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 Food, Views and Big Ideas where food and hospitality experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon go behind-the-scenes to have candid conversations with Australia’s most dynamic food, hospitality and agribusiness leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators. 

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

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

Welcome to Food, Views and Big Ideas where food and hospitality experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon go behind-the-scenes to have candid conversations with Australia’s most dynamic food, hospitality and agribusiness leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators. 
Follow, comment, and hit that bell for more episodes of Straight To The Source on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/straight-to-the-source/id1610058270">Apple Podcasts</a>, <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>, <a href="https://twitter.com/to_the_source">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/straight-to-the-source/">LinkedIn</a>.

Straight To The Source

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 Food Podcast

Ep 28: Christopher The - Straight To The HEARTHE

In this episode of Straight To The Source, host Tawnya Bahr sits down with the bold, brutally honest, and unapologetically Italian Chef Danny Russo. From humble beginnings in Sydney’s inner west to working in some of the world’s top kitchens in London, Rome, and Marseille, Danny has carved out a remarkable career grounded in respect for produce, cultural authenticity, and culinary evolution.

Danny shares stories of his Italian heritage, the deep-rooted traditions that shaped his love of food, and how the Australian food scene has risen to global prominence. He also opens up about his work with the Russolini Group, international consulting projects in Chicago and Manhattan, and how he’s blending innovation with tradition, without the gimmicks.

Hear Danny’s refreshing perspective on:
Why Australian chefs and produce are now world leaders
His philosophy on simplicity, respect, and storytelling in food
The importance of provenance and consistency in hospitality
How technology and AI are shaping the modern kitchen
The balance between global influence and Italian soul

This raw and honest chat is packed with insight, grit, and laughs, straight from the heart of a chef who never holds back.

Subscribe for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Squizify, a digital platform that replaces old paper-based processes with modern digital solutions to help operators improve their efficiencies. To learn more, take a squiz at https://squizify.com/  

Follow Danny Russo and find out more about the Russolini Group:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therussolinigroup 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sala.dining 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-russo-25a60b30/ 

Connect with your hosts:
Tawnya Bahr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr 
Lucy Allon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon 

Find out more about Straight To The Source: https://straighttothesource.com.au

Follow Straight To The Source Food Podcast: @stts_podcast

Follow Straight To The Source: @straight_to_the_source

In this episode of Straight To The Source, host Tawnya Bahr sits down with the bold, brutally honest, and unapologetically Italian Chef Danny Russo. From humble beginnings in Sydney&rsquo;s inner west to working in some of the world&rsquo;s top kitchens in London, Rome, and Marseille, Danny has carved out a remarkable career grounded in respect for produce, cultural authenticity, and culinary evolution.
Danny shares stories of his Italian heritage, the deep-rooted traditions that shaped his love of food, and how the Australian food scene has risen to global prominence. He also opens up about his work with the Russolini Group, international consulting projects in Chicago and Manhattan, and how he&rsquo;s blending innovation with tradition, without the gimmicks.
Hear Danny&rsquo;s refreshing perspective on:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why Australian chefs and produce are now world leaders</li>
<li aria-level="1">His philosophy on simplicity, respect, and storytelling in food</li>
<li aria-level="1">The importance of provenance and consistency in hospitality</li>
<li aria-level="1">How technology and AI are shaping the modern kitchen</li>
<li aria-level="1">The balance between global influence and Italian soul</li>
</ul>
This raw and honest chat is packed with insight, grit, and laughs, straight from the heart of a chef who never holds back.
Subscribe for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.
This episode is proudly brought to you by Squizify, a digital platform that replaces old paper-based processes with modern digital solutions to help operators improve their efficiencies. To learn more, take a squiz at <a href="https://squizify.com/">https://squizify.com/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Follow Danny Russo and find out more about the Russolini Group:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/therussolinigroup">https://www.instagram.com/therussolinigroup</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sala.dining">https://www.instagram.com/sala.dining</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-russo-25a60b30/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-russo-25a60b30/</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Connect with your hosts:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Tawnya Bahr: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Lucy Allon: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Find out more about Straight To The Source: <a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/">https://straighttothesource.com.au</a>
Follow Straight To The Source Food Podcast:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stts_podcast"> @stts_podcast</a>
Follow Straight To The Source: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/">@straight_to_the_source</a>

