Straight To The Source

In this episode of Straight To The Source, Lucy Allon sits down with one of Australia's most respected drinks voices, Mike Bennie. A journalist, wine judge, educator, and co-founder of P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants, Mike has spent decades tasting, writing about and championing Australian drinks culture.
From emerging wine trends and changing consumer habits to the rapid growth of the non-alcoholic category, Mike shares his unique perspective on where the drinks industry is heading and why Australia continues to be one of the world's most innovative beverage producers.
They also taste chef-turned-winemaker Matt Stone’s first vintage Pinot Noir. Plus, Mike reveals the Australian drinks every wine lover should know about right now, including the local sparkling wines, Grenache producers and Mediterranean varieties he believes are genuinely competing with the world's best.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
Inside the life of a professional wine critic: From tasting up to 30 wines before breakfast to judging, writing, travelling and staying on top of a constantly evolving global drinks industry.
Why Australians are drinking less but drinking better: Mike's perspective on changing consumer habits and why today's drinkers are becoming more selective, more adventurous and increasingly focused on quality over quantity.
What makes Australian drinkers unique: Why Australians have developed a deep understanding of wine regions, a willingness to experiment and a refreshing lack of rules when it comes to what they drink.
The role of festivals in shaping food and drink culture: How events like Vivid Fire Kitchen and regional food festivals are creating stronger connections between producers, hospitality businesses and consumers.
Tasting Matt Stone's first Pinot Noir: Mike shares his thoughts on the inaugural Wines by Matt Stone Pinot Noir and explains why the wine reflects a commitment to finesse, balance and fine winemaking.
Why chefs often make great winemakers: The parallels between cooking and winemaking and how some of Australia's most respected chefs have developed a deep passion for wine.
The permanent rise of low and no alcohol drinks: Why non alcoholic beverages have moved far beyond trend status and become a permanent part of Australia's hospitality landscape.
How the best restaurants approach non alcoholic pairings: Why some of the most exciting drinks innovation is happening outside traditional wine programs, with sommeliers and chefs creating sophisticated alcohol free experiences.
Australian pioneers changing the non alcoholic category: The impact of brands like Aaron Trotman’s NON and Heaps Normal, and the producers helping reshape how Australians think about drinking.
Global drinks trends Australia should be watching: What Mike is seeing overseas, from wellness beverages and functional drinks to the growing influence of legalised cannabis on alcohol consumption in the United States.
Why wine packaging needs a rethink: Mike's candid views on why wine remains tied to outdated formats and how packaging innovation could help the industry better connect with modern consumers.
Australian sparkling wine versus Champagne: Why Mike believes Australia's best sparkling wines are genuinely competing with, and in many cases outperforming, some of Champagne's biggest producers.
The rise of Australian Grenache: Why Grenache has become one of Australia's most exciting wine categories and how old vine vineyards are helping produce wines that stand alongside the world's best.
The Mediterranean grape varieties thriving in Australia: How varieties like Vermentino, Greco and Nero d'Avola are proving better suited to Australia's climate, cuisine and modern drinking culture.
The next chapter for craft beer: Why beer drinkers are moving beyond heavily hopped styles and becoming more interested in provenance, farming practices and where ingredients come from.
Going straight to the source of drinks: How concepts like provenance, sustainability and producer connection are becoming increasingly important across wine, beer, spirits and non alcoholic beverages.
The future of Australian drinks culture: Mike's vision for a more inclusive, collaborative and less gatekept drinks industry that embraces changing consumer habits while continuing to champion innovation.
Why hospitality needs broader drinks education: How breaking down the silos between wine, beer, spirits and non alcoholic drinks could create a more knowledgeable and adaptable next generation of hospitality professionals.
What the next five years could look like: Mike's predictions for Australian hospitality, from lower alcohol consumption and evolving consumer values to a greater focus on ingredient quality, transparency and sustainability.
