The Food Fight

Nat's What I Reckon has taken social media by storm with his funny, irreverent cooking videos. He joins us to chat about his journey into the world of social media, and about the thought behind is war on jar sauce and packet food. His new book is Death To Jar Sauce. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Casey wall from Bar Liberty joins Simon and Stef for a chat about the recently released 50 best restaurants list, Melbourne becoming the most locked down city in the world and how NYC health laws have influenced Casey's fashion decisions ..... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Stef speaks with chef, gardener, TV presenter and all round good bloke Paul West from River Cottage Australia. They talk about Paul's time in the Melbourne hospitality scene at Vue De Monde, his transition into farming, his experience filming River Cottage Australia, as well as his advocacy for produce growing, home cooking and participating in a local food community. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For this weeks episode Stef and Simon bring on their old mate Andy Burns from Babyface kitchen to discuss this weeks hard hitting hospitality news. They talk about Martin Benn and Vicky Wild leaving society restaurant after only 5 services, The issues being faced by restaurants gearing up to re open, how Wollongong's changing demographic will affect the dining scene as well as some laughs, tips and tricks along the way! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're back with another awesome stock takes chat – joined by wine pro, writer, friend of the show and absolute legend Sam Payne. We talk John Lethean's scathing review of Perth's Heritage Wine Bar, Noma's third Michelin star and a bunch of other crap. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Another hard hitting current food affairs show where Stef and Simon discuss the antivaxx bombardment of the Aria comments section as well as speculate on what Charcoal Fish is going to look like when it opens on Wednesday - and the usual insta fodder to round out the latest instalment of The Food Fight: Stock Takes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

More stock takes fun! Is Eleven Madison Park going vegan good? The new chef award and Basque cheesecake goes viral! All this and more on this new episode of your favourite food pod. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon takes this one solo and is joined by fellow regional food champion Josh Gregory - head chef at Muse Kitchen in the Hunter Valley. Josh is a Hunter native and has spent his life in regional kitchens. He shares his story, his passions and some ideas about why a regional career is so different from a city-based one. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A new kind of episode - Stock Takes is here! Simon and Stef give their takes on the biggest news in food and hospitality. We also talk about stuff we're seeing on Instagram and give some hot tips on how to cook and dine. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ever thought about being a farmer? Have you envisaged that tree change with a rich plot on which to grow, a farmers market and kids helping pull carrots from the ground? Sounds idyllic right? Well according to Fraser Bayley from Old Mill Road BioFarm in Turlinjah on the NSW South Coast - it kinda is... but its also bloody hard work. He joins Stef to chat about the journey. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon takes over the pod for this chat with his old friend Gareth Saywell, head chef at Orasay Restaurant in London's Notting Hill. They talk about Gareth's career and discuss the experience and response to Covid in the London hospo scene. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hayden's Pies in Ulladulla is one of the most well know pie shops in NSW, if not the country. With Stef still on the South Coast, its the perfect opportunity talk to the larger than life man behind the pies - Hayden Bridger. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The State's in lockdown, hospitality is being shattered, again. How is this lockdown impacting hospo? As much as we try to avoid it we're back on the Covid train for this episode. We also chat Simon's recent review and give some home cooking tips and cheat codes to help get you through this lockdown. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Steve Feletti's Moonlight Flat Oysters were the first on Australian menus sold by the piece. His dedication to quality has helped changed oyster culture and have made his Claire de Lune, Moonlight Kiss and Rusty Wire oysters some of the most recognisable and revered in the country. His newest venture –  “Borrowed Cuttings” wine was […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fishing has been a way of life for the Yuin People of the NSW South Coast for thousands of years. This culture is being compromised by government agencies who fail to recognise the registered Far South Coast Native Title claim – resulting in a range of devastating impacts. For a special NAIDOC week episode of […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Three Blue Ducks went from a small cafe in Bronte to nationally recognised brand spanning seven venues in three states across wildly unique locations. We catch up with one of the founders, Mark Labrooy for a candid chat about the evolution of the business, how the partnership dynamics work, how its balanced with family life, […] The post The Ducks Hunter w/ Mark Labrooy – Three Blue Ducks appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Three Blue Ducks went from a small cafe in Bronte to nationally recognised brand spanning seven venues in three states across wildly unique locations. We catch up with one of the founders, Mark Labrooy for a candid chat about the evolution of the business, how the partnership dynamics work, how its balanced with family life, […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Admit it. You have Instagram and you spend way too long on it scrolling through food content. Its ubiquitous in the food world and is now unavoidable and extremely important for any chef or hospitality owner. For this small bites episode of The Food Fight Simon and Stef dive into all things Instagram.  The post Small Bites – Foodstagram appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Admit it. You have Instagram and you spend way too long on it scrolling through food content. Its ubiquitous in the food world and is now unavoidable and extremely important for any chef or hospitality owner. For this small bites episode of The Food Fight Simon and Stef dive into all things Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

  The hospo industry is all but broken in the number of challenges we face. Restaurant & Catering is the country's leading advocacy and support body for the hospitality industry in Australia. They provide guidance and support in addressing the many challenges facing the industry and lobby on issues like skills, liquor laws, migration and fair […] The post Confronting the Challenges w/ Wes Lambert – Restaurant & Catering Australia appeared first on Quicksand Food.

