Master pastry chef Christopher The shares his career from a start in fine dining to global success with BlackStar Pastry to coming full circle and back home with his new cake shop and cafe, HEARTHE. Located in the heart of Christopher's childhood backyard in Stanmore, HEARTHE is an expression of Christopher's dedication to creativity and a backdrop for an exploration of Australian native flavours. It also pushes the boundaries to redefine what we think of as 'pastry'.

Follow Christopher on Instagram



Follow HEARTHE on Instagram

or visit the website

Read about your hosts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon here

Join the Straight To The Source community here

Learn more about Straight To The Source here

Master pastry chef Christopher The shares his career from a start in fine dining to global success with BlackStar Pastry to coming full circle and back home with his new cake shop and cafe, HEARTHE. Located in the heart of Christopher's childhood backyard in Stanmore, HEARTHE is an expression of Christopher's dedication to creativity and a backdrop for an exploration of Australian native flavours. It also pushes the boundaries to redefine what we think of as 'pastry'.
Follow Christopher on <a href="ttps://www.instagram.com/the_christopher_the/">Instagram</a>
 
Follow HEARTHE on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hearthe_aus/">Instagram</a>
or visit the <a href="https://www.hearthe.com.au/">website</a>
<a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/about">Read about your hosts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon here</a>
<a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/community">Join the Straight To The Source community here</a>
<a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/">Learn more about Straight To The Source here</a>

Welcome to the Straight To The Source podcast, where leadership meets the future of food.

Hosted by two of Australia’s most respected food industry voices, Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, the Straight To The Source podcast connects you directly with the changemakers shaping how we grow, source, and experience food.

With decades of experience spanning the kitchen, dining room, and boardroom, as chef, restaurateur, consultants, and educators, Tawnya and Lucy bring an insider’s lens to the challenges and innovations driving the industry forward.

From producers pioneering regenerative practices to hospitality leaders reimagining what sustainability means on the plate, each episode explores the strategies, stories, and leadership mindsets transforming the global food landscape and ensuring a thriving, sustainable food future for generations to come.

Get ready for bold ideas, honest conversations, and the kind of insights that move industries forward.

Follow, comment, and hit that bell for more Straight To The Source episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.

To stay up to date, follow Straight To The Source on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Welcome to the Straight To The Source podcast, where leadership meets the future of food.
Hosted by two of Australia&rsquo;s most respected food industry voices, Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, the Straight To The Source podcast connects you directly with the changemakers shaping how we grow, source, and experience food.
With decades of experience spanning the kitchen, dining room, and boardroom, as chef, restaurateur, consultants, and educators, Tawnya and Lucy bring an insider&rsquo;s lens to the challenges and innovations driving the industry forward.
From producers pioneering regenerative practices to hospitality leaders reimagining what sustainability means on the plate, each episode explores the strategies, stories, and leadership mindsets transforming the global food landscape and ensuring a thriving, sustainable food future for generations to come.
Get ready for bold ideas, honest conversations, and the kind of insights that move industries forward.
Follow, comment, and hit that bell for more Straight To The Source episodes on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/straight-to-the-source/id1610058270">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1FwFeGJI0wp15O9KiDn28c?si=20a9b788479446c7">Spotify</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@straighttothesource7730">YouTube</a>.
To stay up to date, follow Straight To The Source on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight.to.the.source/?hl=en">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/straighttothesourcefoodtours">Facebook </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/straight-to-the-source/">LinkedIn</a>.

Straight To The Source

Straight To The Source Food Podcast

Ep 28: Christopher The - Straight To The HEARTHE

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: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au

Lucy Allon:
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/ 
Instagram: @lucy_allon 
Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au

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

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
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">How she stumbled into chefing - Managing a pub at university with an unused kitchen, Naomi started cooking and never looked back</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">Losing her best friend to cancer - The spiral that followed, and how therapy and scuba diving helped her find a healthier path forward</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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)</li>
</ul>
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:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chef_naomi_lowry/">https://www.instagram.com/chef_naomi_lowry/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/chef_vs_cancer/">https://www.instagram.com/chef_vs_cancer/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cicci.balmain/">https://www.instagram.com/cicci.balmain/</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
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.&nbsp;
Reach out, leave a review, and share this episode with someone in the industry who needs to hear it.
You can find us:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Straight To The Source Food Podcast: <a href="https://lnk.to/jBCTBE">https://lnk.to/jBCTBE</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Straight To The Source Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/">https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Straight To The Source Website: <a href="http://straighttothesource.com.au">http://straighttothesource.com.au</a></li>
</ul>
Tawnya Bahr:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tawnyabahr/">@tawnyabahr</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au</li>
</ul>
Lucy Allon:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lucy_allon">@lucy_allon</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au</li>
</ul>
Keywords: Naomi Lowry, Women in Food, straight to the source podcast, Australian chef, Sydney restaurant, breast cancer,&nbsp; hospitality industry, kitchen culture, sustainability, Sydney, foodpodcast,&nbsp; Australian food producers, chef sobriety, chef career advice, diving, breast cancer, culinary competitions&nbsp;&nbsp;
Resources &amp; Links
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Check your breasts - follow Naomi on Instagram for monthly reminders</li>
<li aria-level="1">National Breast Cancer Foundation -<a href="https://www.nbcf.org.au/"> nbcf.org.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Tasting Success Mentoring Programme - Lyndey Milan's program for emerging chefs in Australia -<a href="https://www.tafensw.edu.au/programs/tasting-success"> tafensw.edu.au/programs/tasting-success</a></li>
</ul>

