Suncoast Fresh Prodcast

Prodcast 94: Peter Wright, Global Hospitality Group

We had an incredible time chatting with the legendary Peter Wright (@globalhospitalitygroup). With over 35 years in the hospitality industry, Peter is a true powerhouse, known for his unparalleled expertise in large-scale event management and global food service. He shared fascinating insights into the world of Olympic and major event catering, reflecting on his experiences from the Melbourne Cricket Ground to the Sydney Olympics and beyond.

Peter’s career is a testament to his dedication, from his early days as an apprentice chef to leading major food service projects worldwide. As the new Director of the Chef of the Year Competition, Peter is excited to build on its success and further elevate the competition’s profile.

Tune in to hear about Peter’s journey, his commitment to supporting chefs, and his vision for the future of food service. This episode is packed with inspiration and expertise—don’t miss it!

Episode 93: Raymond Capaldi

We loved this raw and honest chat with Scottish-born chef Raymond Capaldi (@raycapaldiconsultancy). He shared the highs and lows of life in the kitchen, opening up about his challenging youth and recounting some intense stories of the old-school kitchen culture in Scotland, complete with a few knocks to the head and car park scraps.

 

Ray’s impressive career includes prestigious spots like the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, the Park Lane Hotel in Hong Kong, the British Embassy in Moscow, and Sheraton Mirage in Port Douglas.

 

Named 'Scottish Chef of the Year' in 1992, Ray is now a familiar face in Melbourne thanks to his time at the Sofitel cooking academy and his pie company, Wonder Pies (@wonderpiesmelb), which he runs with his beautiful wife, Jodie, who is Ray's ultimate right-hand women. This ep is a goodie, so tune in and enjoy!

Episode 92: Darren Robertson

We have 'a pretty epic' guest on the Prodcast (if you know you know)! Legend Darren Robertson (@darrenrobertsonfood) took a break from surfing and cooking up a storm on insta to join us for episode #92.  

 

Born and bred in the UK, Daz moved to Australia to work for Tetsuya Wakuda at the ripe age of 24. He is extremely passionate about sustainability and ethically farmed produce, which is part of the reason he started Three Blue Ducks (@threeblueducks) with a few of his other mates back in 2012. He aims to provide delicious food in a relaxed setting with that authentic paddock-to-plate feel. It was great to sit down and get his take on what's happening with the food industry at the moment. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Episode 91: Daniela Maiorano

Ciao Amici (hello friends)! This ep will leave you inspired and hungry for more! We have an incredible guest joining us for episode 91. Daniela Maiorano lives and breathes Italian food; it's literally in her DNA! Daniela is a fourth-generation chef from Abruzzo, Italy and grew up helping her Nonna roll gnocchi and helping her Dad in the family restaurant.
 
Food is her love language, and she's on a mission to share that love with everyone she meets. We can confirm we felt it as soon as we walked into her restaurant, Lilium and were greeted with the warmest hug. Passionate about old-school hospitality, Daniela makes having a meal an experience, no rushing, just pure enjoyment. Maybe we should all take a leaf out of her book. You're not going to want to miss this one. You know what to do. Sit back, relax and tune in. Enjoy! 

Episode 90: Grenville Snowdon | The French Garden

Oui Oui! We're going global. Welcome back to episode 90 of the Prodcast featuring Grenville Snowdon, one of the owners of The French Garden. The French Garden is a supplier of premium fresh produce in France and Italy, based in London's New Covent Garden Market and Paris's Rungis Market. So, if you've eaten at any of Britain's leading restaurants in the past 25 years, chances are you've enjoyed ingredients supplied by the man himself. 

In this episode, Grenville runs us through some of the  differences between the markets in Paris and London compared to our humble ones in Brisbane. He also shares an intriguing tale of one of his truck drivers' unexpected brush with the law! Don't miss out—tune in to episode #90 for more.

