Suncoast Fresh Prodcast

Episode 74: Jocelyn Cross | Petite Ingredient

We are lucky to have the world's most sought-after edible flowers right here at Suncoast Fresh. Our latest Prodcast features the founder and owner of Petite Ingredient, Jocelyn Cross. Over the years, we have been lucky enough to have a wonderful friendship with Jocelyn. She and her team abide by organic practices and grow their beautiful blooms in the Yarra Valley's volcanic soil, which offers the ideal substrate for healthy plants and prolific flowering. 

 

We chat with Jocelyn about all things flowers, the fantastic book she wrote alongside Mat Pember called Root to Bloom. Her strong self-belief and the challenges she has overcome in her life, professionally and personally. How her team has become her family, and so much more. So, grab yourself a cuppa or crack open a bevvo - it's Prodcast time. Tune in and enjoy! 

Episode 73: Paul Conroy from FareShare Australia

We caught up with Paul Conroy, CEO of FareShare Australia for Prodcast episode 73!  FareShare rescues food from supermarkets, wholesalers, manufacturers and farmers and then cooks it into nutritious meals for people in need. Paul heads operations including our kitchens, logistics and kitchen gardens. Their Chefs and volunteers work hand in hand to cook thousands of meals. But what makes them so different? They recognised that people enduring food insecurity often don't eat every day. When they do, it's usually just one meal for the day, so FareShare does everything possible to make nutritious meals that boost physical and mental health. Why? Because we are what we eat and if it's only going to be one meal, it better be a good one, right?! The connection between food, mood and overall health and performance is astronomical. So without further or do, let's get into the episode where we chat to the legendary Paul. Enjoy!

Episode 72: Ellia Guy @future.wild

Future Wild creates epic culinary gardens for chefs. Owner and founder Ellia Guy has always been most comfortable outdoors. That is possibly a legacy of spending most of her childhood playing outside, climbing trees, and exploring the creeks around her childhood neighbourhood.

After studying Environmental Science and working in Europe, Ellia became homesick for Australian landscapes. The hum of the bush, the expansive, enlivening open sky, and the cacophony of birdsong brought her home. Working in the built environment field, Ellia realised that almost all landscapes designed and planted in Australia do little to consider ecological function, habitat, biodiversity and food production.

So, founding Future Wild was a no-brainer for Ellia! @future.wild is a business that envisions our cities transformed into a green mosaic of edible gardens and native habitat patches! Ellia is putting this vision into action and has installed (and maintains) a beautiful rooftop garden for Calile Hotel growing produce primarily for The Lobby Bar, as well as edible gardens for Howard Smith Wharves.

Keen to learn more? Tune in to Procast 72 to learn more about Ellia, Future Wild, urban and organic farming, our connection to growing food, and so much more!

Episode 71: Geoff Dance from @burleigh_baker

If you struggle with bloating, acne, skin conditions or other gut related health issues then this is the episode for you! We had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with artisanal baker Geoff Dance, the face behind The Burleigh Baker. He let us in on all the secrets to making delicious and nutritious bakery treats your body will thank you for. We walked away feeling so empowered!

Having YEARS of experience in the grain and bread-making space, Geoff educated us on many big topics. We chatted about all things fermentation, gut health, nutrition and grain selection. He recounts his extensive travels and fills us in on the super cool story of how he got his sourdough starter all the way from France. Yes, it involved a toothpaste tube...Tune in and enjoy!

Episode 70: Graeme Stockdale ’BIG RED’

We took a trip to Lismore, New South Wales, a few months after two of the most historic floods engulfed the town, and we're lucky enough to speak to local legend Graeme Stockdale, who played a crucial part in getting things back to normal. Graeme cooked and fed thousands of Lismore locals with the help of his team at Stockpot Kitchen, plus a few nearby butches and producers that weren't within the affected areas.   

Everything was donated, including food, drinks, time, and more! The community support was second to none, with everyone facing the challenge together. Even still, Lismore was a bit of a ghost town when we visited, with shops still boarded up. We recorded Prodcast 70 in the Stockpot Kitchen, or what was left of it! We explored Graeme's favourite flavours, cooking methods, and his love for BBQs, burgers, birds, homemade hot sauces, and so much more. Crack a beer or pour yourself a cuppa. Tune in now and enjoy! 