Follow Mike Bennie, and, P&V Wine & Liquor Merchants:
@mikebennie101
@pnvmerchants
Watch our short film, Pork To Fork, Grain to Glass, of our Straight To The Source trip taking Mike Bennie & Nik Hill to Voyager Craft Malt & Dewsburys Free Range Pork
Resources & Mentions
P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants: https://pnvmerchants.com
• Wines by Matt Stone: https://www.instagram.com/wines_by_mattstone
• Heaps Normal: https://heapsnormal.com
• NON: https://www.non.world/en-au
• Little Food Market Sydney at Carriageworks 21-23 August 2026: https://thelittlefoodmarket.com/sydney
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia’s food and hospitality industry.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: [email protected]
Lucy Allon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: [email protected]
Keywords: Australian wine, Australian drinks industry, Mike Bennie, wine trends Australia, Australian sparkling wine, non alcoholic drinks Australia, Australian Grenache, Australian beer trends, wine podcast Australia, drinks culture Australia, Matt Stone wine, Australian hospitality industry, low alcohol drinks, wine education, beverage trends Australia, Straight To The Source
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than a decade at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Chef Alex Prichard is trading Bondi for Berry with the launch of Sara Dining & Garden, a produce-driven restaurant grounded in farming, sustainability and regional hospitality on the NSW South Coast.
In this conversation, Lucy Allon sits down with Alex to discuss the realities of opening a farm-led dining destination in today’s economic climate, why chefs need a deeper connection to producers and how regional Australia is reshaping the future of hospitality.
Alex’s career has taken him through some of Australia’s most respected kitchens, including Momofuku Seiobo, Sake and The Cut, before becoming Head Chef at Icebergs at just 24 years old. Now, with Sara Dining & Garden, he’s entering a new chapter focused on immersive dining experiences, seasonality and creating a stronger connection between food, land and community.
From five-hour daily commutes and failed melon crops to Michelin in Australia and the pressures facing restaurants right now, Alex shares an honest perspective on what it takes to build a modern hospitality business.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
Leaving Icebergs after more than a decade Why Alex decided it was finally time to step away from one of Australia’s most iconic restaurants and pursue his long held dream of opening a regional farm to table venue
The road from Bondi to Berry How commuting five hours a day from the South Coast to Icebergs reinforced both his love for the restaurant and his desire to build a life closer to family and community
The vision behind Sara Dining & Garden The story behind the partnership with Linnaeus Collection and the creation of a destination dining experience built around accommodation, produce, wellness and hospitality
Building a restaurant around the land How Alex and his team spent the past 12 months experimenting with crops, understanding the property and learning what can realistically be grown at scale
Pretty gardens vs ugly gardens Why designing a working farm that also functions as luxury accommodation required balancing operational efficiency with aesthetics
The harsh realities of farming What happened when Alex attempted to grow melons at scale and how weather, mould and seasonality has reshaped his approach to menu planning
Why 100% local isn’t always realistic Alex’s honest perspective on sourcing, commercial realities and why supporting great Australian producers sometimes means looking beyond your immediate region
Australian produce and luxury dining Why regional diners shouldn’t have to miss out on exceptional Australian seafood and produce simply because they’re outside major cities
Why every chef should grow something How harvesting ingredients yourself changes your understanding of waste, labour, value and respect for producers
The rise of regional dining in Australia Why more chefs are leaving major cities and how hospitality migration is reshaping dining destinations across regional New South Wales
Rethinking the restaurant experience How Alex wants Sara to feel more like visiting someone’s home than dining in a traditional restaurant, with guests encouraged to explore the farm and settle into the experience
The business realities facing hospitality The pressures of labour costs, shrinking margins, rising produce prices and why restaurants now need a genuine point of difference to survive
Solving regional hospitality challenges How Sara is approaching transport, non-alcoholic drinks and local engagement to create a sustainable regional dining model
Michelin, Australia and staying authentic Alex’s thoughts on Michelin arriving in Australia and why he hopes Australian restaurants never lose their relaxed, egalitarian style of hospitality
The importance of knowing your producers Why understanding the people behind ingredients matters just as much as the ingredients themselves, and how those relationships shape the way Alex cooks
The future of Australian hospitality Alex’s hopes for the next generation of regional restaurants, young chefs and a more produce-connected dining culture across Australia
Follow Alex Prichard, Sara Dining & Garden, and, Linnaeus Collection:
@alexsprichard
@saradiningandkitchen
@linnaeuscollection
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia’s food and hospitality industry.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: [email protected]
Lucy Allon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: [email protected]
Keywords: Alex Prichard, Alex Prichard podcast, Sara Dining and Garden, Sara Dining Berry, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Australian chefs podcast, Regional dining Australia, Farm to table restaurant Australia, NSW South Coast restaurants, Berry restaurants, Australian hospitality industry, Sustainable dining Australia, Produce driven dining, Australian food podcast, Hospitality podcast Australia, Straight To The Source
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Tawnya Bahr talks with Amber Doig, an impressive chef and quiet achiever about ego, culinary instinct, seaweed, and why attitude will always beat talent.
