peanut butter and oatmeal cookies every day.

Kay-Lene Tan is a renowned pastry chef celebrated for her innovative desserts that combine storytelling with bold flavours. Before embarking on her culinary career, she worked as a documentary maker, with a background in mass communication from Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore. A turning point came during a “quarter-life crisis,” which led her to pivot toward her passion for food, eventually enrolling at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy to pursue pastry and bakery arts. Her talent took her to some of the world's best kitchens and earned her accolades, including being a semi-finalist on MasterChef Australia: Dessert Masters in 2023. On the show, she impressed with desserts inspired by her heritage and personal memories, such as her "Milo Dinosaur" dish and a "New Beginning" creation symbolising seasonal change. While she didn't take home the title, Kay-Lene described her experience on Dessert Masters as transformative, reigniting her confidence and reaffirming her unique culinary voice. Kay-Lene is now using that voice at Omnia Bistro and Yugen Dining in South Yarra. Kay-Lene is articulate and realistic and glorious in the way she describes dessert creation but also her own journey, and she also has the best laugh. I learned a lot from our conversation and came away the better for having spoken to her.

Chris Wong, chef and co-owner of Lilijana Eatery in Port Melbourne, brings a unique culinary story to Melbourne's food scene. A former professional hockey player who spent nearly a decade travelling to and from Scandinavia for the winter season, Chris was inspired by the comfort and tradition of the Nordic cuisine he ate in his friends' homes. His restaurant, named after his wife Christine's grandmother, Lilijana, blends Scandinavian and continental European flavours with a focus on house-made sourdough, smoked salmon, and pickles. Chris actually trained and worked in industrial design, but always wanted to work with food. With lockdown and more time on his hands, he volunteered at Gradi to learn some skills and he worked with various mentors in the hospitality industry. Chris and his wife, Christine initially started with a food truck making pizza before transitioning to running Lilijana Eatery with Christine's sister, Steph. The café's thoughtful menu, warm hospitality, and Chris's commitment to sustainability have already earned it a spot in Good Food's top 20 cafes, a testament to their hard work and passion. Chris is a driven chef with an insatiable desire to learn more and he loves sharing everything that he learns with his customers both in the café and in the classes he teaches upstairs on Bay Street. I loved hearing Chris' story and I can't wait to go back to Lilijana Eatery to try more Scandinavian treats.

Today I'm talking to Bartek (Bert) Glinka & Brendan D'Amelio at Uncle's Smallgoods. Bert and Brendan are friends, brothers-in-law and the charcuterie makers supplying many Melbourne cult institutions. You'll find their pastrami at places like Hector's Deli, Nico's and Hugo's and their bacon is fried in cafes like ST ALi, Rustica, and Earl Canteen. Bert and Brendan's smallgoods journey started when they decided to sell kranskys at the Polish Festival and wondered how they might go about making their own. Eventually, after proving their commitment by chopping a pile of wood, they convinced a Polish husband and wife team, Marian and Nora Poprawski to sell them their Polish Deli in 2013. They now have two sites in Dandenong, a dedicated state of the art Smokehouse and the flagship Deli Cafe Foodstore. I had a full tour of the small but super efficient factory with the main attraction being the two large woodfired smoke ovens where they use red gum wood that they light early in the morning and then add wood chips to for the smoke. It is the artisan way of doing it and Bert and Brendan are particularly proud of this. I got to eat kransky warm out of the smoker and went away with a very generous ham bag filled with some of the best smoked salmon, smoked chicken, bacon and polish sausage I have ever tasted. Bert and Brendan's passion for creating the best possible product is palpable and they were so lovely to talk to. They are putting out over 10 000 Christmas hams this year and if you miss out this year, mark your 2025 calendar because this ham is 100% free range, treated with so much care and love and is delicious.

