Dirty Linen - A Food Podcast with Dani Valent

Peter and Alison Salleras both grew up on north Queensland cane farms but they took a different path for their own careers - a somewhat radical path, according to many of their contemporaries. Fruit Forest Farm grows dozens of types of tropical fruit - it’s not only the product range that’s different though, it’s also the unique trellised style of caring for trees which is more resistant to cyclon...

Why would someone travel for a day to buy Parmigiano Reggiano from Enoteca Sileno? It’s about the cheese, definitely, but it’s ultimately about trust. On the occasion of the Melbourne institution’s 70th birthday, we spend a special double episode with Rosemary and John Portelli, the custodians of an import, wholesale and retail business founded by Rosemary’s father Gino Di Santo in 1953.  In this...

What's the place of pubs these days? Today's discussion with Vincent Magrath, managing director of North Melbourne's Central Club Hotel, covers shifts in pub culture, the crucial 'parma index', retaining staff and adding income streams. https://centralclubhotel.com.au Follow Dirty Linen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dirtylinenpodcast Follow Dani Valent https://www.instagram.com/danivalent...

What impact do rising costs have on menus and creativity, and how much do diners care? We dig in with Henry Sugar's Mike Baker. The Melbourne restaurateur has continually tweaked his offerings and his attitudes to meet the challenges and opportunities of his independent hospitality business. https://www.henrysugar.com.au Follow Dirty Linen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dirtylinenpodcast F...

We tackle some big topics in this chat. It's a huge step from being a junior chef to a restaurant co-owner, in this case in Melbourne's eastern suburb of Doncaster. What lessons can Ms Jackson's Stephanie Stapleton share about her hospitality journey? We talk about the challenges of menu design: what do you do when your community simply doesn't get the food you're putting in front of them? And how...

ShortGrain is open! Over seven episodes we’ve been following the journey of a new Brisbane eatery and foodstore. Proprietor and chef Martin Boetz returns to Brisbane to build his first solo enterprise in his home town. With money and reputation on the line, ShortGrain couldn’t have had more at stake. We’ve followed the design, the planning, the build and now - finally - ShortGrain is alive. How ha...

After a career in the Navy, Ace Hodgkinson-Jones returned home to take over the family farm. Firebreak Farm is situated in the foothills of the Bunya Mountains, where Ace and his family are raising quality pasture-fed lamb and beef, as well as free-range pork and poultry, using regenerative agricultural practices. https://firebreakfarm.com.au Follow The Producers on Instagram https://www.instagram...

Morgan Hipworth is a young food entrepreneur but he's also an industry veteran, having started selling desserts to cafes when he was still at school. There are now two Melbourne outlets of his donut store Bistro Morgan, a restaurant on the way and a TV show coming soon. We talk about ambition, staying true and the pleasure in a sweet treat. https://bistromorgan.com.au Follow Dirty Linen on Instagr...

We keep hearing about AI and its risks and opportunities but what impact is this new technology really likely to have on the food world? Futurist Craig Rispin is optimistically embedded in the space and shares his views on robots that make noodles, scanners that organise invoices and alternative proteins made from the very food an animal would otherwise have eaten. https://www.futuretrendsgroup.co...

Joe Durrant runs The Recreation in Fitzroy North and Paradise Valley Hotel in the hills outside Melbourne - steam train Puffing Billy chugs through the garden. We discuss the philosophy behind his businesses and hospitality in general: how do you craft memorable guest experiences, nurture and support staff, and steadily elevate society's opinion of front of house as a career? https://www.the-recre...

Closing a restaurant on your own terms is a huge achievement. We talk to Nina Alidenes from One Penny Red in Sydney's Summer Hill. When she announced her neighbourhood restaurant was wrapping up at the end of the year, there was an anguished outpouring from the community. Why and how did she come to this life-changing decision and how is she managing the final weeks of trade? https://onepennyred.c...

Jo Barrett takes over Dirty Linen! This week, we're handing over the podcast to chef and sustainability problem-solver Jo Barrett. Her book Sustain: Groundbreaking Recipes and Skills That Could Save The Planet has just been published: it's as inspiring as its author. Jo leads three conversations about wild game, waste and the wonders of soil with industry-leading changemakers.  We wrap up the week...