Amber Doig left Christchurch at 17 for Australia. Twenty-something years later, she's worked alongside Alex Stupack, Chef and Co-Owner of the Empellón restaurant group based in New York City, and is now quietly reshaping how Sydney eats Mexican food.
This isn't a rags-to-riches story. It's a story about showing up, getting humbled in a New York kitchen, and realising that where you're from: your mum's single-parent cooking, your Māori heritage, your Pacific roots, is exactly what makes your food worth eating.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
Food as family Amber grew up surrounded by professional cooking: her mother trained as a chef as a teenager, cooked through her pregnancy, and had Amber in restaurant kitchens by the age of 10, what she calls "young work experience, AKA free labour"
Rejected but undeterred When Christchurch's hospitality school turned her away over English and Maths requirements, Amber packed up and moved to Sydney at 17 to start her apprenticeship on her own terms
Learning the trade in Sydney From a Rozelle cafe under head chef Christopher Mitchell via the Hospitality Training Network, to six-plus years with mentor Vanessa Martin at Il Piave, Rozelle, the years that built her foundation
The New York epiphany A New Year's Eve ball drop in 2010 became a life-changing encounter with Mexican cuisine at Empellón. Five years later, she went back, this time to work
Training under Alex Stupak Two years cooking across multiple Empellón concepts, including a James Beard event for the launch of Stupak's taco cookbook and ringside seats as Albert Adrià's team cooked at the Push Project dinner collaboration
A lesson in humility Why New York was a wake-up call for her ego, and how working alongside elite chefs from around the world completely redefined her understanding of speed, precision, and culinary knowledge
Returning to Sydney with purpose Coming home armed with new techniques, bold flavours, and a fire to show Sydneysiders the real depth and complexity of Mexican cuisine
Mexican food beyond Old El Paso Why Amber sees her role as partly educational: the origin story of tacos, mole, Oaxaca cheese, tomatillos, and the fact that Mexico gave the world tomatoes, chillies, and corn
Sourcing the unsourceable The challenge of tracking down Mexican ingredients in Sydney's early days, and how the scene has since transformed with local growers and specialist importers now meeting the demand
Seaweed as the next frontier Her current obsession: sea lettuce from Rocky Point Aquaculture, dehydrated for salads, blitzed into powders, and made into furikake-style seasonings
Pacific roots on the plate A ceviche-inspired ikamata dish drawing on Māori and Pacific culinary traditions, snapper, coconut, and sumac in equal parts nostalgia and innovation
Almost a decade at Applejack Her role at Butler, her involvement across new openings, and working with Director of Culinary Patrick Friesen on menu development across 13 venues
The Opera Bar, reimagined How Applejack Hospitality is bringing locals back alongside tourists: Basa Falafel, Vietnamese banh mi, broken rice, Sydney Rock oysters with Fermentalist Habanero Hot Sauce, and a genuine commitment to local producers
Follow Amber Doig
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amber_doig_/
About Straight to the Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Reach out, leave a review, and share this episode with someone in the industry who needs to hear it.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: [email protected]
Lucy Allon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: [email protected]
Keywords: Women in Food, Straight To The Source podcast, Australian chef, Applejack Hospitality Group, hospitality industry, kitchen culture, Sydney, foodpodcast, Australian food producers, chef career advice, Mexican food, Alex Stupak, Empellón
Resources & Links
James Beard Foundation, https://www.jamesbeard.org/events-overview
Applejack Hospitality Group, applejackhospitality.com.au
Opera Bar, Sydney, operabar.com.au
Empellón: https://www.empellon.com/alex-stupak/
Rocky Point Aquaculture, sea lettuce and sustainable Australian seafood
Carriageworks Farmers Market, Sydney's celebrated producer market, home to local artisans, including Marrickville cheese makers
Have a story to share or a topic we should dive into? Drop us a line — we always love hearing from you.