I've had a few chats with Matti Fallon over the years and they have always been good ones, so when he suggested a catch-up over lunch, it was a hard yes from me. We sat by the front window of Mr Vincenzo's with Mornington Park and Port Phillip Bay across the road and we feasted: stracciatella, artichokes, walnut vinaigrette and peas, snapper crudo, zucchini flowers, ricotta filling and whipped avocado, rigatoni with wild garlic pesto and smoked mozzarella. So good! We decided to leave the chat until after lunch so in true lo-fi Conversation with a chef style, and because we had already been chatting over lunch, the actual conversation just continued on, so you might feel as though you have entered halfway through. Matti had worked at Rare Hare, Huxtable, DuNord, and had a residency at the Broadsheet Kitchen, as well as running a Kiwi pie business and had finally opened his dream restaurant, Colt Dining in Mornington. Three and half weeks after opening, he lost it all in a fire. I had been about to drive down the following week to chat with Matti and he sent me a photo and the message, Raincheck. But here we are, a year on and he has opened the glorious Mr Vincenzo's. We sat at a wooden table out the back which was the only piece of furniture to be saved from the blaze and launched into it all.

Baba's Deli is lovely. Owners Max and Aleesha have nailed what it means to offer excellent hospitality: friendly service, excellent sandwiches and $3 coffee. While getting chefs in to make sandwiches wasn't the original plan, it has worked out well for everyone, with friends, Daniel and Luke leaving stressful restaurant jobs to have fun every day wrangling the likes of Mama's Vodka, the chicken schnitzel sandwich with vodka sauce, Baba's Egg and Tayta's Falafel and then go home at 3pm to socialise, go to footie matches or do whatever they like that they haven't been able to do working in kitchens over the last twenty years. Daniel and Luke love working together at Baba's and this was a glorious chat.

Zero95 Alphington was still being set up when I arrived to talk to Executive chef Daniel Mastramico and he gave me a quick tour of the brand-new pizza and gelato venue, There's a gleaming Marana oven for the pizzas, a mural on the cool room wall by TD Illustrations, and photos in the dining room of Daniel's parents' engagement party 52 years ago. With seating for 80 inside and 40 outside overlooking Artisan Park in The Bend, which is part of the YarraBend Development where the old paper mill was, I can see this is going to be the place to be in Alphington. Amazing if you live there and worth the journey if you don't. Daniel grew up with his grandmother's cooking in Mildura and was drawn to hospitality, firstly front of house and eventually the kitchen. He has a lot of experience in venues across the world and still loves being on the pans and continuing to learn. This was. A lovely conversation and I can't wait to go back once the venue has opened to eat pizza and gelato, drink Aperol Spritz and, I imagine have a wonderful time.

Tracey Lister is a Melbourne-born chef with more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, both in Australia and Vietnam. She is also the author of four cookbooks (KOTO: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam (2008), Vietnamese Street Food (2011), Real Vietnamese Cooking (2014) and Made in Vietnam (2017)) and she is the owner of Brunswick Kitchen cookery school. When I went in to talk with Tracey, she was preparing for that evening's vegan cooking class. Tracey always loved working in restaurants, seeing the cool room full of produce and ready to go, the thrill of service and happy diners, but later in her career, she found new joy in teaching, sharing her knowledge and love of cooking with others. As well as teaching Vietnamese, Persian and South-east Asian cooking herself, Tracey also invites other chefs, such as Almay Jordaan and Daniel Wilson to come in and teach as well. Tracey also shares her love of her second home, Vietnam by leading bi-annual Northern Vietnam Food and Fabric Tours, with Future Traditions' owner, Cynthia Mann – an artisanal Vietnamese brand celebrating traditional ethnic minority crafts. The tour takes participants on an eight-day journey through Northern Vietnam, where they share insights into the region's culinary and textile traditions. It was such a pleasure to talk with Tracey and I can't wait to go back to Brunswick Kitchen for a Food from Hanoi cooking class.

Ben is the award-winning chef and owner of renowned restaurant Attica, where his innovative, boundary-pushing cuisine has earned him global acclaim. Known for his deep connection to sustainable and native ingredients and a commitment to excellence, Ben's culinary vision goes beyond the plate. His book, Uses for Obsession offers a vulnerable, humorous, and hard-hitting exploration of his journey, as well as his thoughts on what it takes to thrive in the hospitality industry, our responsibility in terms of sustainability and he has quite a bit to say about food writers. Ben inspires both within and beyond the kitchen, making him a truly influential figure in the world of modern gastronomy, as well as a wise man in life and Uses for Obsession is an important read whether you're a chef, a food writer or a human. I had, of course long wanted to chat to Ben and I was delighted to have the opportunity. It was everything I had hoped for and more.

