Suncoast Fresh Prodcast

Episode 41: Jo Barrett

To kick off the Suncoast Prodcast series for 2021, we caught up with our dear friend and the incredibly talented Chef, Jo Barrett! She is currently living in the Future Food System home located right in Melbourne's centre in Federation Square. The Future Food System grows and breeds its own food and is an entirely zero-waste, closed-loop system. She helped build the self-sufficient property with her partner & distinguished Chef Matt Stone and artist & environmental enthusiast Joost Bakker. Jo goes into details about her upbringing and early stages of her career, her rigorous yet rewarding stint as a baker, her ethos for sustainability and indigenous ingredients, her fantastic experience working in places like MoVida, Brothl and Oakridge Wines, and all the bits in between. 

Episode 40: Cameron Matthews

We couldn't have chosen a better candidate to finish off the Suncoast Prodcast Series for 2020! We spoke with Cameron Matthews the day before he opened his pop-up restaurant named Winston, located at Wasabi in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. He is well known for his Spicers' stint where he began as Head Chef and soon after stepped into the General Manager/Executive Chef role, achieving a position amongst the Senior Management team. In 2017, he applied for a Churchill fellowship and got it! He embarked on an adventure to collect new knowledge and experiences throughout restaurants in Spain, the USA, Denmark and the UK. In the end, he wrote a distinguished thesis that gave the word sustainability a whole new meaning in the kitchen. And no, he didn't just write about recycling. We will let you listen to the Prodcast before we tell you too much. Sit back, relax, listen in and enjoy!

Episode 39: Uday Huja

The man, the myth, the legend. Wow. We were blown away with the incredible life stories Uday Huja had to share in Prodcast #39. Mr Huja is the Executive Chef of Nineteen at The Star on the Gold Coast, which was recently awarded the Best Hotel Restaurant in Australia! He has worked alongside some of the best chefs in the world in locations like Vegas, Texas, Australia and beyond. His knowledge and experience in food even led him to cook for former US President Barak Obama in 2009. Although he has achieved a lot in his lifetime, his humble manner would suggest otherwise. He doesn't believe in over complicating dishes. He believes dishes have one main ingredient and the rest are merely accompanying ingredients that accentuate the main player. There is a lot more to learn about Uday so sit back relax and listen in. Enjoy!

Episode 38: Jason Saxby

It was a breath of fresh air to sit down with the legend himself, Jason Saxby, Executive Chef at Raes in Byron Bay! We felt honoured to listen to the stories Jason has collected over his lifetime, including how he trekked through the cold snow in canvas vans, his business adventures, his learnings, ethos, and oh, so much more. We even got a taste of their signature Lobster Roll and Oh.My.God. Get there and try it if you like seafood, it's a real winner. Nevertheless, sit back, relax, listen in and enjoy!

Episode 37: Brendon Barker

It was a pleasure to sit down with Brendon Barker, Executive Chef and part-owner of two incredible restaurants here in Brisbane - Madam Wu on Eagle Street and Chu The Fat in West End! As we delved into the Prodcast, it became obvious that Brendon's travel and life experiences are what shapes his mouth-watering dishes. Sourcing inspiration from places like the Rusty's Market in Cairns, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Korea, to name a few. We go back in time to learn a little more about Brendon's life and how it all started, how the menus evolve as flavours do, and the challenges the food industry presents for him and his team. Listen in, sit back and enjoy! 

Episode 35: Ben Williamson

Prodcast #36 is with Ben Williamson, Co-owner and Head Chef of the newly launched restaurant, Agnes. Most known for his 6-year stint at Gerad's Bistro, Ben has a world of knowledge when it comes to sensational food. On entering the sleek and sexy Agnes, we felt this cool and calm energy, immediately understanding why the place was booked out 6 months in advance.  Ben shares the nitty-gritty of how Agnes was born, a few of their creative cooking and prepping processes and how he with his team got through COVID-19 with their extremely successful pop-up bakery. Go crack open a beer or pour yourself a wine, sit down, relax and enjoy! 

Episode 35: Ben Devlin

What a privilege it was to sit down with the logical Mr Devlin.  He's worked with Noma in Copenhagen and Paper Daisy a little closer to home in Cabarita Beach NSW. Since then, Ben and his wife Yen have opened a little piece of paradise in Postville called Pipit. Oh, and while they were at it, they had their baby girl Penny! He has an authentic way of telling his story, which is realistic and relatable. He shares a few notable life experiences, his day-to-day life, the skill of juggling work with family, and the importance of interpersonal skills. Wow, what a Prodcast, enjoy! 

Episode 34: Jake Nicolson

In episode 34, we caught up with Jake Nicolson, Executive Chef working within the Ghanem Group. Among this group, you'll find some of Brisbane's most popular restaurants. Donna Chang, Blackbird Grill & Bar, Byblos Bar & Restaurant and the Boom Boom Room, to name a few. Jake is a self-proclaimed countryman who has loved cooking from a very young age. From working in Michelin 3-star restaurant, El Bulli in Spain, to earning a spot on the panel of judges for the Delicious Produce Awards, you could say he has achieved a lot in his lifetime. We could have sat there all day and listened to his wonderful stories. We think you're going to like this one, enjoy! 

Episode 33: Anooska Tucker-Evans

Episode 33: Food Journalists go to incredible lengths to keep their anonymity, creating aliases and fake OpenTable accounts to make reservations. We’ve hidden her identity to give her a head start.

Anooska was born with a foodie’s palette, as a kid, her favourite breakfast was toast with påte or soft cheese, and she fulfilled her destiny landing her dream job as food writer for the Courier Mail at 24. Anooska shares with us some secrets about what she’s looking for when she reviews a restaurant, why you shouldn’t be afraid when she walks in the door, horror stories and tips for success.

This Prodcast looks at the industry from a fascinating perspective, and we think you’re going to get a few hot tips from this one. Enjoy!

Episode 32 : Laurie Marguglio

On this episode of the Prodcast I’m sitting down with Laurie Marguglio co-owner of Prime Cut Meats. Coming from a long line of butchers Laurie and business partner Neil Hughes opened Prime Cuts in 2007 to service the exploding Queensland restaurant scene. Offering the special cuts, the quirky cuts, the kind of cuts that chefs couldn’t get anywhere in Queensland. Laurie sounds like a New York cab driver, but he is a great guy, he’s passionate about what he does and sources the best quality products from caring, ethical farmers. Enjoy!