Ep 68: Danny Russo: Real Food, No Gimmicks

In this episode of Straight To The Source, host Lucy Allon sits down with hospitality leader Laura Goldberg. As Co-Owner and COO of Hurricane’s Grill and Co-Founder of Women in Cafes and Restaurants, Laura opens up about building inclusive teams, advocating for women in leadership, and her commitment to supporting mental health in the industry through The Burnt Chef Project.

Whether you’re a hospitality professional, business owner, or advocate for inclusion, this episode is packed with lessons in resilience, authenticity, and purpose-driven leadership.

What you’ll learn:
How empathy drives sustainable business growth
The realities of running a global restaurant brand
Building an inclusive community for women in hospitality
The importance of mental health in leadership
Why community and connection fuel the future of hospitality

Subscribe for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Squizify, a digital platform that removes the old paper-based processes and replaces it with a modern digital solution to help operators improve their efficiencies. To learn more, take a squiz at https://squizify.com/ 

Follow Laura Goldberg and find out more about her growing business group, Hurricane’s Grill Restaurants:
Laura Goldberg https://www.instagram.com/laura_g_hurricanesgrill 
Hurricane’s Grill Restaurants www.hurricanesgrillrestaurants.com.au

Discover more about Women in Cafes and Restaurants: https://wcr-connect.com.au/ 

Learn more about The Burnt Chef Project: https://www.theburntchefproject.com/ 

Connect with your hosts:
Tawnya Bahr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr 
Lucy Allon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon 

Find out more about Straight To The Source: https://straighttothesource.com.au

Follow Straight To The Source Food Podcast: @stts_podcast

Follow Straight To The Source: @straight_to_the_source

In this episode of Straight To The Source, host Lucy Allon sits down with hospitality leader Laura Goldberg. As Co-Owner and COO of Hurricane&rsquo;s Grill and Co-Founder of Women in Cafes and Restaurants, Laura opens up about building inclusive teams, advocating for women in leadership, and her commitment to supporting mental health in the industry through The Burnt Chef Project.
Whether you&rsquo;re a hospitality professional, business owner, or advocate for inclusion, this episode is packed with lessons in resilience, authenticity, and purpose-driven leadership.
What you&rsquo;ll learn:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">How empathy drives sustainable business growth</li>
<li aria-level="1">The realities of running a global restaurant brand</li>
<li aria-level="1">Building an inclusive community for women in hospitality</li>
<li aria-level="1">The importance of mental health in leadership</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why community and connection fuel the future of hospitality</li>
</ul>
Subscribe for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.
This episode is proudly brought to you by Squizify, a digital platform that removes the old paper-based processes and replaces it with a modern digital solution to help operators improve their efficiencies. To learn more, take a squiz at <a href="https://squizify.com/">https://squizify.com/</a>&nbsp;
Follow Laura Goldberg and find out more about her growing business group, Hurricane&rsquo;s Grill Restaurants:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Laura Goldberg <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laura_g_hurricanesgrill">https://www.instagram.com/laura_g_hurricanesgrill</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Hurricane&rsquo;s Grill Restaurants <a href="http://www.hurricanesgrillrestaurants.com.au">www.hurricanesgrillrestaurants.com.au</a></li>
</ul>
Discover more about Women in Cafes and Restaurants:&nbsp;<a href="https://wcr-connect.com.au/">https://wcr-connect.com.au/</a>&nbsp;
Learn more about The Burnt Chef Project: <a href="https://www.theburntchefproject.com/">https://www.theburntchefproject.com/</a>&nbsp;
Connect with your hosts:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Tawnya Bahr: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Lucy Allon: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Find out more about Straight To The Source: <a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/">https://straighttothesource.com.au</a>
Follow Straight To The Source Food Podcast:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stts_podcast"> @stts_podcast</a>
Follow Straight To The Source: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/">@straight_to_the_source</a>