Episode 69: Jim Fuller | The Fable

Jim grew up as a BBQ lovin’ whiskey swillin’ Texan. He began his career as a fine dining chef 21 years ago in Texas, USA. Jim went on to study Chemical Engineering and Agricultural Science before embarking on a career as a Mycologist (Mushroom Scientist). Jim has 15 years’ experience in cultivating culinary, exotic and medicinal mushrooms. Combining his unique knowledge of mushrooms, chemical engineering, nutritional science with his expertise as a chef and a mushroom farmer, Jim heads up research and development at Fable, where he has forged new ground in the meat alternative market with Fable’s delicious meaty food made from mushrooms. 

Jim shares a heap of awesome stories in Prodcast 69. Enjoy!

Episode 68: Andrew Ballard

Ayyyoo! This year, we've had a pretty intense start at Suncoast Fresh with multiple floods and ongoing pandemic-related issues, which ultimately led us to start the Prodcast a little later than anticipated. But we have missed it so much and are soo keen for an epic season as we have some incredible guests lined up. So if you are new, hola, and if you've been here all along, 'ello poppet. This Prodcast features a collection of stories from industry experts, local legends, food critics, business owners and more!

 

So without further or do, drum roll please, the first Prodcast of the season in 2022 is with Andrew Ballard! Andrew is a humble, genuine chef full of creativity - a complete rockstar who flies under the radar. He has championed more than one competition and recently took out the 2021 Australian Professional Chef of The Year, Foodservice Australia! Andrew was also selected to represent his home country of New Zealand in the Bocuse D'or in Lyon, France. This competition was the brainchild of famed French chef Paul Bocuse and is considered to be the Olympics for chefs. So you could say this legend knows a thing or two. So grab a bevvie or pour yourself a cuppa. This one is a goodie!

Episode 67: Peter Kuruvita

In Prodcast 67, we caught up with Peter Kuruvita and were blown away by his beautiful outlook on life and genuine energy. Peter is an award-winning chef and restauranteur, TV presenter, author, industry speaker tour guide, food & beverage consultant and a true legend. 

He walks us through his extraordinary life featuring his upbringing and vibrant family history, cooking with his family and his first job in the kitchen. He speaks passionately of the beautiful ingredients hidden all over Sri Lanka and their unique significance, his memorable trips to Fiji and ooohhh so much more. 

This is actually our last Prodcast of 2021! We had the most memorable time getting to know every single one of our guests and feel so fortunate to be able to listen to the incredible stories shared by all. Whether you're a chef, friend, farmer, supplier, industry expert or local legend, we learnt something new each Prodcast and hope you did too! We will kick off the 2022 season in Feb!

Episode 65: Snow Chef - Justin & John

When two wild worlds collide, you get a cyclone of fun balanced with food, travel, videography and so much more. Justin and John are two legends we had the privilege to chat with recently, and it honestly felt like we'd known these guys for a lifetime. They're truly genuine human beings who possess an infectious and charismatic energy. Justin and John (up until our mate rona came in) travelled the globe, met like-minded chefs, cooked and ate some scrumptious food and filmed everything along the way. In Prodcast 65, we dove deep into their lives of being Snow Chef's, what they're trying to create with the hopes to travel and work around the world, a few epic untold stories featuring incredible locations like Japan, how they connect with brands on their trips, how they work together and what each of them brings to the table to make such a great duo. Now, that rona is slowly but surely making its way out, and international travel is soon becoming a thing they'll be back on the road in no time. Listen in to find out what's next for the guys. Enjoy! 

Episode 64: Laura Sharrad

In Prodcast 64, we sat down with Season Six MasterChef runner up Laura Sharrad! Laura's earliest memory of food is at the ripe age of four when she learnt how to make gnocchi, her first-ever dish! After that, she regularly sat on the kitchen benches, watching and helping her nonna's cook and trying every dish along the way. 

She was lucky enough to live a beautiful life surrounded by her heritage and learnt all the secrets to Italian cooking, some of which are revealed in this very Prodcast! We took a gondola through her life, learning about her fruitful upbringing, her fond memories of living in Italy, her short but sweet stint at uni studying teaching, how she applied for MasterChef and when she got that incredible call back to be on the show at just 18. 

We then went into the details of the show, talking about a few behind the scenes moments, how her career flourished after the show and so much more. So, as always, sit back, relax and tune in - enjoy!