Straight To The Source is hosted by Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you compete in a Chef of the Year culinary competition when you can't taste a single thing on the plate? For chef Naomi Lowry, the answer is muscle memory, decades of instinct, and an industry that showed up for her in ways she never expected.
In this candid conversation, Naomi joins Tawnya and Lucy to trace a career built on anything but a straight line, from a pub kitchen in the UK to Sydney's finest restaurants, a breast cancer diagnosis three months after opening her own venue, a stint working in TV, and a second life she's found sixty metres underwater.
This is an episode about what happens when the roadmap disappears, and what you build in its place.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
Growing up around food - Naomi recalls her grandmother's legendary home cooking, her mother's 1980s Connecticut dinner parties, and being the eldest of five kids who helped out in the kitchen by necessity
How she stumbled into chefing - Managing a pub at university with an unused kitchen, Naomi started cooking and never looked back
The leap to Australia - At 21, she sold her car and boarded a flight to Sydney just days after 9/11, much to her mother's horror. That decision shaped the next 26 years of her life
Breast cancer at 38 - Diagnosed just three months after opening her own venue, Naomi speaks candidly about late detection, the support of the hospitality community, and why she posts a "check your boobies" reminder on Instagram every first of the month
Competing through chemo - How she made it to the finals of a major chef of the year competition while unable to taste, and what it meant to have her mum there to witness it
Losing her best friend to cancer - The spiral that followed, and how therapy and scuba diving helped her find a healthier path forward
The dive that changed everything - Naomi's other great passion: scuba diving as her form of meditation, complete with a self-imposed tattoo rule that keeps her exploring the world's oceans
Cicci, Balmain - The Italian wine bar where she's found her home, cooking pasta for loyal regulars who've named themselves "colony director" and claimed their favourite tables
The secret menu - Carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana and zabaglione: dishes not on the menu but always available for those who know how to ask
Mentoring the next generation - Naomi's involvement in the Tasting Success Mentoring Programme, and her concerns about the craft skills - like breaking down whole animals - that are quietly disappearing from kitchens
The chefs who shaped her - Danny Russo, Colin Fassnidge, Giovanni Pilu, James Viles, Jeremy Strode, and meeting Michel Roux Sr (she had to hide in the walk-in freezer to collect herself)
About Naomi Lowry
Naomi Lowry is a British-born, Sydney-based chef with over two decades of experience in the Australian hospitality industry. French-trained and Italian-inspired, she has worked alongside some of Australia's most respected chefs, including Colin Fassnidge, Giovanni Pilu, Danny Russo and James Viles at Biota.
Naomi competed in the Chef of the Year competition. She is a mentor for emerging talent for Lyndey Milan's Tasting Success Mentoring Program, an advocate for breast cancer awareness, and the head chef at Cicci, an Italian wine bar in Balmain, Sydney.
You can find Naomi on Instagram, where she posts monthly breast cancer check reminders and updates from the kitchen and the ocean floor.
Follow Naomi Lowry:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef_naomi_lowry/
https://www.instagram.com/chef_vs_cancer/
https://www.instagram.com/cicci.balmain/
About Straight to the Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Reach out, leave a review, and share this episode with someone in the industry who needs to hear it.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: [email protected]
Lucy Allon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: [email protected]
Keywords: Naomi Lowry, Women in Food, straight to the source podcast, Australian chef, Sydney restaurant, breast cancer, hospitality industry, kitchen culture, sustainability, Sydney, foodpodcast, Australian food producers, chef sobriety, chef career advice, diving, breast cancer, culinary competitions
Resources & Links
Check your breasts - follow Naomi on Instagram for monthly reminders
National Breast Cancer Foundation - nbcf.org.au
Tasting Success Mentoring Programme - Lyndey Milan's program for emerging chefs in Australia - tafensw.edu.au/programs/tasting-success
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some kids find trouble. Simon Sandall was very, very good at it. He starts on the streets of Rugby, England, where he was, by his own cheerful admission, heading nowhere fast. What pulled him back? Food. And forty-one years, a few broken noses, a life-threatening health crisis, and one extraordinary Valentine's Day later, he's the Executive Chef and Owner of Boronia Kitchen, cooking on his own terms, and loving every minute of it.
