Dirty Linen - A Food Podcast with Dani Valent

We’re continuing our Dirty Linen series tackling this big question. Our first episode with Alex Elliot-Howery from Cornersmith garnered a huge response. One person that got in touch was Alex Prichard, culinary director at Icebergs. If a leader at one of Australia’s most iconic restaurants recognises the difficulties, then it’s certain things are tough. We talk through the problems and Alex’s creat...

We’re kicking off a new series on Dirty Linen today and we’re asking a big question.  Is hospitality broken? We hope the answer is no. But there’s no doubt that it’s hard. Harder than ever, and as it happens for today’s guest, too hard to keep going. Alex Elliot-Howery and her husband James Grant opened Cornersmith in 2011. It’s been through various iterations over a dozen or so years and in many...

When you talk about herbs and spices in Australia, it won’t be long before you talk about Ian ‘Herbie’ Hemphill. The co-owner of Herbie’s SpiceS has been immersed in food since he was a small child and he’s built a life and career in flavour that’s been fruitful not just for himself but for all those who have learnt and enjoyed alongside him. Enthusiastic and endlessly interested, Herbie is as ade...

English writer, broadcaster and food activist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has been in the public eye for about 25 years. He came to prominence as the founding host of River Cottage and he’s gone on to write more than a dozen books on food. In recent years, he’s campaigned on numerous food systems issues including ethical meat and obesity. He’s coming to Australia as part of the VIVA health and wel...

Cooking is Sarah Cremona's second career but she's made up for any lost time by working extremely hard and grabbing hold of any and all opportunities to learn, grow and challenge herself. Currently sous chef at Moke in Flinders, Sarah is about to head to the MAD Academy to continue her investigations into reshaping hospitality for contemporary realities. https://www.instagram.com/sarah.cremona/ Fo...

After years plying his trade as a chef, James Zerella needed a change but wanted to continue to make a difference in the food industry. It led him to the land where he is part owner of Gardner’s Bay Farm in Southern Tasmania. https://www.gardnersbayfarm.com.au/ Follow The Producers on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/producerspodcast/ Host Dani Valent  https://www.instagram.com/danivalent Host...

Do you know the difference between Johor laksa and Sarawak laksa? We discuss laksa lore with Lilly Wright, owner of Flying Chillies in Ballarat. Previously in banking, Lilly started her food career at Pot of Courage (episode 289), a social enterprise which nurtured the businesses of migrant women. Now she has her own cafe and cooking school! We talk about the joys and challenges of bringing new fl...

There's a huge Sri Lankan community in Australia but the breadth and possibilities of Sri Lankan food aren't always part of the culinary conversation. We talk to Nerissa Jayasingha about Lankan Tucker, her Sri Lankan-skewed cafe in Brunswick West. How are hoppers and kottu roti melded with Aussie brunch to create an appealing cafe menu? What does lasagne have to do with anything? And pricing! We t...

What's it like becoming head chef of an iconic restaurant? We chat to Trisha Greentree, head chef at Sydney's Fratelli Paradiso, a beloved Italian institution that is owned as much by its regulars as its proprietors. We talk about energy, emotional intelligence, self care and balancing a life outside of the kitchen - especially as a mother - with work in hospitality. https://www.instagram.com/tgre...

The Producers Podcast visited Holy Goat's Ann-Marie Monda and Carla Meurs in 2021. We sat on the deck at Sutton Grange Farm with their kelpie and a pot of tea, talking about ethics, pathways and - of course - cheese. Like every meeting with these two, it was a conversation with impact, provoking consideration of life choices, connection and commitment. To commemorate, the announcement of Holy Goat...

Seafood on the beach is an essential part of the Australian summer but is the old fish 'n' chips due for an update? We chat to Rach Barlow from Claw & Tail about lobster rolls, moving from retail management to a small food business and her hard-won lessons on when to say 'no' to customers. https://www.instagram.com/claw_and_tail/?hl=en Follow Dirty Linen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dirt...

Coming to you from the Australian Open, where food is as much part of the experience as tennis. We catch up with chefs, explore premium dining and celebrate this landmark annual event in Melbourne. https://ausopen.com/ Follow Dirty Linen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dirtylinenpodcast Follow Dani Valent https://www.instagram.com/danivalent Follow Rob Locke (Executive Producer) https://www...