Circl is a wine-centric restaurant led by a team of friends and hospitality experts in Punch Lane in Melbourne's CBD. Unique in concept, with an impressive 1,500-bottle wine list and strong 150+ by-the-glass offering, Circl wants diners to try some of the world's most exciting and up-and-coming wines, alongside European-inspired food with Scandinavian finesse. I went in to chat to Executive Chef Elias Salomonsson, who has worked for the Scott Pickett Group and Vue Group and I had a very lovely time. Elias gave me a tour of the venue, including a heady moment standing in the wine cellar surrounded by walls of beautiful wine. Elias has put together an incredible menu which has nods to his Swedish heritage as well as some of Australia's best produce: Loddon Estate duck with Davidson plum barbecue sauce and burnt orange or a Blackmore Wagyu tri tip steak with mountain pepper cafe de Paris butter, the menu also reflects Elias' love of caviar, snacks and dessert. I was lucky enough to try a glass of Albarino and the Circl Caviar Tin which is a brown butter crumpet served with a little tin of seasoned crème fraiche, soft green herbs and Yarra Valley salmon roe. Delicious! Elias grew up watching and helping his grandmother cook. He always loved food and so it was no surprise to his family that he became a chef. He started his working life across the water from home town Malmo in Copenhagen and then went on to Ireland. Then he came to Melbourne for six months, loved it so much that 10 years later he is here and cooking glorious food for us.

Originally from Adelaide, Chris Rendell grew up in Melbourne and started chef life as an apprentice under Robert Castellani at Carmine's before heading to Sydney and working for Neil Perry at the Rock Pool Group's Star Grill and then at Christine Manfield's iconic The Paramount in Potts Point. After four years in London working with David Thompson, as well as at Sugar Club, The Grocer of Elgin and the Mews of Mayfair, Chris spent 16 years in the States as a chef at legendary New York restaurant Public, and was the founder of Flinders Lane. Now Chris is based in Auckland and is group executive chef for Savor Group, overseeing 20 venues there. As if he hasn't got enough going on, he has teamed up with Only Hospitality Group to develop the menu for revamped Hawthorn pub, The Beehive on the corner of Barkers Road and Church Street. With a rich history dating back to 1855, the building has been around for nearly 200 years. After The Beehive's original closure 15 years ago, it moonlighted as restaurants Serafina and Butcher and Vine. And if you're wondering how the local gem got its title in 1882, what's now Barkers Road in Hawthorn was originally Beehive Road. Long-time hospitality partners and mates Julien Moussi and Tony Pantano welcome locals and beyond to the beloved watering hole, honouring its old-world charm to ensure people feel right at home. Both regulars at the pub throughout their twenties, The Beehive holds a lot of nostalgia for the local duo – a sentiment shared by many growing up in Hawthorn and surrounds. With Chris overseeing the menu, expect pub classics done very well like parmas, a signature cheeseburger and steak night, as well as some more fancy offerings like the wood fired focaccia with whipped parmesan and the grilled spatchcock with salsa verde.

Santiago Sansone is one of 10 talented young chefs who have been selected for the 2024 Pacific Region S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition. Santiago works as Chef de Partie at the Four Seasons in Sydney, and he was put forward for the competition by the Executive chef. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Santiago grew up watching his grandparents cooking every day, preparing dishes for celebrations and holidays, and making pasta every Sunday. Santiago spent four years doing a law degree but realised that he enjoyed the joy and creativity he got when he cooked for his friends and in a part time job he had and so he changed direction and signed up for culinary school. He did various internships in Buenos Aires and then Santiago went on to work for a catering company specialising in Italian cuisine. Here, he became passionate about working with flour, pasta, bread and Italian sweets. Following this, Santiago started working in his first leadership role, as Chef de Partie, at Negroni in Buenos Aires before heading to the States to work at The-Ritz Carlton in Santa Barbara and working across four outlets including fine-dining restaurants, sushi restaurants and more. Santiago came to Sydney, in 2023 and started work as the Chef de Partie at the Four Seasons. It was such a pleasure talking to Santiago and hearing about the inspiration behind his dish, Sweet Memories, which features sweetbreads, or as Argentinians call them, molleja. Through childhood flavours, Santiago aims to encourage people to experience something different by creating a beautiful and colourful dish and he hopes he can change people's minds and perceptions with this dish and in so doing, help utilise all parts of the cow, so that there is less waste.

