Bruce Maynard isn’t farming like those around him. His fields at Willydah, west of Dubbo in NSW, look different, greener, wilder, a little more chaotic. He’s a wheat and sheep farmer like many in the region, but he’s just as interested in lizards, migratory birds and native legumes as grain yield. Where the system pushes for simplicity, he’s valuin…

The Bentley Group is one of the most influential hospitality offerings of the last two decades downunder, with a throng of unique personalised restaurants. Although he shies away from the limelight, Group Executive Chef Aiden Stevens took us behind the scenes to share how he gets the best out of his team to keep customers coming back. ⁠https://www.…

How our food is raised, farmed, caught and harvested has become more and more important to our everyday lives. It’s allowed the production of meat to find better ways, and in turn created a posse of passionate meat-eaters along the way. Hardcore Carnivore Jess Pryles is an Australian-born “meat nerd” who is now based in Texas, but back downunder to…

Tyson Stelzer is the acclaimed author of The Champagne Guide — a monumental work now in its seventh edition and widely regarded as the definitive manual on all things Champagne. Alongside this, Tyson has dedicated his career to communicating the stories of land, people, and time with impassioned articulation and poise. He is a true steward of his c…

We’ve had a few legends of Australian hospitality on Deep in the Weeds, and although I’ve never met today’s guest, I feel like I’ve known him forever off the back of all the yarns other industry people have shared. He has been part of the fabric of Melbourne’s dining landscape for decades. It is an absolute pleasure today to have Andrew Blake (Blak…

Michael Dal Zotto is the second-generation winemaker and co-owner of Dal Zotto, in the King Valley of Victoria. Along with his brother Christian they are continuing the work the pioneering work of their parents Otto and Elena the only way they know how, with passion and loyal commitment. ⁠https://www.dalzotto.com.au⁠ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR…

What does a caterer do when she gets too big for her home kitchen? Maybe she moves into the under-used local golf club kitchen and semi-accidentally turns it into a restaurant. That’s more or less the story with Cat Clarke, chef, teacher, Dimboola gamechanger. We enjoy a delicious chef’s table country lunch with plenty of native ingredients then si…

Hospitality Groups come in many forms and are a large part of the culinary landscape these days. What impact do they have on the evolution of the dining scene? And how do ensure each offering in the group holds its own identity? Frank Tucker (Pacific Hunter Group) joins us to talk about his fascinating career, and how he steers the ship of one of t…

After years working one of the world’s great proponents of Thai, Annita Potter (Viand) decided to return to Australia and take diners on her own journey through Thai cuisine through a different lense. The result is a dining experience where the guests and the food are the show in equal measure. ⁠https://www.instagram.com/viand.club/?hl=en⁠ Follow T…

At the southern end of the Grampians, chef Robin Wickens uses the Royal Mail’s market garden to supply produce for his pub bistro and fine dining restaurant Wickens, which is set in bushland in a glassed pavilion. We meet up with Robin for a garden tour, before heading back to the restaurant for a 10-course degustation with matched wines. Dinner is…

Institutions in hospitality are a rarity these days, with longevity one of the holy grails of the industry. Today we are very excited to be joined by the third generation of one of Sydney’s most loved and visited venues that started all the way back in 1963. Duan Wong co-owner of the Malaya in Sydney shares yarns of its incredible influence and the…

Leaving school at a young age, Samuel Rozsnyoi (Chiswick) found a home and direction in the hospitality sector. First as a means to pay the rent and buy groceries, he soon discovered a never-ending world to explore if he pushed himself. He set about bouncing from venue to venue learning his craft from some of the very best chefs. That insatiable ap…

One of the country’s most influential chefs hung up the whites and donned a butcher’s apron and soon enough obtained a cult following. We catch up with former Tetsuya’s head chef and now LP’s Quality Meats maestro Luke Powell to hear his story, some tricks and tips on making the best charcuterie and what it takes to transition a career. ⁠https://lp…

Clive Jones joined Nautilus Estate as Winemaker in 1998. Today, he still holds that title, now carrying the wisdom of decades on his shoulders. It’s no surprise, then, that he is crafting some of the most captivating wines in New Zealand ⁠https://www.nautilusestate.com⁠ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND …

The opportunity to take ownership of a kitchen and menu is an exciting moment in a chef’s career, but what’s it like being given the chance to express yourself on the plate but ensure the offering lures people in and keeps them coming back too? Elliot Gotovac (The Inn, Ainslie ACT) is taking the popular and unassuming venue into a new era and joins…

We’ve had a few guests on Deep in the Weeds that have made the successful transition from TV show Masterchef into a career in Hospitality, but perhaps none quiet like today’s guest. An early winner on the series, then part of the Three Blue Ducks empire, Andy Allen is now celebrating 6 years hosting the show that opened the door into life in food f…

Rob Mack is the winemaker and co-owner of Aphelion Wine Co, based in McLaren Vale. Since launching in 2014 he has gained a reputation for his affinity with Grenache and his obsessiveness with quality and value. https://aphelionwine.com.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES https://deepinthewee…

Although he started his career in the hospitality sector that took him into the some of the best hotels around the world, an opportunity for change saw Pete Dillon (Hotel Canberra, Ballarat) carve out an influential career in media and brand development in and around the food sector. But a yearning to get back to a simpler life in the country saw h…

Central Victorian farmer Rob Lockhart grows wheat, oats, lambs and beef but potatoes are his main deal. We talk about the ups and downs of farming, small town life and SpudFest, a festival that takes over Trentham on the first weekend in May. https://www.trenthamspudfest.org.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AN…

Sue Hodder is one of Australia’s most renowned and respected winemakers. For over three decades, she has crafted some of the country’s most collectible and long-lived wines at Wynns Coonawarra Estate in South Australia. Her achievements are remarkable—on paper, in person, and of course, in the glass. https://www.wynns.com.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSL…

We don’t talk about Latin-American cuisine much in Australia, because in truth it isn’t very prevalent in the culinary landscape. Today’s guest however, is flying the Latin-American flag high and garnering a lot of attention. Diego Cardenas, head chef of Pincho Disco in Collingwood, joins us to take us on a journey through his heritage. https://pin…

At the base of the Blue Mountains former journalist Gemma Deavin and her family are producing Mount Henry Honey that truly captures a sense of time and place in each jar. https://www.mounthenryhoney.com.au/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES, NEWS, GIVEAWAYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES https://deepintheweeds.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?…

Chris Morrison is a name synonymous with Australia's beverage and hospitality scene. You name it, he’s done it—quite literally. He is a mover and shaker and has been at the forefront of the industry, for as long as I can remember. And just when you think he might be ready to step back, he reinvents himself once again, challenging us to rethink how …

How do you transfer the skills, technique and approach of European Michelin star restaurants – the old and the new, into a regional setting in South Australia that not only delivers a top shelf dining experience, but taps into the local producer network too? Well today’s guest Fabian Lehmann (Maxwell Restaurant, McLaren Vale, South Australia) is do…

A long life in food is one thing, but being an integral part of the success and longevity of an establishment is another thing altogether. As Tasmania’s incredible Stillwater restaurant and Seven Rooms hotel celebrates 25 years, today we catch up with Craig Will, co-owner and executive chef of Stillwater in Launceston. https://www.stillwater.com.au…