Ep 67: Leading with Empathy: Laura Goldberg on Growth, Resilience, and Women in Hospitality

In this episode of Straight To The Source, we’re joined by two culinary heavyweights: Adrian Richardson, TV chef and restaurateur behind La Luna and Good Chef Bad Chef, and Markus Werner, Culinary Director at Delaware North, overseeing stadiums and resorts across Australia.

From humble apprenticeships to leading massive teams and global TV audiences, Adrian and Markus share how they first met (spoiler: it involves a “borrowed” knife), the values forged through old-school culinary training, and what drives them to keep learning after decades in the industry.

They talk about:
The realities of kitchen culture then and now. What has changed and what hasn’t
How to spot and nurture the next generation of great chefs
The balance between fine dining precision and stadium-scale catering
What keeps these bigger-than-life chefs inspired outside the kitchen, from hunting to motorbikes to salami-making
Their most memorable food moments (including Adrian’s unforgettable nonna’s ravioli)

A lively, heartfelt, and often hilarious conversation about passion, friendship, and what it truly means to dedicate your life to food.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Squizify, a digital platform that removes the old paper-based processes and replaces it with a modern digital solution to help operators improve their efficiencies. To learn more, take a squiz at https://squizify.com/ 

Follow our guests:
Adrian Richardson – https://www.instagram.com/chef_adrian_richardson/ 
Markus Werner – https://www.instagram.com/mwservus 

Connect with your hosts:
Tawnya Bahr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr 
Lucy Allon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon 

Find out more about Straight To The Source: https://straighttothesource.com.au

Follow Straight To The Source Food Podcast: @stts_podcast

Follow Straight To The Source: @straight_to_the_source

In this episode of Straight To The Source, we&rsquo;re joined by two culinary heavyweights: Adrian Richardson, TV chef and restaurateur behind La Luna and Good Chef Bad Chef, and Markus Werner, Culinary Director at Delaware North, overseeing stadiums and resorts across Australia.
From humble apprenticeships to leading massive teams and global TV audiences, Adrian and Markus share how they first met (spoiler: it involves a &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; knife), the values forged through old-school culinary training, and what drives them to keep learning after decades in the industry.
They talk about:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The realities of kitchen culture then and now. What has changed and what hasn&rsquo;t</li>
<li aria-level="1">How to spot and nurture the next generation of great chefs</li>
<li aria-level="1">The balance between fine dining precision and stadium-scale catering</li>
<li aria-level="1">What keeps these bigger-than-life chefs inspired outside the kitchen, from hunting to motorbikes to salami-making</li>
<li aria-level="1">Their most memorable food moments (including Adrian&rsquo;s unforgettable nonna&rsquo;s ravioli)</li>
</ul>
A lively, heartfelt, and often hilarious conversation about passion, friendship, and what it truly means to dedicate your life to food.
This episode is proudly brought to you by Squizify, a digital platform that removes the old paper-based processes and replaces it with a modern digital solution to help operators improve their efficiencies. To learn more, take a squiz at <a href="https://squizify.com/">https://squizify.com/</a>&nbsp;
Follow our guests:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Adrian Richardson &ndash; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chef_adrian_richardson/">https://www.instagram.com/chef_adrian_richardson/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Markus Werner &ndash; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mwservus">https://www.instagram.com/mwservus</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Connect with your hosts:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Tawnya Bahr: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Lucy Allon: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Find out more about Straight To The Source: <a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/">https://straighttothesource.com.au</a>
Follow Straight To The Source Food Podcast:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stts_podcast"> @stts_podcast</a>
Follow Straight To The Source: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/">@straight_to_the_source</a>

Ep 28: Christopher The - Straight To The HEARTHE

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