The hospo industry is all but broken in the number of challenges we face. Restaurant & Catering is the country's leading advocacy and support body for the hospitality industry in Australia. They provide guidance and support in addressing the many challenges facing the industry and lobby on issues like skills, liquor laws, migration and fair […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon Toohey is one of Masterchef's most recognisable figures – going through two seasons with a goal to embrace and champion vegetables throughout his cooking. In this candid discussion we talk about the realities of the show, his background in cocktail bars, how he fell in love with veggies, his channel 10 show Freshly Picked […] The post The Veggie Masterchef w/ Simon Toohey appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Simon Toohey is one of Masterchef's most recognisable figures – going through two seasons with a goal to embrace and champion vegetables throughout his cooking. In this candid discussion we talk about the realities of the show, his background in cocktail bars, how he fell in love with veggies, his channel 10 show Freshly Picked […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Like everything else, Covid smacked the Good Food Guide in the face in 2020. It forced the halt of scoring restaurants, and the publication of the guide itself. For this episode with do deep with the guide's editor Myffy Rigby about the impacts of Covid and the wealth of changes brought to this year's new […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Like everything else, Covid smacked the Good Food Guide in the face in 2020. It forced the halt of scoring restaurants, and the publication of the guide itself. For this episode with do deep with the guide's editor Myffy Rigby about the impacts of Covid and the wealth of changes brought to this year's new […] The post New Good Food Guide, Who Dis? w/ Myffy Rigby appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Casey Wall came to Australia on his way to London via Asia. He never got to London. Instead he stayed in Melbourne and worked at multiple restaurants, ending up at Cutler and Co. and eventually opening opening the wildly successful Rockwell & Sons with business partner Manu Potoi. Now Casey's portfolio includes Bar Liberty, Capitano, […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Casey Wall came to Australia on his way to London via Asia. He never got to London. Instead he stayed in Melbourne and worked at multiple restaurants, ending up at Cutler and Co. and eventually opening opening the wildly successful Rockwell & Sons with business partner Manu Potoi. Now Casey's portfolio includes Bar Liberty, Capitano, […] The post What's The Deal With Biggie Murals? w/ Casey Wall – Bar Liberty, Capitano, Falco Bakery, Above Board appeared first on Quicksand Food.

For this small bites episode of The Food Fight we chat about quirks. This are the little things that every restaurant has to deal with… Menu design, olive oil ramekins, salt on tables, menu descriptions – all the bits and pieces we look for practical and innovative solutions to in the day to day running […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For this small bites episode of The Food Fight we chat about quirks. This are the little things that every restaurant has to deal with… Menu design, olive oil ramekins, salt on tables, menu descriptions – all the bits and pieces we look for practical and innovative solutions to in the day to day running […] The post Small Bites: Quirks & Small Stuff appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Rushani Epa is a tenacious writer, thinker and advocate. She also takes action when something angers her. After having enough of mainly white-centric food media, Rushani began Colournary Magazine – a publication that celebrates and amplifies the voices of First Nations, Black and People of Colour through the lens of food and culture. She joined […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rushani Epa is a tenacious writer, thinker and advocate. She also takes action when something angers her. After having enough of mainly white-centric food media, Rushani began Colournary Magazine – a publication that celebrates and amplifies the voices of First Nations, Black and People of Colour through the lens of food and culture. She joined […] The post Celebrating & Amplifying Diversity w/ Rushani Epa – Colournary Magazine appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Pat Nourse is the creative director at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. A former restaurant citric and food writer at Gourmet Traveller, he's been in the game a long time – and thinks about food and hospitality a lot. In this sprawling chat we cover the role of the MFWF, where and how Pat […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pat Nourse is the creative director at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. A former restaurant citric and food writer at Gourmet Traveller, he's been in the game a long time – and thinks about food and hospitality a lot. In this sprawling chat we cover the role of the MFWF, where and how Pat […] The post Food Festivals & The State of Hospo w/ Pat Nourse – Food & Wine Victoria appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Victor Liong left a career in fine dining to explore is his heritage through Chinese cooking. In this episode of The Food Fight we chat about his work with Dan Hong at Ms G's and Mr Wong, opening Lee Ho Fook and how Victor continues to explore Chinese culture through his restaurants. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Victor Liong left a career in fine dining to explore is his heritage through Chinese cooking. In this episode of The Food Fight we chat about his work with Dan Hong at Ms G's and Mr Wong, opening Lee Ho Fook and how Victor continues to explore Chinese culture through his restaurants. The post Exploring Chinese Food & Culture w/ Victor Liong – Lee Ho Fook, Chuuka appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Alice Zaslavsky is a force of nature. Passionate about educating the public about not just what to eat – but also how to eat better. Her acclaimed book In Praise of Veg is a compendium of how and why to eat more veggies – and has just been shortlisted for this year's Australian Book Industry […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alice Zaslavsky is a force of nature. Passionate about educating the public about not just what to eat – but also how to eat better. Her acclaimed book In Praise of Veg is a compendium of how and why to eat more veggies – and has just been shortlisted for this year's Australian Book Industry […] The post In Praise of Veg, Food Literacy & Education w/ Alice Zaslavsky appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Allan Eccles has worked as head chef at some of Melbourne's top restaurants, with stints at Cutler & Co, Marion, Embla and Lesa through his remarkably prolific career. Most recently he helped open, and is  head chef at the grand McConnell venue – Gimlet at Cavendish House. We chat about his journey from being apprentice […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Allan Eccles has worked as head chef at some of Melbourne's top restaurants, with stints at Cutler & Co, Marion, Embla and Lesa through his remarkably prolific career. Most recently he helped open, and is  head chef at the grand McConnell venue – Gimlet at Cavendish House. We chat about his journey from being apprentice […] The post The Head Chef w/ Allan Eccles – Gimlet at Cavendish House appeared first on Quicksand Food.

