Deep in the Weeds - A Food Podcast with Anthony Huckstep

Tired of her 9-5 corporate career, Trinh Richards (The Little Rickshaw) decided to lean into the rich culinary history of her family and start a market pop-up selling Banh Mi. Soon enough it turned into bricks and mortar, and now is considered one of the most exciting regional restaurants in the country. https://www.thelittlerickshaw.com.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS...

Welcome to the third collaboration between Deep in the Weeds’ Producers podcast and AgriCULTURED, a festival which showcases and connects the produce and people of northern Tasmania, or Lutruwita as it’s called in Aboriginal culture. This is a special part of the world, with beautiful, fertile lands, true seasons, and rich traditions. Many farmers are on generational properties but others - like t...

Throughout the ups and downs of his career, Matt Barnett (Bronte Road Bistro) always found solace and inspiration in French cooking and quality seasonal produce. His commitment to rustic simplicity has been the backbone of one of Sydney’s most-loved neighbourhood bistros, and after 17 years its powering along stronger than ever. https://bronteroadbistro.com.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCL...

Anthony Heslewood is an artisanal fisherman from Busselton, Western Australia, dedicated to sustainable, high-quality fishing. With a deep passion for the ocean and a commitment to excellence, Anthony meticulously harvests his catch, preserving the traditions of his craft while embracing innovative practices. His work reflects the future of Australian seafood, where sustainability and quality are...

The Schultz Family Farm has been operating since 1894, with the fifth generation currently growing up on the property and raising pigs. Vaughn Schultz is passionate about ethical husbandry and believes animals deserve to be treated with appreciation and respect. The animals have constant access to the outdoors; forest and pasture, to turn stones, dig in soil and wallow, to see the sky and express...

There have been many good and bad economic times over the last 40 years, many food trends to come and go, and new directions and cuisines emerging. How do you run a family business over many decades and stay true to your offering as the world around you constantly changes? After 38 years running Caffe Roma, Danilo Tozzi has just about seen it all. He joins us to share some restaurant wisdom and a...

After years of working with some of Australia’s best restaurants Ben Shephard (Flour Bar) decided to bite the bullet and open his own venue in a regional town. On a tight budget and at a time that many are finding business challenging he’s created a multi-faceted eatery that’s become a hub of the community. https://www.flourbar.com.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVE...

After 25 years on the pans in Europe, New Zealand and Australia Matt Woodhouse (Botellon, Hunter and Scout) found his way to the warmer climes of Brisbane. It’s the perfect setting for his latest gig where he is dishing up one of the most exciting tapas menus in the country. https://www.instagram.com/mattwoodhousechef/?hl=en SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND B...

Last time we caught up with Steven Sinclair he was on the cusp of opening the redeveloped Jackson’s on George which includes Bistro George. Now the huge venue has been steaming along and the talk of Sydney as Steven and his team place the utmost importance on best-in-class producers. https://jacksonsongeorge.com.au/bistro-george/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS...

Amelia Nolan is the managing director and winemaker of Alkina Wine Estate, Barossa Valley. An ambitious project that launched into the Australian wine scene with one hell of a bang. From the get-go its clear Amelia means business and Alkina wines has been gathering momentum ever since. https://www.alkinawine.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SC...

From the moment he landed his first job in hospitality at Ottolenghi in London, Mark Hannell (Reed House) was destined for a fulfilling career. After moving to Australia over a decade ago he earnt his stripes working for the likes of Casey Wall, Annie Smithers and the Three Blue Ducks, but now it’s his turn. Together with his partner Rebecca Baker, they’re opening their first restaurant with a mis...

After cutting his teeth in Australia and Canada, Kurt Neumann (Grazing) decided to take the leap and open his own venue. Together with his partner Tanya, they took over a 160 year old building in the regional New South Wales town of Gunderoo and over the last decade or so have created one of Australia’s most successful regional restaurants that has found a unique balance of feeding the locals and...

