Behind the global acclaim, award-winning restaurants and culinary innovation of Josh Niland is a story rarely told. The story of two people building a business, raising four children and navigating the extraordinary pressures of hospitality together.

Josh’s contribution to Australian food has earned him international recognition and countless accolades, including the prestigious 2020 delicious. Produce Awards Maggie Beer Award for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Food. In 2025, Saint Peter was ranked No. 66 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants extended 51–100 list, the only Australian restaurant to feature. 

Their new book, Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse, marks a decade of the restaurant that transformed how the world thinks about fish. But it's also a remarkably candid account of the highs, lows and realities of building a hospitality business.

Ten years after opening Saint Peter in Sydney, Josh and Julie Niland join Lucy Allon for a deeply personal and refreshingly honest conversation about what it really takes to open a restaurant, keep it open and sustain a marriage and family along the way.

For the first time, we hear more of Julie's story. Largely out of the public spotlight until now, she's been instrumental in building the business from day one, managing everything from finances and operations to marketing, e-commerce and new commercial opportunities.

Together, Josh and Julie reflect on the pressures, personal sacrifices and difficult decisions behind their success. They share how their partnership works, what they've learnt about leadership and resilience, and why the emotional cost of running a restaurant deserves more honest conversation.

From the painful decision to close restaurants to Josh's emotional response to reading Julie's chapter, this is a conversation about much more than food.

In this episode:

• Julie Niland's pivotal, largely unseen role in building Saint Peter
• The financial and emotional realities behind restaurant success
• Marriage, parenting and working together under pressure
• Business closures, setbacks and the courage to make difficult decisions
• Building a trusted team and learning to delegate
• Diversifying beyond restaurants through innovation and e-commerce
• Cooking with the world's best: Rasmus Munk, Joan Roca & Virgilio Martínez
• The personal stories behind Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse
• Why, after everything, Josh and Julie still consider their friendship their greatest success

About Josh & Julie Niland

Josh and Julie Niland are the husband-and-wife team behind Sydney's internationally acclaimed Saint Peter, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in September 2026. Josh is one of Australia's most influential chefs, renowned for revolutionising the way the world thinks about fish through his innovative whole-fish philosophy. While Josh has been the public face of the business, Julie has played an instrumental role behind the scenes, driving operations, finances, marketing and business development while raising their four children. Together, they've built an extraordinary hospitality business through innovation, resilience and an unwavering commitment to their craft. Their latest book, Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse, offers an honest account of the triumphs, challenges and personal sacrifices behind a decade in business.

Find out more

• Saint Peter Restaurant & Hotel: www.saintpeter.com.au
• Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse: Explore the book
• Saint Peter Shop: shop.saintpeter.com.au
• Fish Butchery: www.fishbutchery.com.au

About Straight To The Source

Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain - the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.

Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry.

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• 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