The Long Pour with Brendon Hill

You can teach someone to carry three plates. But how do you teach them to make a guest feel welcome? In our first hospitality roundtable, Brendon sits down with Mansour for an honest conversation about staff training, guest experience, and the leadership habits that shape a venue. From personal service in America to lessons learned running busy Australian venues, they discuss why great hospitality...

Matteo Zamboni started working in kitchens at thirteen in a small town outside Brescia. His career took him through Michelin star kitchens in Rome, Milan and Japan before he arrived in Sydney in 2009. But the lesson that stayed with him wasn’t a complicated recipe. It was consistency. In this episode, we get into why the same standards matter in a neighbourhood café as they do in fine dining. Why...

Hilton Denis knows what it feels like to perform under pressure. From the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia to stages around the world, he’s spent years learning how to prepare, trust himself and step into the moment. In this episode, we talk about the work behind that confidence. The practice nobody sees, the uncertainty between jobs, and why being talented doesn’t mean the opp...

Ibby had never worked in a restaurant when he decided to open one. With Nour being built, he took a job as a runner to learn how a restaurant worked. For three months, he worked shifts while keeping his own plans to himself. It’s one part of a journey that started in Lebanon, brought him to Sydney at 18, and took him from nursing to a small café in Newtown before restaurants became his life. In th...

This is Part 2 of my story. I pick up where I left off and talk about the next stage of my journey through hospitality, the opportunities that shaped me, building my consulting business and some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way. I also get into where I think hospitality is at right now. Costs are rising. Wages are increasing. Margins are getting tighter. I’m having more and more c...

I was $700,000 in debt, my shops were failing, and I had to decide: go hard or give up. In my first solo episode I start in that moment, then take it back to the beginning: how I got into hospitality, the years learning the craft, how it all went wrong, and why I ended up building Brendon Hill Consulting. For operators, venue managers and bartenders who want their own room one day, and for anyone...

After 15 years building media for other people, David finally put his own name on the line. On the surface Chat On Tap is a podcast about pubs. Underneath, it's about what happens when someone who knows exactly how the media machine works decides to become the talent instead of supporting it. We talk about the golden handcuffs of a secure career, the fear of looking stupid in front of people y...

Matteo Ernandes grew up on Lampedusa, a tiny island closer to Africa than it is to Italy, making pizza beside his father. He had no idea that decades later, on the other side of the world, Italy would start paying attention to what he was doing in Sydney. After moving to Australia and working through some of the city's most recognised Italian kitchens, Matteo opened Regina La Pizzeria. Regina...

Before there was DSP, there was a young African boy who came to Australia wanting to make his family proud. Somewhere between Nigeria, Bankstown and Campbelltown, that kid became an artist. A West African boy from West Sydney on identity, sacrifice, and what it actually costs to become yourself. DSP talks about the invisible contract that comes with parents who move countries for their kids, the i...

"Good times. Good vibes. Good community." That's the philosophy Lachlan Robinson lives by now — but getting here nearly cost him everything. This is a raw, honest and at times emotional conversation about mental health, the mistakes that pulled him to his lowest point, and the long climb back. Lachlan has worked every corner of hospitality — Bowral to Novotel, Knafeh to New York — bu...

What makes someone exceptional? After spending more than three decades advising politicians, CEOs, directors and some of Australia's most influential people, LJ Loch has seen one thing over and over again: The people who leave a lasting mark aren't necessarily the smartest or the loudest. They're the ones who choose to become the exception. In this conversation we dive into leadership,...

Jake Shelley has lived two completely different business lives. First, he helped build Deputy from one of Australia's fastest-growing startups into a business worth more than $100 million alongside a core team that stayed together through years of growth. Now he's doing it all again as the founder of Jiffi. In this conversation we explore what changes when you move from being an operator i...

Born into it. Not given. Behind every successful family business are conversations, challenges and sacrifices that rarely get talked about. Daniel Drakopoulos opens up about growing up in hospitality, working alongside his father, building the next generation of SRG with his siblings, and balancing family relationships with business decisions. This isn't a conversation about inheriting success...