#264 Annie Smithers | Kitchen Sentimental by Jo Rittey

Walking up Canning Street to The Wine Corner Store on a sunny day is joyous. There are people sitting at outside tables and lounging on the grass strip in the middle of the road with bottles of wine and snacks, catching up with friends and enjoying the tease of a possible early spring. It's a vibe. Steven "Stevie" Mifsud-Ellul opened  The Wine Corner Store  back in 2016 with a concept of mirroring the relationships that milk bar owners have with a neighbourhood - but instead of selling milk, bread and lollies, he sells wines, beers and delicious food. One of the more unique things about  The Wine Corner Store  is that  people can enjoy a bottle of wine that would usually cost hundreds of dollars at a restaurant because Stevie sells it at retail price. Heading the kitchen is  John Cassie.  John has worked at  several of my favourite Melbourne venues including The Palace Hotel, Verge, Cutler & Co, Bar Liberty, Capitano, Old Palm Liquor, Waxflower  and  Atticus Finch. John and I sat down and had a lovely chat with a glass of wine and then I was invited to stay on with my partner for dinner, or more realistically the feast that John sent out. John is a master of flavour, and I would be hard pressed to say which dish was my favourite. I started with briny sweet Sydney rock oysters from front-of-house Miles' family's oyster farm in Lake Wonboyn on the remote far south coast of New South Wales. There are some Maltese leaning dishes as a nod to Stevie's heritage, such as the Bigilla,  a hearty Maltese broad bean dip served with warm house-made flatbread, and then there was a pork rendang croquette  with charred pineapple and a stunning Jerusalem artichoke  with romesco. We also shared the Fettuccini with duck and radicchio ragu and a seafood Moqueca, which owes its origins to Brazil and perhaps John's earlier travels throughout South America. I loved it all and I am already thinking about when I can go back for more.

#263 Matilde Razzoli | Elio's Place by Jo Rittey

When I first met Aleksis Kalnins, I was writing a First Look story for Broadsheet about Molli. It was the afternoon of the soft opening and Aleks took me on a super fast tour of the kitchen, restaurant and up to the rooftop to admire the raised garden beds. He talked about the food he liked to cook and his vision for the restaurant and I knew I had to come back and hear more once Molli was up and running. In between times I went in to Molli with friends and I loved every single dish we ordered for lots of reasons: flavour, texture and aesthetic. The dining room has a great vibe and I will always love warm brick with good art and beautiful furniture, but it's the food that counts and you are absolutely in good hands with Aleks. Aleks is a spreadsheet guy. He has a lot of ideas and he puts them together, along with the orchestration of them in spreadsheets, anticipating the flow and the way dishes will work with other dishes and how the while operation will sing. Because, for Aleks, it's about diner experience. One of his hobbies is eating out, so he is well aware of what it means to be on the other side and the tingles he gets from service is all about bringing it all together for the ultimate diner experience. I love that.

The Tiffy Group is known for its imaginative venues which transcend the ordinary. Ryan Spurrell is Executive chef for and so oversees the group's Goldilocks Rooftop Bar, House of Correction, Lost Boys, The Clarendon and latest Snow White inspired beauty, Mirror Mirror Rooftop Lounge. I spoke to Ryan in The Clarendon which has recently been renovated and is a really beautiful makeover of the great bones of the original Clarendon Hotel, established in 1858 and then had a quick trip up the elevator to rooftop Mirror Mirror. Melbourne loves a rooftop bar and this one might only be three floors up but gives absolute rooftop energy, as well as some Mediterranean influences in its greenery and tiling. You can see out to Port Melbourne as well as see the city from a different perspective. Ryan grew up watching cooking shows on television and was fascinated by watching the techniques used by the chefs. Drawn to fine dining, he has worked in some of my favourite Melbourne restaurants such as Vue de Monde, Estelle and Matilda as well as top London restaurants, The Ledbury and Pollen Street Social. He also worked in Ho Chi Minh for eight months and was loving it before the experience was cut short by Covid lockdowns, but he brings to The Clarendon and Mirror Mirror some of the flavours he discovered and loved there intertwined with the food he has grown up cooking.