If farmers don't grow food, we don't get to eat, but what happens if climate change makes farming too hard? Chloe Fox's Somerset Heritage Farm has just been flooded for the second time in 15 months and she's lost more than $200,000 worth of peak summer produce. We talk about the impacts on her farm and others in her part of Victoria and beyond, and the attitude that's pushing her to once again reb...

New year, new chats! We kick off 2024 with publican Sally Wright, the creative and dynamic force behind the Stanley Pub in Victoria's High Country. How did Sally get into food in the first place - kind of by accident - and how does she create a space of welcome and sustenance for locals and tourists in a pretty farming town? Also, why does she write 'ed-a-mam-ay' on her menu? https://www.stanleypu...

It's time to dirty our glasses with a happy new year chat from Dirty Linen's Dani Valent and Shanteh Wale from Over A Glass. We talk about what we've loved in 2023 and all the things we're looking forward to in 2024. Bring on the Prosecco, cheese, martinis, chilled reds and always, always Champagne at midnight. Follow Over a Glass https://www.instagram.com/overtheglasspod  Host Shanteh Wale https:...

It’s the Deep in the Weeds podcast network Christmas episode and we’ve rounded up all our hosts - Dani Valent, Shanteh Wale, John Susman and Anthony Huckstep for a good old chin wag on the year that was, what were hoping for in 2024 and a few Christmas yarns too. Tune in! https://linktr.ee/DeepintheWeedsNetwork Follow Dirty Linen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dirtylinenpodcast Follow Dani...

You never know when your life is about to change in a big way. We sit down with Craig Johnson to talk about the turning point that set him on the path to Loch Brewery & Distillery, the boutique drinks business he runs in a pretty South Gippsland town. It's a cellar door, factory and emporium but it's also an ad for following your passions so you're not left asking "What if..." https://lochbrewery....

In 2006, Michelle Morgan and her husband Dean founded Zokoko with a shared vision to create artisan chocolate with natural flavours that showcased their origin, retained their natural flavours and seasonal characteristics. Since then, they’ve created one of the world’s most unique premium chocolates that is truly bean to bar. https://www.zokoko.com/ Follow The Producers on Instagram https://www.in...

Luis Guzman grew up in Peru and arrived in Sydney because his mum thought he needed direction and a sense of possibility. After working as a cleaner and at Timezone and learning English along the way, he's now the owner of two Peruvian restaurants, Warike and Lima Nikkei Restaurant. We talk to Luis about Peruvian cuisine and how he turned pop-up banquets during the pandemic into permanent food ent...

Summer is upon us and that means holidaymakers descending on regional areas, often with dining in mind. But what's that like for understaffed hospitality businesses? We check in with Melinda Griffith, the manager of Moo’s at Meeniyan. The roster is looking lean but the lifestyle is great: why aren't more people moving to South Gippsland to forge careers in food? https://moosatmeeniyan.com.au/ Foll...

In a world where we can get just about anything just about anytime, it’s wonderfully exciting to have truly seasonal crops that mark a time of year. Cherries are certainly in that category. They’re a crop that signals summer, the festive season and a continuing connection to natural cycles. We talk all things cherries with Alison Jones, lifetime cherry farmer and CEO of Wandin Valley Farms. https:...

Want to join me on a peak food adventure? I trawl a Phuket fresh market at dawn with chef Thames Kraitat, learning so much about fresh ingredients and how they're used, then we sit down for a Hokkien-style dim sum breakfast. I am in heaven. https://www.instagram.com/thameskraitat/ Follow Dirty Linen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dirtylinenpodcast Follow Dani Valent https://www.instagram.c...

Coming to you from Bangkok today as I dive deep into my first international food adventure since 2019. I'm not sure if it's the time between street-side noodles or the fact that Bangkok is one of the world's most exciting cities in the world to eat, but everything is exciting, amazing and energising. That's certainly assisted by hanging around with Zenon Misko, aka Roaming Bangkok, a man with insi...

The first of its kind in Australia, Naturally Dried Prunes are the most sustainable prune farm down under, utilising prune drying tunnels that have reduced the carbon footprint by 95% during the drying process. But, as Ann Furner explains that’s just part of their story. https://naturallydriedprunes.com.au/ Follow The Producers on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/producerspodcast/ Host Dani Val...

Francesco 'Ciccio' Crifo was more or less born under a pizza bench and has spent his whole life in kitchens. We talk to the Roccella chef about tradition and rule-bending, the difference between artisan pizza and pizza as fast food, and the endless joys of working with different flours. Of course, we dig into the biggest question of all: is it ever OK to put pineapple on pizza? https://www.roccell...