Podcasts

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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, […]

Dwayne Bannon-Harrison is a Yuin man, a chef and an educator. He began is his food truck and catering business Mirritya Mundya to bring Indigenous food to the masses, and to provide himself a platform to educate people about the history and cultural significance of the native ingredients that are now found throughout mainstream cuisine. […]

For this small bites episode of The Food Fight Simon and Stef talk about the culinary wonders of our cultural hubs, like Cabramatta in Sydney’s West and Cringilla Wollongong. We discuss the variety of different ethnic cuisine available at lesser-known places that take a bit of time to seek it out.

Nic Wong (Culinary Director at Cicciabella) has had a huge career as a chef in Sydney, on the pans at  Billy Kwong, Rockpool and Bodega – and part of the opening teams at Ester, Cho Cho San, The Apollo and the Orana pop-up. With this huge range of experience in opening different types of venues, […]

https://www.quicksandfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Small-Bites-UK-V-AUS.mp3 This small bite sees Stef and Simon compare and contrast how some foods are done in the UK compared to Australia. We discuss things like sandwiches, curry and fish and chips – getting into the pros and cons of each country’s approach.

This episode we speak to former Bar Rochford chef Louis Couttoupes. After a decade in the public service, Louis became a chef at 31 following a trip to Paris and a three month stint at the OG bistronomy venue, Au Passage. When he returned to Canberra and took up a position as head chef at […]

In this – largely Covid free – final episode of the Food Fight for 2020, Stef and Simon do a yearly wrap by talking about what they did and didn’t like about Good Food’s 100 best things of 2020. They also give us brief lists of their best things of 2020 to wrap up the […]

Stef and Simon travel to the ANU in Canberra for a chat with Dr Blair Williams and Dr Kim Huynh about food and multiculturalism in Australia. In September 2020 Blair and Kim penned an article titled: “Channel Seven’s Plate of Origin shows how Australian multiculturalism is defined by white people”. We discuss food reality shows […]

Bryan Martin of Ravensworth Wines is one of the most highly respected winemakers in the Canberra region. In this episode we chat about his low-key, low intervention approach to winemaking and the rollercoaster of 2020 which saw smoke taint destroy his harvest, and covid destroy the transport system – leaving Bryan to cobble together grapes […]

In late October Ovolo Hotels announced their “Year of the Veg”. 356 days of vegetarian only menus across all restaurants at all their hotels in Australia and Asia. Pretty ambitious to say the least. At Ovolo Nishi in Canberra they’ve brought Chef Paul Wilson on board to head up the Monster Restaurant kitchen. With a […]

For this small bites episode we have a fun chat with sommelier and wine communicator Sam Payne about some of Australia’s winemakers and regions to watch as well as a highbrow/ lowbrow wine matching challenge.  

What do you get when you combine the elegance of French pastry with the rawness of hunting game? The answer is John Ralley – owner of Textbook Patisserie in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria. We sat down with John to discuss the popularity of his croissants and pastries, the effect of social media on his business and the value and sustainability of hunting your own meat.

Going deep on wine – for this episode of The Food Fight we’re joined by sommelier, wine consultant and communicator Samantha Payne. We chat about the development of her career in the wine word, the real life of a somm and how wine culture has changed from old guys in ties sipping cab sav to hipsters in docs knockin back funk juice.

Its been a pretty wild year for Jacqui Challinor – Executive chef at Nomad Restaurant in Surry Hills. After a fire that destroyed the restaurant, a move to a temporary location, bushfires, fundraisers and a global pandemic – the doors of the original Nomad site are scheduled to open in October. We talk about this whirlwind year, what to expect from the new venue, and how she’s managed to stay positive and optimistic through it all.   

For this small bites episode of The Food Fight we chat about the intangible minutia of what they believe makes a good venue. We talk product, service, format, lighting, music, sound and a bunch of other small things that add up to make a quality restaurant or bar. 

In this episode of The Food Fight, in collaboration with Coal Coast Magazine – Stef has a remote chat with Yen Truong and Dan Bishop from Wollongong’s favourite lunch spot – An Chut Chut. If you’ve never been to An Chut Chut, its a small, Vietnamese diner – tucked away in the Wollongong arts precinct. […]

In this long overdue episode of The Food Fight, Simon plays host for a candid chat with Stef about what he actually does. We talk about the origin story of Quicksand Publishing, the process involved in making independent cookbooks, the business model, the hard bits, the rewarding bits and the failures. 

