FoodRadio

Hospitality industry advocates are once again voicing frustration over Australia’s penalty rate system and its impact on small operators. In this episode, Central Coast restaurateur Sean Grobbelaar shares the realities of running a small hospitality business under current wage structures — from public holiday closures and rising labour costs to staff shortages, mental health strain and lost opportunities for workers and customers alike. Joined by industry perspectives from Restaurant & Catering Australia national president John Hart OAM, the discussion explores why flexibility remains elusive, how technology is being used to survive, and what the long-term consequences could be if small hospitality businesses continue to be squeezed.

In recent years the rise of Artificial Intelligence has rapidly accelerated the pace of technological change – its impacts are being felt across multiple industries and foodservice is no exception. In this issue we look at two innovative uses of AI in foodservice – the Botinkit robot chef and the AerMeal meal measurement and monitoring solution, the applications of which are broader than you might at first think

From Melbourne to Rome, Alice Adams Carosi has built a culinary life blending food styling, teaching, and foraging — turning passion for local produce and sustainability into a creative journey across cultures.

How do you fancy working on a super yacht owned by a billionaire? That’s the life Australian chef Barry D’Arcy enjoyed for over 20 years, a life which took him around the world to many exotic spots.

The hospitality industry is facing ongoing challenges in attracting apprentices, with many professionals calling for a re-think of traditional training models. We speak with two industry professionals who highlight the need for modernised programs that reflect today’s workplace realities, from shorter shifts and work-life balance to fairer pay structures.

Introducing our new series: Industry Spotlight, where we explore the backgrounds of leading Australian Foodservice professionals. In this episode, we speak with Terry Seremetis, who was instrumental in shaping Australia's world-leading coffee culture by introducing the "barista" to the Australian coffee scene. Find out more in our fascinating chat with an executive who has held top positions with some of the worlds biggest food companies and learn about the Greek island where he has built a 5 star resort. www.foodservicerep.com.au/foodradio

Justin Jennings stands as a remarkable culinary force—transitioning from an award-winning Australian chef to an internationally recognised restaurateur bringing a taste of modern Australia to the heart of Lisbon.

Despite Australia’s Food Safety Standards requiring foodservice businesses to implement training, conduct food safety supervision and show evidence of safe practices, our foodborne illness rates remain high – with foodservice and food retail overrepresented in outbreak data. We speak to two industry experts about the state of play.

EPISODE 1: "Every Bite Counts" We speak with David Martin, Hotel Services Manager and Executive Chef Manager for St Vincents Care NSW and VIC - and Harry Shen, Head Chef for St Vincents Care in Kew about their new approach to raising the standards of food in Aged Care offering a culinary standard that rivals fine dining. == Episode sponsored by Bega Foodservice ==

Originally from Sydney winemaker Paul Gordon has lived in the South of France since 2008 where he and his wife Isla, own and run Domaine La Sarabande, a boutique winery in the Faugères appellation near the commune of Laurens in the Occitanie region. Full Episode Notes: https://www.foodservicerep.com.au/the-culinary-passport-food-podcast/s3-ep2-paul-gordon-domaine-la-sarabande == This episode is proudly sponsored by Bega Foodservice ==

As Victorian Hotel Service Manager and Executive Chef Manager for St Vincent’s Care, Chef David Martin is passionate about raising the standard of aged care cuisine. We speak to him about his journey from fine dining to aged care and his focus on delivering high quality food that also meets stringent nutritional standards.

Major change is on the way to Australia’s packaging regulations – and this is set to impact both food suppliers and foodservice end-users. The Federal Government is coordinating an effort to bring in new legislation across Australia’s states and territories: in place of voluntary codes of practice, recycling of plastic and removal of certain chemicals from the packaging supply chain is to become mandated by law.

In this special edition of FoodRadio’s — The Culinary Passport — we speak to Andy Cuthbert who’s become the first Australian to be elected president of The World Association of Chefs’ Societies. Currently GM at Jumeirah Group Dubai he brings over three decades experience to the role and will be supported by a newly elected committee including vice president …fellow Australian ... Rick Stephen. FOR FULL EPISODE NOTES: https://www.foodservicerep.com.au/the-culinary-passport-food-podcast/s4-ep1-andy-cuthbert-worldchefs-president

From Hungry Jacks to catering for athletes. Listen to Josh Nicholls' interesting entrepreneurial culinary journey that has led him to Niigata, Japan.