Most people know Alex as Happy Allan . The bloke making millions laugh online. But behind every laugh is a journey. In this episode of The Long Pour , Alex reflects on the experiences that shaped him, why gratitude has become one of his greatest strengths, and the legacy he hopes to leave behind long after the internet has moved on. It's an honest conversation about growth, purpose and becomin...

"Experience is everything." For Episode 16 of The Long Pour, I sit down with Thurman Wise for a conversation about hospitality, leadership, brand building and the lessons that only come from years spent in the industry. From bartending and venue operations to sales, team development and business growth, Thurman shares the insights that only experience can teach. We discuss the realities...

Gabriella Whittaker has built businesses, navigated motherhood and experienced life-changing moments that have reshaped her outlook on the world. In this episode, we explore the realities of entrepreneurship, raising a family, balancing ambition with presence, and the lessons that only come through adversity. This conversation goes far beyond business. It's about perspective, gratitude and und...

Keiynan Lonsdale joins The Long Pour for a thoughtful conversation about growth, creativity and self-discovery.` From his upbringing in Western Sydney to starring in a #1 Netflix movie, Keiynan's story is one of constant evolution. We explore the unique family environment he grew up in, the profound influence his mother had on his life, and how those early experiences shaped his outlook on the...

Jono Simeonides joins The Long Pour for a conversation on freedom, faith, masculinity & purpose. After landing in Bali for what was meant to be a 5-day trip, Jono cancelled his flight home and completely changed the direction of his life. We talk about: • Going all in on yourself • Entrepreneurship & freedom • Faith, Christianity & conviction • Masculinity in today’s world • Conspiraci...

A conversation with Ameer from Knafeh, The Bearded Bakers, Bar Biscotti, Martha & Bar Baker in Beirut. We dive into gratitude, growth, hospitality, family business, and how his life and vision have evolved over the last 15 years. A powerful conversation about building culture, creating unforgettable experiences, and staying grounded through it all.

EP11 — Zac Godbolt from Doom Juice joins me for one of the wildest conversations yet. We talk about how Doom Juice is winning over a new generation by completely rejecting traditional wine culture — and building something people actually connect with. From chaotic branding and cult followings to serious lessons in business, creativity, and hospitality… this episode is as real as it gets. One minut...

Success isn’t always about going harder. Sometimes it’s about walking away… and starting again. In this episode of The Long Pour, I sit down with Sheena Cullen — a true legend of the bar scene who made the bold decision to leave it behind and rebuild her life from the ground up. We dive into:* What it really feels like to walk away from something you’ve mastered* Starting again as a beginner (and...

Food isn’t just what we eat — it’s how we connect, celebrate, and build culture. In this episode of The Long Pour , I sit down with Dean Boone, founder of The West Journal — a platform built to reshape how Western Sydney experiences food, drink, and community. Dean’s journey isn’t typical. From working as a town planner and understanding how cities are structured… to building something that taps i...

Lock in… or sink. In this episode of The Long Pour, I sit down with Jayden Garcia from Pool Party — a creative agency built on culture, community, and actually understanding how attention works. Because most people don’t have a talent problem. They have a focus problem. We get into: The “lock in” mentality — and why most people never reach it How building culture creates real attention Why most br...

Your circle is shaping your future — whether you realise it or not. In this episode of The Long Pour , Sid Pierucci shares his journey from a small town just outside Rome to building multiple 7-figure businesses in Australia. We go deep into the early chapters — growing up in Italy, moving to Australia, chasing a swimming career, and the path that pulled him through nightlife, promotions, marketin...

Most people are waiting to feel motivated. That’s the problem. In Episode 6 of The Long Pour, I sit down with Ned Sofic from Move Mastery — a coach who lives and breathes discipline, movement, and building yourself from the ground up. We break down: Why motivation is overrated The mindset required to work for yourself What calisthenics teaches you about life How to actually build discipline (when...