I was lucky enough to be invited to stay at Oakwood Premier in Southbank, Melbourne for two nights. We stayed on the 37th floor in a glorious one bedroom apartment with a view out across the river and the city to the Richmond, Kew and even a glimpse of the Dandenongs. Everything looks different from so high up and I loved taking in the lights of the city by night and then watching the sun rise up between the buildings in the morning. The apartment was super comfortable and had we wanted to stay there and never leave, it had a fully equipped kitchen with a Nespresso machine, glasses for every occasion and even a set of measuring cups! But of course, we didn't need to cook because we were also invited to dine at Strato on the 40th floor. Culinary director Gagan Sharma and his team looked after us beautifully, taking us through the menu with Huon salmon tartare and Thomastown mini burrata to start followed by honey glazed Macedon Ranges duck breast and Spatchcock with Makhani gravy and an onion bhaji – the gravy and bhaji a nod to Gagan's roots. We finished with all three of the desserts which were stunning in their colour, texture and flavour: Yuzu Honey Ginger Semifreddo; Yuzu ganache encased in a delicate white chocolate hive, Dark Chocolate Cube with a velvety caramel centre, and green apple and sorbet. I could already tell from the menu that Gagan loves what he does and enjoys creating menus that allow local produce to shine. It was such a pleasure to talk to him the next day about why he became a chef and the pleasure he gets from cooking and feeding people.

When I was asked whether I would like to try Gamze Smokehouse's Gold Bacon and chat to Brendan Gamze about the process behind it as well as the philosophy behind the family owned and operated Smokehouse, I was thrilled. Gamze Smokehouse was started by Felix Gamze, Brendan's father, who migrated to Australia with his parents as a boy, went to school before starting an apprenticeship in butchery. Felix was ahead of his time, enjoying experimenting with different ways of preserving and curing and smoking to avoid using chemicals, as well as seeking out ethically produced local meat for his products. The Gamze Gold Bacon came out of a round table discussion about how to make the best bacon possible. They started with the pig, using free-range, black rare breed pork from a regenerative farm on the Limestone Coast. The pigs are finished on a mixture of acorns and macadamias for an ultra-rich taste then brined in Three Bays mineral water, Murray River pink salt and manuka honey before being double cold smoked over retired wine barrels. This produces a highly aromatic bacon with a complex caramelised flavour profile that is totally unique. It is finished with edible gold leaf. Gamze are producing a very limited amount of this bacon and releasing it on 30 August in time for Father's Day and World Bacon Day, so if I were you I would be getting onto this right away!

I met Orlando Marzo when I was writing about Joe Vargetto's Bianchetto and Orlando was curating the drinks list. Orlando is passionate about what he does and a great storyteller. When I ran into him again at the Little Food Market recently and he suggested catching up to tell me his story and take me through some of the Loro drinks, I said, no way. Are you kidding? A world class bartender and winner of the prestigious 2018 Diageo World Class Cocktail Competition coming by with drinks? Of course I said yes! Orlando's bartending journey began in Modena, Italy. After completing hospitality school, he headed to London to sharpen his craft, honing his skills and making connections until he got to work at his dream bar, Milk & Honey. By the end of 2013, Orlando made his way to Australia, having heard about Melbourne's hospitality scene and seeing it as the next step. He worked at Eau-de-Vie. Dinner by Heston, and Lume and discovered a gap in the market for elevated ready to serve drinks. Fast forward to December 2021, and Orlando launched Loro, a bottled cocktail company designed to bring world-class cocktails to anyone, anytime. And very happily, that included me. This was the perfect Friday afternoon: stories and cocktails, what more could I ask for?