This episode Stef and Simon make the trip to Marrickville in Sydney’s inner west to speak with Laura Dalrymple and Grant Hilliard from Feather and Bone Providore about their business and their new book The Ethical Omnivore. Drawing on their experience working with the most sustainable and ethical producers of meat in NSW and further afield – we discuss whole animal butchery, the issues around soil health, sustainable meat production, regenerative agriculture and how sharing food builds community.

The first of our Food Fight small bites series called wine school. Stef doesn’t know a lot about wine, and Simon does – so Stef asks Simon a bunch of questions about wine to hopefully learn something. Hopefully you do to!

For this timely episode of The Food Fight Podcast – we chat with Sydney’s Queen of Pickles, and owner of Cornersmith Cafe & Picklery, Alex Elliot-Howery. We talk about the evolution of Cornersmith, the role of community, educating through cooking schools, cookbooks, minimising waste, food security and the role Cornersmith has, and will continue to play in this Covid world. 

Stef and Simon sit down with Christian Hampson from Yerrabingin for a discussion about native foods and the issues and opportunities in the industry. We discuss the problem of Indigenous exclusion in the industry and potential pathways towards an ethical supply chain. Christian also tells us about the goals and progression of Yerrabingin as a business and some of his plans for the future. 

For this episode of The Food Fight – Stef and Simon sit down for a chat with Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham from Mary’s, The Lansdowne, The Unicorn, P & V Wine Merchants and Mary’s Underground in Sydney. We talk about how the guys have built giving a fuck (caring about society, environment and community) into their businesses – and what it takes to make it work.

Stef and Simon sit down with friend and former co-host Andy Burns (Babyface Kitchen, 2 Smoking Barrels, Ardette’s) for a casual covid catch up. We talk about how Andy and Simon have used things like takeaway and bake sales to help maintain their businesses, as well as looking into what hospitality might look like post-pandemic.

For this small bites episode of The Food Fight, Stef and Simon have a fun chat about their favourite foods. Simon gives us his tips on how to roast the perfect chicken and Stef goes through his the minutia of the way he likes to serve Sydney rock oysters. 

As a solo host for The Food Fight this week, Stef chats with commercial sea urchin diver & processors Chris and Rachael Theodore from Sea Urchin Harvest in Tomakin, NSW. We talk about how they’ve built their business over the last 10 years, how they process and sell their product, what its like spending 5 hours a day underwater and the huge impact that sea urchins are having on marine ecosystems. 

The Food Fight Podcast that’s needs to happen. Stef and Simon chat about COVID-19 and the shattering impact it’s had on the hospitality industry. A once in a century event – Simon discusses how he’s moved through the chaos and uncertainty as a business owner, and we discuss what might be in store and what we might learn from this crisis. 

For episode 4 of The Food Fight, Stef & Simon sit down with Alex Delly – Chef and owner of Small Town in Milton, NSW & formerly of St. Isidore. We chat about running an upmarket in a regional area, Alex’s decision to mic drop on St. Isidore after 4 hats in 4 years, and the rationale behind opening a smaller venue in town.

For this small bites episode of The Food Fight Podcast Stef and Simon give their tips on what knives to get and how to use them best – conversation then winds it’s way into game meat cooking in the Caveau kitchen. 

For this episode of The Food Fight, Stef and Simon take a trip to Newtown and catch up with Oscar Mcmahon and Rich Adamson from Young Henrys Brewing. The guys talk about how authenticity and an uncompromising connection to place and community has helped build their business, as well as chats about the changing craft beer scene, the Young Henrys approach to sustainability and how their new algae fuelled bioreactor hopes to help move brewing towards carbon neutrality. 

For this Small Bites Food Fight episode – Libby Cupitt and Stef share their suggestions for places to eat, drink, stay and play on the South Coast. Book a holiday, share it around and support the region. 