Epsiode 89: Martin Boetz | Short Grain

We were lucky to have Thai cuisine guru and owner of Short Grain (@shortgrainbymb) Martin Boetz (@martinboetz) in the hot seat for this weeks Prodcast ep! Marty's inventive Asian dishes and iconic restaurants Longrain in Melbourne and Sydney receive acclaim from diners worldwide. After 14 years with Longrain, he returned to Brissie to open Short Grain. 

In this episode, Marty details his time working under the mentorship of internationally acclaimed Thai expert David Thompson and how he discovered his love for Thai food and seasonal and unique produce. Get ready for some great stories in Prodcast #89. Enjoy! 

Epsiode 88: John Picone | Picone Exotics

Keen to learn more about exotic fruit? Well, we have the perfect guest - our friend John Picone, the co-owner of Picone Exotics Farm (@piconeexotics)! He's a walking encyclopedia when it comes to exotic fruits! John and his wife Lyndall grow over 300 varieties of tropical and subtropical fruits throughout the year, just a stone's throw away from Byron Bay.

In this ep, John gives us an audio tour of his exotic orchard and all the epic varieties he is growing. He also talks about his connection to his land and the sustainable methods they are practising. Tune in to episode #88, and enjoy!

Episode 87: Bob Harrington | Specialty Produce

Joining us on the mic all the way from San Diego, California, is Produce expert Bob Harrington (@bobatspecialtyproduce)! Bob is the president of Specialty Produce, a family-owned wholesale produce company in San Diego that's been serving the community since 1989. Specialty Produce is a culinary hub for chefs, foodies and retail consumers. So, basically the Suncoast Fresh of the States! 

 

He is an extremely down to earth guy and accredits much of his success to his epic team. While running this huge operation, Bob is also on what he refers to as his' 100-year' quest to discover and share everything he can about fruits and vegetables. In fact, he's tried just about all of them. Curious to know what his top pick is? You'll have to tune in to episode #87!

Episode 86: Mark Best

Welcome back, friends, to our first Prodcast episode of 2024! Who better to kick this season off than the incredible Mark Best (@markbest). While introductions may not be necessary, we'll give it our best shot!

 

Mark's catalogue of accolades and accomplishments is never-ending, from starring in the World's 50 best restaurant list to being crowned Chef of the Year a few years back in the annual Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. We also must mention his onscreen appearance on Netflix's 'The Final Table'! He's the Culinary Advisor at The Calile Hotel (@thecalilehotel), a Restaurateur, Chef, Author, Photographer and Media Presenter. Honestly, what can't he do?

 

Mark has a unique outlook on food and inspires many aspiring chefs. He is gifted in creating extraordinary dishes out of what are often thought to be 'ordinary' ingredients. Yes, we're talking about the famous parsnip ice cream! To hear more about this recipe and this amazing human, kick back, relax and tune in to episode 86 of the Suncoast Fresh Prodcast.

Epidsode 85: Brendan Pang

This episode was a long time coming!  We met Brendan at the Good Food & Wine Show last year. From the moment we met him, it was like a match made in culinary heaven. You know when you meet someone, and you instantly think, "I need to be friends with this guy"? Well, that's exactly what happened. Brendan's charm, quick wit and genuine personality had us hooked faster than you can say "dumpling."

Born into a Mauritian Chinese family, this guy was practically raised in a kitchen filled with passionate foodies. And let's not forget his Grandmere, who carried down the sacred art of making lip-smacking dumplings. We're talking about generations of dumpling mastery here, guys!

In between all that cooking wizardry, Brendan decided to open his restaurant, and what else would he call it but "Bumplings"? (Brendan, dumplings...get it?!) Before setting up shop permanently in Fremantle, he dabbled in some pop-up ventures, and in the first four nights in 2014 he sold over 10,000 dumplings! This is when he knew he was truly onto something. So, without us revealing too much, hook into episode 85 of the Suncoast Fresh Prodcast. Enjoy!