We speak to three well known foodservice advocates to find out what strategies are being employed to ensure staff retention, what role government can play and the outlook for the broader hospitality sector.

Showcasing Australian produce on menus may often be more expensive, but as we discover ‘local is best’, and even in tough economic times customers are prepared to pay for it.

Mick Bolam began his career in rural NSW but since then his culinary passport has taken him to many places. We caught up with him in Hong Kong where after a long day in the kitchen he likes to relax with his staff enjoying Under Bridge Spicy Crab in Causeway Bay.

Follow the truely inspiring journey of Sam Aisbett, a Michelin star chef who has made his way from humble roots in Airlie Beach, in Far North Queensland to the cutting edge of fine dining in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City.. and what a journey he has had along the way.

Unlocking potential and aligning common goals are the key to effective Hospitality leadership. We get the views of three seasoned industry professionals; Martin Probst, Amanda Fuller and Glenn Flood.

When it comes to securing cost efficiencies, chef Gary Johnson uses the analogy of flying an aircraft – if you increase the altitude, you have to cut back on the fuel; there are lots of dials and gauges and any adjustment influences other aspects of flight.

Even if you've never been to Singapore, you will no doubt recognise the 5-star Marina Bay Sands. With its 3 hotel towers topped with a 200m high observation deck and infinity pool, it has transformed the city's skyline and lives up to its claim: 'A world like no other'. Matthew Helm is the resort's Executive Director of Culinary. == Episode proudly sponsored by Kikkoman & Priestley's Gourmet Delights ==

To learn more about how sustainability and waste reduction strategies are being implemented in hospital kitchens and how they tie in with the overall commitment to building greater sustainability into the healthcare system, we spoke to Renae McBrien, Clinical Lead for Environmental Sustainability at Children’s Health Queensland.

Well known Australian Chef, Roy Ner (Nour, ARIA & Za Za Ta) shares his culinary journey which has led him to one of the premier areas of London's West End with his latest venture, Jeru in the heart of Mayfair. == Episode proudly sponsored by Bega Foodservice ==

Alan Tompkins is an Australian ambassador for The Burnt Chef Project – a non-profit social enterprise established in 2019 to help eradicate the stigma associated with mental illness in the hospitality profession and make it healthier and more sustainable. We spoke to Alan to find out more about the project and the role he plays in it.

From humble beginnings New West Foods is now one of the leading food supply and food distribution companies in Western Australia. Managing director, Damon Venoutsis, speaks to Foodradio about the past, the present and the future

In 2023 Galipo Foods celebrated 40 years in business.From humble beginnings in a garage on the outskirts of Adelaide, founder and owner - Sebastian Galipo - has built one of the Australian foodservice industry’s biggest distributors, making him the ideal candidate to be the first guest on the new Foodradio podcast ‘The Network’

Originally from Brisbane, David Stevens shares his culinary journey which has taken him to many interesting places. He attributes his success to working with good people and being involved in the day-to-day. David, is currently the Group Executive Chef of the Wolseley Hospitality Group in the UK. == Proudly brought to you by Primo Foodservice ==

Brayden Davies is an Australian in his mid 20’s who’s currently sous chef at The Angel at Hetton, a one star Michelin restaurant which is widely regarded at the UK’s original gastropub. Situated in Skipton, the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, the ancient inn has origins which date back to the 15th century. == Episode proudly sponsored by Bega Foodservice ==

Scott Hallsworth is a chef, restaurateur and author well known in London and Australia where he’s launched some ground-breaking establishments. He owns The Freak Scene restaurant in partnership with Australian comedian, radio and TV presenter, Adam Hills, in Parsons Green. == Episode proudly sponsored by: Bega Foodservice ==

Australia's Culinary Olympics teams: taking on the world Senior Squad Captain Andrew Ballard, Youth Squad Captain Amber Heaton and Team Manager Pat O'Brien gives us an insight into the challenges our competitors are set to face head-on.