A two part Food Fight Podcast, Stef and Simon make a trip to The South Coast of NSW to catch up with Matt Upson from Tallwood Eatery in Mollymook and Libby Cupitt from Cupitt’s Winery in Milton to talk about the impact of the South Coast bushfires on business in the area. Libby and Matt take us through their experiences of the events, how it has impacted their businesses and their plans to move towards recovery.

For the first episode of The Food Fight Podcast Stef and Simon chat about the reasons for re-booting the podcast, what they’ve been up to for the last six months, and of course the continued wage theft saga which has crescendoed this week with Dinner By Heston closing and George Calombaris’s MADE Establishments going into voluntary administration.

Stef, Andy and Simon take it old school with Andy’s last Gong Show podcast. Simon is hungover, we taste some beers, and we chat shit about the podcast, how far Andy and Simon’s restaurants have come, all mixed with a healthy dose of bitching about George Calombaris.

From a VOX fm “Food for Thought” Community radio show, Stef and Simon are joined in the studio by Simon and Adrian Biada from My Square Metre. Through My Square Metre, Adrian educates the public about sustainable agriculture and builds urban farms for a variety of types of organisations, all over the country. We talk everything from the challenges of agriculture, to building a productive garden for a restaurant to how to grow coriander.

Simon, Stef and Andy sit down with Dash Rumble and Ross McQuinn from Pilot Restaurant in Canberra during their collaboration series with Babyface Kitchen in Wollongong. We chat about the conception and rationale behind opening a new venue, the experience of a first year of  operation and the challenges and rewards of being new business owners.

Simon and Stef sit down for a chat with 400 Gradi’s “Mr Pizza” – Johnny Di Francesco. Beginning with a humble Neapolitan pizzeria in Brunswick, Melbourne – Gradi Group now has venues in Adelaide, Crown Melbourne, Auckland, The Yarra Valley, Bahrain, Kuwait, on board a P & O cruise ship and in Texas. We talk about the realities of growing a business to this scale while keeping reverence for quality, passion and tradition.

Stef, Andy & Simon chat with Libby Cupitt from Cupitt’s Winery, Restaurant, Farm, Brewery, and Fromagerie about the story of Cupitts and the motivations behind, and practicality of the continual progression of a business. We also talk about food culture on the South Coast and the importance of a supportive local business network.

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Stef, Andy and Simon sit down with Executive chef at Aria restaurant, Joel Bickford. We chat about Joel’s journey in food, the transition to heading up the kitchen at one of Australia’s top venues and the differences between running regional and metropolitan restaurants.

Stef and Simon chat with Musician, Radio Presenter and long time vegan Lindsay McDougal about his journey into veganism, vegan culture and activism, farming practices and pragmatic and ethical approaches to food consumption.

An interview taken from Stef’s VOX fm Illawarra, Community radio show “Food for Thought”. Stef chats with farm manager of Green Connect in Warrawong – Cal Champagne about permaculture, sustainable food, consumer choice and dollar milk.

Stef and Andy chat with Phil Lavers from Moonacres Farm in Fitzroy Falls about beginning an organic farm, finding a market for premium vegetables through farmers markets and direct relationships with chefs, and  broccoli sandwiches.

For the first podcast of 2019 – Stef, Andy and Simon are joined by Brendan Cato from The Farmed Table to talk about events, pop-ups, local food and options for chefs outside working full time in one kitchen. We also discuss the use of “Local” as a buzzword and the realities of having a locally […]

Stef, Andy & Simon are joined by Alex Hains from The Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative to chat about mental health issues in hospitality. We chat about the kitchen environment and habits and culture developed in the hospitality industry, how these things can affect mental health, and strategies that can be used to keep a healthy mind in the kitchen.

On the 24th Of November, Stef, Andy and Simon sat down for a live podcast at The Wollongong Writer’s Festival. This years theme was “What Feeds you?” We talk about what feeds chefs in terms of creativity and inspiration in all facets of the industry, and what nourishes chefs to keep them pushing forward in a challenging industry.

Andy, Stef and Simon are joined The Throsby’s head chef by Jimmy Butcher to discuss progression and tradition in cooking. At what point does a chef take a dish away from a traditional one, to something new and different. Stef also gives a wrap up of his trip to Europe and we talk about Jimmy’s new initiative to provide a platform to hospitality workers to be able to discuss mental health and workplace issues.