In this very special episode of The Food Fight we travel to Kurramine Beach in Tropical North Queensland to speak with fisherman Chris Bolton. Chris' line caught fish, including the prized coral trout are some of the highest quality seafood products in Australia. Each fish is caught by hand, one by one, then processed and […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this very special episode of The Food Fight we travel to Kurramine Beach in Tropical North Queensland to speak with fisherman Chris Bolton. Chris' line caught fish, including the prized coral trout are some of the highest quality seafood products in Australia. Each fish is caught by hand, one by one, then processed and […] The post Reef Fish & Quality Catch w/ Chris Bolton appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Simon's been a busy man! Along with running his wine bar and working as executive chef at Bangalay Dining, he's been travelling the region preparing food for events, TV shows and weddings. In this small bites chat we talk about chefs' side hustles and catering gigs and how bloody hard they can be – with […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon's been a busy man! Along with running his wine bar and working as executive chef at Bangalay Dining, he's been travelling the region preparing food for events, TV shows and weddings. In this small bites chat we talk about chefs' side hustles and catering gigs and how bloody hard they can be – with […] The post Small Bites: Catering, Side Hustles & Hell Gigs appeared first on Quicksand Food.

How can wild caught seafood be sustainable? How can we keep eating it indefinitely? For this episode Stef and Simon travel to the Marine Stewardship Council headquarters in Cronulla to speak with Bill Holden – ex tuna fisherman and fisheries outreach officer to talk about seafood sustainability and how the MSC helps ensure chefs and […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How can wild caught seafood be sustainable? How can we keep eating it indefinitely? For this episode Stef and Simon travel to the Marine Stewardship Council headquarters in Cronulla to speak with Bill Holden – ex tuna fisherman and fisheries outreach officer to talk about seafood sustainability and how the MSC helps ensure chefs and […] The post Seafood Sustainability w/ Bill Holden – Marine Stewardship Council appeared first on Quicksand Food.

In this small bites, Stef and Simon chat about what it really means to shop local, and how change of habits can be so difficult. We also talk about seasonality and our favourite short season ingredients. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this small bites, Stef and Simon chat about what it really means to shop local, and how change of habits can be so difficult. We also talk about seasonality and our favourite short season ingredients. The post Small Bites: Local Food & Seasonality appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Martin's Ridge is a chemical free, grass fed beef, pork and lamb farm in Conjola on the NSW South Coast. After 40 years working as a chef in Sydney, Ian Martin and his wife Tina (also a chef) bought the farm and and moved the family to the coast. Their son Rhys is a butcher […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Martin's Ridge is a chemical free, grass fed beef, pork and lamb farm in Conjola on the NSW South Coast. After 40 years working as a chef in Sydney, Ian Martin and his wife Tina (also a chef) bought the farm and and moved the family to the coast. Their son Rhys is a butcher […] The post Pasture to Hook Farming w/ Ian & Rhys Martin – Martin's Ridge Farm appeared first on Quicksand Food.

Butter in Sydney has gained a cult following with its fun and unique concept founded on  pillars of fried chicken, hip hop, champagne & sneakers. Now, with three locations, its been a pretty wild ride for chef Julian Cincotta and his business partners. We chat about Julian's background in food, how the Butter concept came about, […] See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Butter in Sydney has gained a cult following with its fun and unique concept founded on  pillars of fried chicken, hip hop, champagne & sneakers. Now, with three locations, its been a pretty wild ride for chef Julian Cincotta and his business partners. We chat about Julian's background in food, how the Butter concept came about, […] The post Fried Chicken, Hip Hop, Champagne & Sneakers w/ Julian Cincotta – Butter appeared first on Quicksand Food.