Chef and restaurateur Somer Sivrioğlu has always cooked between cultures, and right now, he’s doing it louder than ever. From opening Hamsi Taverna at the iconic Sydney Fish Market to judging 200 episodes a year on MasterChef Turkey, Somer is redefining what modern Turkish cuisine looks like across continents.

In this episode, we unpack:
The vision behind Hamsi and bringing Aegean seafood culture to Sydney
Why charcoal and line-caught mackerel matter
How he helped shift Australia’s perception of Turkish food beyond kebabs
The vegetable-forward traditions of the northern Aegean
Why meat in Turkish homes is often used as flavouring, not a centrepiece
The evolution of Turkish restaurants in Australia
The pressure and privilege of shaping a nation’s food conversation on television in Turkey
What it really takes to run restaurants between Istanbul and Sydney

When Somer opened Efendy in 2007, diners questioned whether Turkish cuisine belonged in a refined dining room.

Today, through venues like Anason (meze bar at Barangaroo), Maydanoz (vegetable-driven Turkish cuisine), Hamsi (seafood-focused Mediterranean concept) and Efendy in Istanbul, he’s helped reshape the narrative. This is a conversation about identity, technique, tradition, and evolution and chefs who build bridges (not just menus). 

Subscribe for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.

This episode is proudly brought to you by UNOX Australia, leaders in smart oven innovation for commercial and residential kitchens. Learn more atwww.unox.com 

Follow & Connect with Somer Sivrioğlu 
Somer Sivrioğlu https://www.linkedin.com/in/somer-sivrioglu-53a13422/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamsitaverna   
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somersivrioglu 

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

Follow Straight To The Source: @straight_to_the_source

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

Chef and restaurateur Somer Sivrioğlu has always cooked between cultures, and right now, he&rsquo;s doing it louder than ever. From opening Hamsi Taverna at the iconic Sydney Fish Market to judging 200 episodes a year on MasterChef Turkey, Somer is redefining what modern Turkish cuisine looks like across continents.
In this episode, we unpack:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The vision behind Hamsi and bringing Aegean seafood culture to Sydney</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why charcoal and line-caught mackerel matter</li>
<li aria-level="1">How he helped shift Australia&rsquo;s perception of Turkish food beyond kebabs</li>
<li aria-level="1">The vegetable-forward traditions of the northern Aegean</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why meat in Turkish homes is often used as flavouring, not a centrepiece</li>
<li aria-level="1">The evolution of Turkish restaurants in Australia</li>
<li aria-level="1">The pressure and privilege of shaping a nation&rsquo;s food conversation on television in Turkey</li>
<li aria-level="1">What it really takes to run restaurants between Istanbul and Sydney</li>
</ul>
When Somer opened Efendy in 2007, diners questioned whether Turkish cuisine belonged in a refined dining room.
Today, through venues like Anason (meze bar at Barangaroo), Maydanoz (vegetable-driven Turkish cuisine), Hamsi (seafood-focused Mediterranean concept) and Efendy in Istanbul, he&rsquo;s helped reshape the narrative. This is a conversation about identity, technique, tradition, and evolution and chefs who build bridges (not just menus).&nbsp;
Subscribe for more interviews with industry leaders and changemakers.
This episode is proudly brought to you by UNOX Australia, leaders in smart oven innovation for commercial and residential kitchens. Learn more at<a href="https://www.unox.com/au_au/"> </a><a href="http://www.unox.com">www.unox.com</a>&nbsp;
Follow &amp; Connect with Somer Sivrioğlu&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Somer Sivrioğlu <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/somer-sivrioglu-53a13422/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/somer-sivrioglu-53a13422/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hamsitaverna">https://www.instagram.com/hamsitaverna</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/somersivrioglu">https://www.instagram.com/somersivrioglu</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>
Follow Straight To The Source: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/">@straight_to_the_source</a>
Find out more about Straight To The Source: <a href="https://straighttothesource.com.au/">https://straighttothesource.com.au</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

Somer Sivrioğlu: Redefining Turkish Cuisine — From Sydney's Fish Market to MasterChef Turkey

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: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au

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

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.

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.&nbsp;
Amber Doig left Christchurch at 17 for Australia. Twenty-something years later, she's worked alongside Alex Stupack, Chef and Co-Owner of the Empell&oacute;n 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.&nbsp;
What You'll Hear in This Episode
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">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"</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">Learning the trade in Sydney From a Rozelle&nbsp; 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</li>
<li aria-level="1">The New York epiphany A New Year's Eve ball drop in 2010 became a life-changing encounter with Mexican cuisine at Empell&oacute;n. Five years later, she went back, this time to work</li>
<li aria-level="1">Training under Alex Stupak Two years cooking across multiple Empell&oacute;n concepts, including a James Beard event for the launch of Stupak's taco cookbook and ringside seats as Albert Adri&agrave;'s team cooked at the Push Project dinner collaboration</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
<li aria-level="1">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</li>
</ul>
Follow Amber Doig
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amber_doig_/">https://www.instagram.com/amber_doig_/</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: Women in Food, Straight To The Source podcast, Australian chef, Applejack Hospitality Group, hospitality industry, kitchen culture, Sydney, foodpodcast,&nbsp; Australian food producers, chef career advice, Mexican food, Alex Stupak, Empell&oacute;n&nbsp;&nbsp;
Resources &amp; Links
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">James Beard Foundation,&nbsp; <a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/events-overview">https://www.jamesbeard.org/events-overview</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Applejack Hospitality Group, <a href="https://www.applejackhospitality.com.au">&nbsp;applejackhospitality.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Opera Bar, Sydney, <a href="https://www.operabar.com.au">&nbsp;</a><a href="http://operabar.com.au">operabar.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Empell&oacute;n: <a href="https://www.empellon.com/alex-stupak/">https://www.empellon.com/alex-stupak/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.rockypointaquaculture.com.au/">Rocky Point Aquaculture</a>, sea lettuce and sustainable Australian seafood</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://carriageworks.com.au/events/carriageworks-farmers-market/">Carriageworks Farmers Market</a>, Sydney's celebrated producer market, home to local artisans, including Marrickville cheese makers</li>
</ul>
Have a story to share or a topic we should dive into? Drop us a line &mdash; we always love hearing from you.
Straight To The Source is hosted by Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.

From Christchurch to Australia: Chef Amber Doig on New York Humility, and Mexican Food Done Right 

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

Somer Sivrioğlu: Redefining Turkish Cuisine — From Sydney's Fish Market to MasterChef Turkey

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