Now that lockdowns are thankfully just a bad memory, we caught up with three chefs working in the venue catering space to find out what changes Covid has wrought and how customer expectations are being met in the current operational environment of staff and skills shortages.

One way of tackling the current staffing shortages in the hospitality sector is to encourage older people to come out of retirement and back into the workforce, if only for a few shifts per week.

In this latest instalment of our Frontier Chefs series, we look at Sodexo’s industry-first apprenticeship program, Art of Food, which gives participants the chance to attain a Certificate III in Cookery through practical training on Sodexo remote sites across Western Australia’s energy and resources sector.

In this episode we speak to 3 industry professionals about the big hangover from covid; the on-going labour shortage crisis.

Adaptability has been the key to survival during Covid, and in this post-Covid environment more changes are having to be made to ensure ongoing profitability. To find out more about planning the post-Covid menu we spoke to Gary Johnson, National Executive Chef for ALH Group.

To find out more about how the events of the past two years have raised awareness of the importance of food hygiene and safety, we spoke to food safety consultant, trainer and auditor Gary Kennedy from Correct Food Systems.

In this episode we speak with Belinda Clarke, Chief Operating Officer of the Restaurant & Catering Association.

EP 2: How to ensure you are using social media to its maximum potential. This episode is packed full of information and ideas from 5 very interesting experts on the topic. In this episode: Fabian Folghera - Banksia Tree Cafe & Restaurant, Port Adelaide Melissa Goffin - Red Gum BBQ, Mornington Peninsula Adam Franklin - Bluewire Media, Brisbane Alison Battisby - Avocado Social, UK Damian Dellala - Momo Bar, Sydney

Simplot Foodservice | The Bottom Line | EP:11 - Women in Hospitality by Food Radio

A brand new series on FoodRadio. Each programme will look at an industry issue. For the first episode, we’re kicking off with ‘ the elephant in the room’… how Omicron affected the Christmas/New Year period and the prospects for the industry around the country in 2022.

In the second part of our series we talk to two young women who both have extensive experience in the competitive arena - Amber Heaton from the Star Gold Coast and Sarah Jones from the National Wine Centre, Adelaide.

In 2011 Scott Pickett took the plunge and opened his own restaurant, The Estelle in Northcote which went on to build an enviable reputation. In the ten years since then, his restaurant group has grown to encompass seven venues across Melbourne. Scott shares with us the story of how he made it happen.

SPC InTouch host, Peter Wright has recently been announced Pacific Rim Continental Director for World Chefs. We caught up with him to find out what he plans to bring to the new role.

Austrian-born chef, Andreas Gober's career has taken him all over the world. Looking back on his diverse career, Andreas believes the key to his success has been his willingness to constantly innovate and stay open to new experiences.

The on-going covid lockdowns, and the prospect of them continuing for months to come, has underscored the uncertainty facing many in the foodservice sector. We spoke to two young chefs to get their perspective — Billy Fox, The Australian Culinary Youth Team captain, and also the Youth Chef Ambassador to the World Association of Chef Societies, and Jarrod Everett, the President of The Australian Culinary Federation’s Young Chefs Club.

Setting up a kitchen in a foodservice business is an expensive and complicated process. We speak with John Walther Thomas from Sangster designs about what to think about, the pitfalls and background knowledge behind deciding what works best for your foodservice business.

At the tender age of 25 Chris Malone has already enjoyed the kind of career many young chefs only dream of. This Perth-born and raised chef has only been working in the industry for 10 years and already he’s worked at top-notch venues in London, at the very apex of fine dining in Eleven Madison Park New York, and two months ago secured his latest position as Chef de Cuisine of Ossiano restaurant, a stunning underwater fine dining restaurant at Atlantis, The Palm Dubai. We caught up with Chris to find out some of the secrets of his success.

Michelle Di Pietro is a strong example of an Aussie foodservice success story – she’s capitalised upon her Italian heritage to carve out her own special niche in the market. In the outer Melbourne suburb of Epping Michelle has established what is believed to be Australia’s only dedicated arrosticini bar, Abruzzo Lab.