Stephanie Helm learned winemaking from her parents – and she’s putting that knowledge to good use at her own winery in Murrumbateman. Photo: The Vintner’s Daughter. Who are you? I’m Stephanie Helm, co-owner and winemaker at The Vintner’s Daughter winery in Murrumbateman. What is your venue? My husband [Ben Osborne] and I established the brand a decade ago on an existing vineyard and winery, which made wines dating back to the 1970s. We make small-batch wines with a focus on premium quality that reflect the place where the grapes were grown. How did you get involved in the hospitality industr ..read more

Pop Pizza has breathed life and colour and flavour back in Fraser! Photo: Kazuri Photography. Fraser shops are my local and we share a lengthy history. My first three kids cut their teeth working shifts at the IGA there as soon as they were old enough. The local grocery shop, the pub and Fook Lee Sheng kept Fraser humming all those years ago. Sadly, one by one, each of those once-bustling establishments closed their doors in their own time, turning the corner block into a barren place where you could hear the tumbleweeds blow across the car park. Then, just weeks ago, work where our local Ch ..read more

So bad it’s good: The Mee Goreng Toastie from Melted Toasted Sandwich Emporium. Photo: Lucy Ridge. The humble sandwich is having a moment in the limelight. From boutique toasties to traditional banh mi, New York deli sandwiches and fine-dining flavours – it seems like there’s a sandwich for everyone out there at the moment! The current trend takes sandwiches far beyond the soggy, white bread in your school lunchbox and elevates its culinary status. The hospitality industry has infamously tight profit margins and faces a lower spend-per-head as customers hold onto their dollars during the cos ..read more

Steve Feletti is celebrating his latest win. Photo: David Rogers. Serendipity seems to be a constant in Steve Feletti’s oyster and wine journey. He bought neglected oyster leases sight unseen, stumbled across the ideal restaurant to supply them to and chanced upon the perfect wine pairing in regional France. They are just some of the happenstances that led to two Borrowed Cuttings’ picpoul wines winning medals at London’s Decanter, the world’s largest and most influential wine show. In his quest for perfection, Steve broke with convention and applied every skill acquired earlier in his caree ..read more

Rosemary by Eighty Twenty. Photo: Kazuri Photography. Eighty Twenty is the cafe I frequent most often in my own time, specifically because I am addicted to their crunch bowl, a peanut butter-infused acai bowl. So best believe I notice the name change of its Kingston store to ‘Rosemary by Eighty Twenty’. When I drop in to investigate, I learn that the new team offers all the original fabulousness of Eighty Twenty, brings unique specials to the day menu, and serves dinner three nights a week! This alone may not pique your interest, but it might when you learn that the team is headed up by Ton ..read more

Bernie Connell with his 2.74 kg Clyde River oyster. Photos: David Rogers. At one point, Australia had a serious chance of having the world’s biggest oyster – it had the weight to get into the Guinness World Records but sadly not the length. Nonetheless, Australia’s biggest oyster competition has gone on to become a family favourite at the annual Narooma Oyster Festival. Montague Vets’ Dr Kate Le Bars has been involved since the first competition in 2018 when Australia hoped to smash the world record. Kate was there to ensure it was alive. That means the shell is closed and the oyster passes ..read more

Reece Inkpen is teaming up with local farmers for the Bungendore Harvest Festival. Photo: Supplied. Chef Reece Inkpen has worked in top-notch restaurants in London and Canberra, and now he’s heading out to the bright lights of Bungendore for a very special event. While working with award-winning restaurant Pilot, Reece has developed a relationship with Southern Harvest Association, a food and farming co-operative linking eaters and farmers in the Canberra-Bungendore region. The Bungendore Harvest Festival is an annual fundraising event for Southern Harvest, with a weekend of celebrations and ..read more

Brendan Guy won’t turn down a recommendation for a good laksa, though he thinks he’s found some of the best already. Photo: Rabble Group. Who are you? Brendan Guy, executive chef at Rabble Group. I oversee all of Rabble Group’s kitchens, so I spend my days working with the head chefs within each of our venues to develop the menus. How did you get involved in the hospitality industry? I started really young – it was an after-school job when I was 14 at McDonald’s but I moved to the Brassey of Canberra when I was about 16. I can remember a lady there who took me under her wing and said, “No ma ..read more

Render of the new Three Mills Bakery location in Woden. Image: Supplied. Three Mills Bakery might just be set on world domination! While the basis of their business is slow-proved sourdough, they are fast-proving to be a business on the up and up with yet another location announced recently. The upcoming Woden shop marks the fifth store for the Canberra business – an impressive feat for a bakery that started with just a handful of employees! The Monday to Friday operation will be modelled on their current cafes in Fyshwick, the city and Capital Food Markets at Belconnen. Located opposite loc ..read more

Tony (left) and Justin Lieu are brothers who found their passion working in their family’s vegan restaurants. Photo: Auc Lac Vegan Cuisine/Drewy. Who are you? Tony: My name is Tony Lieu, and I work in the kitchen as one of the chefs. Justin: I’m Justin Lieu. I help out everywhere, but I mainly take care of front-of-house and the admin work. What is your venue? Tony: We put an emphasis on making vegan food not boring. When you go to a pub, the main focus is often on meat, and the vegan or vegetarian side is a salad or boiled vegetables in most cases. At our restaurants [located in Dickson and ..read more