In this episode, Tawnya Bahr sits down with Simon for a raw, honest, and often hilarious conversation about the realities of a career in professional kitchens. The good, the brutal, and the deeply human moments in between.
Episode Overview (Ep #80) with Simon Sandall and Tawnya Bahr
What We Cover in This Episode
From rat bag to rising star. How walking a dog led Simon into a vegetarian restaurant kitchen at age 14, and why his Welsh TAFE teacher's blunt words ("sort your shit out or f*** off") became the making of him
The brutal truth about old-school kitchen culture. Simon doesn't sugarcoat it: the kitchens of London's elite hotels were aggressive, physically dangerous, and completely normalised. How does that compare to the kitchen he runs today at Boronia?
The Ritz vs. Claridge's. How a 17-year-old Simon chose between two of London's most iconic hotels (he picked the one where he felt like a person, not a number) and what that decision taught him about culture
Going gold at Olympia. Competing in culinary competitions at 17, working 48-hour stretches on cold masterpieces, and what ego-driven ambition looks like when you're young and hungry
The world years. From the Greek islands to Mozambique (four years out of civil war), Lake Malawi, and navigating a continent post-civil war with nothing but instinct, biltong in his backpack, and a talent for banoffee pie
Landing in Australia broke and long-haired. The story of arriving in Sydney on borrowed money, being knocked back for jobs because of his appearance, and flipping steaks at the Orient Hotel at the Rocks until the right opportunity opened up
17 years with Matt Moran. What this relationship taught Simon about craft, loyalty, friendship, and farming. Why Matt is now one of his closest mates, getting him up to the farm to forage pine mushrooms and collect fresh eggs.
Valentine's Day, 2018. The moment that changed everything. Simon shares with extraordinary openness how necrotising pancreatitis almost took his life, how he said goodbye to his kids from a hospital bed, and how he signed the lease on Boronia Kitchen from intensive care. Nearly nine years sober, and no regrets.
The Boronia Kitchen story. A passion project built on discipline, seasonal produce, a kitchen garden harvested twice daily, and a commitment to doing things properly on his own terms
The cookbook. Self-published, coffee table-worthy but built to get greasy, and packed with seasonal recipes that define Boronia's kitchen
About Simon Sandall & Boronia Kitchen
Simon Sandall is the Executive Chef and Owner of Boronia Kitchen in Sydney. With over four decades in the industry, including time at the Ritz London, the Sydney Opera House, and seven years on the tools at ARIA Restaurant. Simon is one of Australia's most respected chefs. He is also the author of the self-published Boronia Kitchen cookbook. After a near-fatal health crisis in 2018, Simon rebuilt his life around his restaurant, his kitchen garden, his family, and nearly nine years of sobriety.
Boronia Kitchen: https://www.boroniakitchen.com.au/
Address: 150 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill NSW Australia
The Boronia Kitchen Cookbook: https://www.boroniakitchen.com.au/shop/p/the-story-of-boronia
Instagram: @chefsimonsandall @boroniakitchen @cateringbysimonsandall
About Straight to the Source
Straight To The Source is hosted by Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon. We'd love to hear from you! Reach out, leave a review, and share this episode with someone in the industry who needs to hear it.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: [email protected]
Lucy Allon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: [email protected]
Keywords: Simon Sandall, Boronia Kitchen, straight to the source podcast, Australian chef, Sydney restaurant, Matt Moran, chef mental health, cateringbysimonsandall, hospitality industry, kitchen culture, farm to table Sydney, foodpodcast, sustainability, Australian food producers, chef sobriety, kitchen garden, Boronia Kitchen cookbook, necrotising pancreatitis, chef career advice
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.