Jess Liemantara, also known as Jess Lemon, is a pastry chef, self-published author and now Head of Innovation and Development at Ned's Bakes. Jess has graced the MasterChef kitchen three times, first making waves in 2018 as the youngest contestant ever to compete and earning a spot in the top four, then in 2020 for Season 12 – Back to Win and then in MasterChef's Dessert Masters where she finished 3rd against Australia's industry best. I first spoke to Jess just after her first MasterChef season. She was working at Nobu and she shared the story of how she fell in love with dessert creation, inspired by watching her grandmother and aunt work their magic in the kitchen. Now as Head of Innovation, Jess has her own magic going on. She has perfected the art of laminating viennoiserie and continues to push the boundaries of pastry making. If you have a look at Jess's Instagram account, you can see that she has creativity in spadefuls but she is also fastidious in her execution so that she might be making hundreds of croissants or hundreds of macarons, but they are all perfect. It was lovely to catch up with Jess again and she gave me a list of things to try at Ned's which I can't wait to get started on.

Some of Australia's best chefs (and quite a few friends of the podcast) are heading north for a feast in the tropics and it's all thanks to chef Spencer Patrick and his Taste Port Douglas. Founder and culinary director of Chef-hatted Harrisons in the Sheraton Grand Mirage in Port Douglas, Spencer started his career in the UK where he was head chef at three of Marco Pierre White's restaurants in London before coming across to Australia in the early 2000s. At the Cafe Royal, Spencer garnered national acclaim by being awarded a Michelin Star at 26 years old, making him the youngest chef in the country to have done this. The Good Food Guide also awarded Spencer with 8/10 making him joint 3rd in London alongside Gordon Ramsey. Spencer arrived in Melbourne and worked with Raymond Capaldi and Gary Mehigan at Fenix before heading off around Australia with his wife Reina and settling in Far North Queensland. Spencer and Reina started Taste of Port Douglas in 2013 with the idea of promoting all the glorious produce they were enjoying in their now home. The festival has gone from strength to strength welcoming 10, 000 visitors last year. This year the stellar line-up includes Michael Wilson from Marguerite in Singapore – a first time for the festival international chef, Ben Williamson from Brisbane's Agnes, Aaron Ward from Bathers' Pavilion in Sydney, Colin Fassnidge, and names familiar to Victorians and some who have been on Conversation with a chef: Julian Hills from Navi, Ian Curley, Telina Menzies as well as Raymond Capaldi, Mark Best and Michael Lambie to name but a few. There are long lunches, a main stage, Masterclasses and restaurant takeovers and I would love to be there. Next year, for sure.

What a wild and impressive ride of a career. When I went in to chat to Sunny Gilbert at the Hofbrauhaus, I did not expect to hear about cooking whole crocodiles in a bread oven in China. A career as a chef can certainly take you places. Sunny hadn't planned on being a chef, but once he got into a kitchen as a kitchenhand, he was quickly hooked, loving the adrenalin rush of service and wanting to push himself as quickly as possible. From starting his career in Darwin and taking the crocodiles to China and so on, to moving to Melbourne, working in hotels, owning his own restaurant in Docklands and eventually becoming head chef at MoVida next door, Sunny has had so much hospitality experience. He brings all that knowledge to the Hofbrauhaus, a Melbourne institution which has been around for 56 years. Sunny is executive chef and owner of this incredible place that's sees chefs crumb to order hundreds of schnitzels on a Saturday night and where the tables in the upstairs beer hall next door are reinforced, “because of the dancing.” The Hofbrauhaus is a good time and Sunny is there for it, a firm believer in the goodness of hospitality and the importance of nurturing the next generation. I loved this conversation and I'll see you up on the tables in the beer hall after I've eaten a schnitzel and had a Bavarian lager.

Grace Loke is a PhD student at RMIT in Melbourne and is co-lead in a team of researchers exploring the role of our sensory perception in the way we enjoy eating. More specifically, they are looking at the reasons why astronauts report meals taste bland in space and as a result are failing to eat their normal nutritional intake. Previous research has shown that aroma plays a large role in how we perceive food, but could it also be that aroma might affect mood and willingness or openness to the enjoyment of that food? The researchers are using Virtual Reality to simulate the astronaut's environment and this, of course adds another layer to understanding the many factors involved in our experience of eating and the implications could go far beyond just the astronaut's situation. This is obviously a departure from chatting to a chef, but I found the ideas so fascinating I just had to know more.