Salt, Chemo, and Carbonara: Naomi Lowry on Cooking Through the Unimaginable

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: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au

Lucy Allon:
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/ 
Instagram: @lucy_allon 
Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au

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

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.&nbsp;
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&nbsp;
What We Cover in This Episode
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">From rat bag to rising star. &nbsp; 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</li>
<li aria-level="1">The brutal truth about old-school kitchen culture.&nbsp; 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?</li>
<li aria-level="1">The Ritz vs. Claridge's. &nbsp;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</li>
<li aria-level="1">Going gold at Olympia. &nbsp;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</li>
<li aria-level="1">The world years. &nbsp;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</li>
<li aria-level="1">Landing in Australia broke and long-haired. &nbsp;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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Valentine's Day, 2018. &nbsp;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.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The Boronia Kitchen story. &nbsp;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</li>
<li aria-level="1">The cookbook. &nbsp;Self-published, coffee table-worthy but built to get greasy, and packed with seasonal&nbsp; recipes that define Boronia's kitchen</li>
</ul>
About Simon Sandall &amp; Boronia Kitchen&nbsp;
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. &nbsp; 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.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Boronia Kitchen:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.boroniakitchen.com.au/">https://www.boroniakitchen.com.au/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Address: 150 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill NSW Australia</li>
<li aria-level="1">The Boronia Kitchen Cookbook: <a href="https://www.boroniakitchen.com.au/shop/p/the-story-of-boronia">https://www.boroniakitchen.com.au/shop/p/the-story-of-boronia </a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: @chefsimonsandall @boroniakitchen @cateringbysimonsandall</li>
</ul>
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:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Straight To The Source Food Podcast: <a href="https://lnk.to/jBCTBE">https://lnk.to/jBCTBE</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Straight To The Source Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/">https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Straight To The Source Website: <a href="http://straighttothesource.com.au">http://straighttothesource.com.au</a></li>
</ul>
Tawnya Bahr:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tawnyabahr/">@tawnyabahr</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au</li>
</ul>
Lucy Allon:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lucy_allon">@lucy_allon</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au</li>
</ul>
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

Simon Sandall: 41 Years in Kitchens, One Life-Changing Valentine's Day, and Why He's Never Looked Back

Today, we’re going straight to the source of extra virgin olive oil. Host Tawnya Bahr sits down with two experts who know Australian extra virgin olive oil inside and out: Dr Joanna McMillan, a leading nutrition scientist, and Tom Hitchcock, Executive Chef at the iconic Spirit House.

From the science of polyphenols and why “extra virgin” matters, to bold culinary moves like wok frying and olive oil sorbet, Joanna and Tom take us on a journey from grove to plate. Along the way, they bust myths about cooking with olive oil, reveal what to look for on the label, and share why freshness and provenance make all the difference.

We explore:
The health benefits of EVOO and how to maximise them
Why Australian-grown olive oil leads the world in quality
Cooking tips that push EVOO beyond the salad bowl
Flavour profiles: from delicate to robust, and how to pair them
The sustainability story behind supporting local producers

This is an episode for chefs, food lovers, and anyone who wants to take their cooking, and their health, to the next level with one simple ingredient.

Proudly brought to you by the Olive Oil Wellness Institute, a science-driven resource dedicated to educating and inspiring people about the health benefits, culinary versatility and sustainability of extra virgin olive oil. Learn more at https://olivewellnessinstitute.org/  

Follow The Olive Oil Wellness Institute: https://www.instagram.com/olive_wellness_institute/ 

Follow Joanna McMillan: https://www.instagram.com/drjoannamcmillan/ 

Follow Tom Hitchcock: https://www.instagram.com/chef_hitchcock/


Follow Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/stts_podcast 

Follow Straight To The Source: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/ 

Connect with your hosts: 

Tawnya Bahr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/ 

Lucy Allon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/ 

Today, we&rsquo;re going straight to the source of extra virgin olive oil. Host Tawnya Bahr sits down with two experts who know Australian extra virgin olive oil inside and out: Dr Joanna McMillan, a leading nutrition scientist, and Tom Hitchcock, Executive Chef at the iconic Spirit House.
From the science of polyphenols and why &ldquo;extra virgin&rdquo; matters, to bold culinary moves like wok frying and olive oil sorbet, Joanna and Tom take us on a journey from grove to plate. Along the way, they bust myths about cooking with olive oil, reveal what to look for on the label, and share why freshness and provenance make all the difference.
We explore:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The health benefits of EVOO and how to maximise them</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why Australian-grown olive oil leads the world in quality</li>
<li aria-level="1">Cooking tips that push EVOO beyond the salad bowl</li>
<li aria-level="1">Flavour profiles: from delicate to robust, and how to pair them</li>
<li aria-level="1">The sustainability story behind supporting local producers</li>
</ul>
This is an episode for chefs, food lovers, and anyone who wants to take their cooking, and their health, to the next level with one simple ingredient.
Proudly brought to you by the Olive Oil Wellness Institute, a science-driven resource dedicated to educating and inspiring people about the health benefits, culinary versatility and sustainability of extra virgin olive oil. Learn more at https://olivewellnessinstitute.org/&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Ep 28: Christopher The - Straight To The HEARTHE

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