Jo Barrett takes over Dirty Linen! This week, we're handing over the podcast to chef and sustainability problem-solver Jo Barrett. Her book Sustain: Groundbreaking Recipes and Skills That Could Save The Planet has just been published: it's as inspiring as its author. Jo leads three conversations about wild game, waste and the wonders of soil with industry-leading changemakers.  Today Jo's guest is...

“We produce flavour.” That’s a very nice mission statement from Killer Condiments’ Nathan Creary, a southern Sydney shopfitter turned farmer turned butcher turned condiment king. We dig in with Nathan and learn the story of the homestyle chimichurri that customers loved so much that he turned it into a jarred product, first as a side hustle and now as a growing business. https://www.killercondimen...

Jo Barrett takes over Dirty Linen! This week, we're handing over the podcast to chef and sustainability problem-solver Jo Barrett. Her book Sustain: Groundbreaking Recipes and Skills That Could Save The Planet is hot off the press: it's as inspiring as its author. Jo will lead 3 conversations about wild game, waste and the wonders of soil with industry-leading changemakers.  Today Jo's guest is Bi...

Jo Barrett takes over Dirty Linen! This week, we're handing over the podcast to chef and sustainability problem-solver Jo Barrett. Her book Sustain: Groundbreaking Recipes and Skills That Could Save The Planet is hot off the press: it's as inspiring as its author. Jo will lead 3 conversations, talking wild game, waste and the wonders of soil with industry-leading changemakers. We start today by ch...

How do you make a food business feel exactly the way you want it to? We chat to new business owner Emma Sheahan about Lumen People, her North Melbourne cafe and wine bar. Built on values and ethics, Lumen People aims to unpick brunch stereotypes, gently educate customers on the true cost of coffee, and create a community that connects farmers and seasons with inner-city eaters. Thinking about open...

This is the fifth and final episode in a special series of The Producers. AgriCultured 2023 celebrates the farmers and produce of northern Tasmania. In five conversations, we get to know farmers caring for both land and community. Along the way we hear how strong local food systems and ethical farming not only foster delicious food. They also benefit farmers, eaters and the earth we all share. Mat...

This is the fourth episode in a special series of The Producers. Agricultured 2023 celebrates the farmers and produce of northern Tasmania. In five conversations, we celebrate farmers caring for both land and community. Along the way you’ll hear how strong local food systems and ethical farming not only foster delicious food. They also benefit farmers, eaters and the world we all share. Geoff and...

This is the third episode in a special series of The Producers. Agricultured 2023 celebrates the farmers and produce of northern Tasmania. In five conversations, we celebrate farmers caring for both land and community. Along the way you’ll hear how strong local food systems and ethical farming do much more than create delicious food. They also benefit farmers, eaters and the earth we all share. Ma...

This is the second episode in a special series of The Producers. Agricultured 2023 celebrates the farmers and produce of northern Tasmania. In five conversations, we celebrate farmers caring for both land and community: a cattle farmer, cheesemaker, vegie growers and a winemaker. Along the way you’ll hear how strong local food systems and ethical farming do much more than create delicious food. Th...

Bundjalung woman Mindy Woods is part of Great Australian Walks, a TV show on SBS with Julia Zemiro. Mindy takes us on our own audio walk through Byron Bay: we talk about country and connection, food and family, her restaurant Karkalla, and the opportunity for all Australians to walk together towards an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. https://www.karkalla.com.au/our-story Follow Dirty Linen on Inst...

This is the sixth episode in our special series, The Long and Short of Opening a Restaurant. We’re following the journey of renowned chef and restaurateur Martin Boetz. He’s getting closer and closer to opening ShortGrain, an Asian eatery and foodstore in Brisbane. It’s less than a week till Marty hosts friends in the restaurant for his birthday party. Will ShortGrain be ready? https://www.shortgr...

This is the first episode in a special series of The Producers. Agricultured 2023 celebrates the farmers and produce of northern Tasmania. These stories come from Kanamaluka - the Tamar River - in Lutruwita. In five conversations, we celebrate farmers caring for both land and community: a cattle farmer, cheesemaker, vegie growers and a winemaker. Along the way you’ll hear how strong local food sys...

Cafes are important glue in Australian society, offering community, connection and fuel. Kieran Spiteri is part of Yolk Group, which owns four cafes in Melbourne's north and west: Convoy, Terror Twilight, Tinker and Hi Fi. We talk about the advantages and challenges of being part of a group, the tricky balance of menu staples and specials, mentoring and motivating staff, and why his business partn...