Harrington Bjugård Distilling has recently released their Dry Gin. This is the brainchild of co-founded Ellinor Bjugård and Nick Logan. Hailing from Sweden and the sunshine Coast this duo has a shared devotion to crafting extraordinary spirits. https://www.harringtonbjugard.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES https://deepintheweeds.us6.lis...

From a young age Mary Randles (E’cco Bistro) was intrigued by food and loved the energy and joy of the experience. Although she enamored by hospitality she built a career as a successful business woman owning a number of hair salons. But somehow hospitality lured her in. Now, together with life and business partner Philip Johnson, she is leading the front of house team at one of Australia’s best b...

Brendan Gamze is part of Gamze Smokehouse, a family-run smallgoods company in north-east Victoria. Building on his father Felix’s work as a butcher, Gamze turns free-range whole beasts into small-batch chemical-free smoked products, working with local farmers, distributors, and retailers near and far to build an ethical business they can stand behind with pride. https://gamzesmokehouse.com.au/ SUB...

Joanna Davies and her husband Chris are the owners of Windows Estate, a small, certified organic wine producer in Margaret River. Their value lies in regenerative farming coupled with the peace and hustle of family country life. https://www.windowsestate.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES https://deepintheweeds.us6.list-manage.com/subscri...

Ensuring dishes and combinations are sound, while taking food on an evolutionary path has its challenges. It’s a real balancing act to not over play your hand. How do you strike a balance between innovations and tradition? Priya Ranjan (Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham) joins us to share his wisdom on dishing up one of the most creative pub menus in the country. https://www.thecosmopolitanhotel.com.au...

Leah Clearwater is the Business Manager of Overstory Wine but to pigeonhole her into one role seems sacrilegious, so instead I’ll let her tell you more about her wonderful world and the many hats she wears. https://overstory.com.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES https://deepintheweeds.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=d33e307cf7100cf947e2e6...

Being part of a team and running a multi-venue business is the dream of many, but what toll does it take on you and where does it leave creativity? Letting go is one of the hardest calls businesses are making right now, but how do you let go of something you built and move forward? After leaving the Three Blue Ducks, Mark Labrooy joins us to talk about his new adventures The Boathouse Group, Co-ow...

Josh Smith-Thirkell (Qt Canberra) fell in love with cooking at a young age, but it wasn’t until he was thrown in the deep end at Gowings in the QT Sydney that he started to find his place. An undying passion for quality produce and the simplest and best cooking methods has seen him elevated to leading the team in the nations Capital where he is showcasing some of the regions, and Australia’s best...

Over the last two decades Brooke Jensen (Jensens Group) and her husband Carl have been running arguably the best restaurants in the Sutherland shire. After letting go of their first - Summer Salt earlier this year, Brooke joins us to discuss their other two venues, how to mail longevity in hospitality and how the culinary offering in the shire has blossomed in the last few years. https://jensensre...

Disillusioned with conventional farming practises, Rhiannon Phillips set off on a journey to make a change. She started her own farm – Mountains Gourmet where she is committed to growing healthy produce for residents of the Blue Mountains of NSW. https://www.mountainsgourmet.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES https://deepintheweeds.us6.li...

Lured by the sea and commercial kitchens, Steven (Snowy) Snow (Fins Restaurant, Fins at Plantation House) discovered his passion and fostered a talent for cooking seafood. It’s taken him all over the world, and to ultimately northern New South Wales where he has run one of Australia’s best seafood restaurants for three decades. He joins us for a special episode where we discover how he became one...

John O’Connor is the chief dude of Wine for Dudes. The owner operator of the very successful and totally unique Margaret River wine tour company. Johnno name is like folklore and travelling with him through the region is a trip you, just, MUST take! https://www.winefordudes.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES https://deepintheweeds.us6.lis...

We’ve seen a raft of closures this year and with winter settling in it’s going to test the mettle of just about every operator. How can government help the industry, what positive moves can be made to help the most vibrant industry come back to life? What chance to the single venue, independent operators have? Louis Couttoupes (Onzieme, ACT) is taking these questions to Canberra to find career pat...