He was nicknamed "Herbie" at school before he ever knew it would become a global brand. Ian Hemphill grew up in a nursery in Dural in the 1950s, watched his mother write Australia's first published book on herbs, trained as an actor at NIDA, sat with 300 spice merchants in New Delhi and finally felt like he'd "found his tribe" - and then, in 1997, took $45 on the first day of trading from a converted terrace house in Rozelle.

Nearly three decades later, Herbies Spices is one of Australia's most trusted names in herbs and spices, built on 120 handcrafted blends, zero outsourcing, an 800-page spice bible, and a philosophy that quality isn't negotiable, even if it means going out of stock.

In this episode, Ian talks about asafoetida (once branded "devil's dung"), the ghost of an old spice trader who may or may not have guided a 21-ingredient ras el hanout, why chefs are chronically under-seasoning, and why "spicy" might be the most misunderstood word in the culinary world.

What You'll Hear in This Episode
A childhood steeped in herbs - Growing up at his parents' nursery in Dural, where his mother Rosemary (yes, actually named Rosemary) wrote Fragrance and Flavour, Australia's first herb book, and won a bronze medallion at the Frankfurt International Cookbook Fair in 1960
From NIDA to the family business - Ian trained as an actor, got into NIDA, and ended up "resting" (translation: unemployed) his way back into the family herb trade
Finding his tribe - Representing Singapore at the first international spice group meeting in New Delhi in 1986, and feeling, for the first time, like the "weird spice guy" wasn't so weird after all
The $45 first day - How Ian and his wife Liz sold their home, converted a Rozelle terrace into a shop, lived above it, and opened Herbies Spices on 7 July 1997
The ras el hanout with 21 spices - The unplanned, possibly-haunted origin story of one of Herbies' most iconic blends, made to order and on shelves within 24 hours
Asafoetida, aka "devil's dung" - What it actually is, why it smells like a warning label, and why it might be doing more for your digestion than you think
The most underrated spices in the pantry - Ajwain seed, Australian lemon myrtle, and roasted wattleseed all get their moment
Why chefs are too scared of spice - Ian's theory on why professional kitchens routinely under-season, and the chamula scone incident that proves it
"Spicy" vs "spiced" - Why one word might be quietly sabotaging how people think about flavour
The next generation - Daughter Kate Hemphill, who tests recipes on her own kids in London and is now carrying the Herbies spice-discovery-tour torch under "Herbie's Kitchen"
The smell test: "Smell your spices every time you use them, even the ones you're really familiar with, because that way you will develop a smell memory." His parting advice for anyone who actually wants to understand spice.

About Ian Hemphill

Ian Hemphill is the founder of Herbies Spices and one of Australia's foremost authorities on herbs and spices, with a family legacy in the trade stretching back to the 1950s. Author of Spice Notes (published internationally as The Spice and Herb Bible), Spice Travels, and co-author with daughter Kate Hemphill of How to Add Flavour, Ian has spent over four decades sourcing, blending, and educating on herbs and spices from Morocco to Cambodia to India.

He and his wife Liz founded Herbies Spices in Rozelle, Sydney, in 1997, and have since developed more than 120 original spice blends - every one made in-house, never outsourced. Ian led 19 international spice discovery tours over 25 years before handing the reins to Kate, who now runs "Herbie's Kitchen" in the UK.

You can find Herbie's Spices online, in specialty stores across Australia, and in the pages of Ian's books - where 800 pages still aren't enough to cover everything he knows.

People & Places Mentioned
Rosemary Hemphill - Ian's mother; wrote Fragrance and Flavour, Australia's first published herb book (1959)
Liz Hemphill - Ian's wife and business partner; co-founded Herbies Spices in 1997
Kate Hemphill - Ian and Liz's daughter; chef, recipe developer, marketing lead, and runs "Herbie's Kitchen" spice tours in the UK
Margaret Fulton - Family friend since Ian was 12; the food writer behind the line "food is not a competition"
Christine Manfield & Alex Herbert - Dubbed "The Spice Girls" in an early Sydney Morning Herald piece that put Herbies on the map
Herbies Spices - Founded in Rozelle, Sydney in 1997; now based on the Central Coast, NSW

Resources & Links
Spice Notes / Spice and Herb Bible - Ian's 800-page reference, now in its third edition https://www.herbies.com.au/shop/spice-kits-and-books/the-spice-herb-bible-3rd-edition-soft-cover/
How to Add Flavour - Ian and Kate Hemphill's newest book, built for beginners https://www.herbies.com.au/shop/spice-kits-and-books/books/how-to-add-flavor/
Spice Travels - Ian's account of decades spent sourcing spices around the globe https://www.amazon.com.au/Spice-Travels-merchants-voyage-discovery-ebook/dp/B006IGUTZG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=37ILCPELRZWN8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dnbS4vNT0AgI8uSghfl-hDmvAMOc5kn3qmjzuWMjDdAGWzJADbNgcDZAmCe1wCm9or_HjZ5WxsoiVUy2ceg5G5NO9cg0bn6hBuHrS4-toGm0jKaEkcu_coyWvokxV-0-4PeBhHfAKYBWEvbNuyUo9cix3fAGqXlBEXwVPUiPN77d47jq4OVgt44c1jsgpsiRiBHwLpKihYd7AHKAL0mV05HClVnLAUg4Y5vGJl3F37U.HIEs19H4imHdSOat-zWAULkL-bG0b_dEZqz3ltUalWE&dib_tag=se&keywords=spice+travels&qid=1785899199&s=books&sprefix=spice+travels%2Cstripbooks%2C219&sr=1-1 
Herbie's Kitchen - Kate Hemphill's UK-based spice discovery tours and cooking classes https://herbieskitchen.com/
Herbies Spices - 120+ handcrafted blends, herbs and spices - find them online and in specialty stores https://www.herbies.com.au/

Keywords

Ian Hemphill, Herbies Spices, Australian food podcast, herbs and spices, cooking with spices, spice expert Australia, spice blends, premium spices, chef podcast, food podcast Australia, lemon myrtle, wattleseed, ras el hanout, za'atar, asafoetida, ajwain, seasoning, flavour, Lucy Allon,  Australian ingredients, Tawnya Bahr, Straight To The Source.

Connect with Ian Hemphill 
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-hemphill-989a2a101/ 

Herbie's Spices

Official website:  https://www.herbies.com.au/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/HerbiesSpices
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/herbiesspices/
YouTube: Herbie's Spices https://www.youtube.com/@HerbiesSpices

Kate McIntosh, Ian's daughter and co-author of How to Add Flavor, also shares recipes and flavour education through: https://www.herbies.com.au/herbies-blog/

About Straight To The Source

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

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

You can find us:
• Straight To The Source podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
 • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
 • Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au

He was nicknamed "Herbie" at school before he ever knew it would become a global brand. Ian Hemphill grew up in a nursery in Dural in the 1950s, watched his mother write Australia's first published book on herbs, trained as an actor at NIDA, sat with 300 spice merchants in New Delhi and finally felt like he'd "found his tribe" - and then, in 1997, took $45 on the first day of trading from a converted terrace house in Rozelle.
Nearly three decades later, Herbies Spices is one of Australia's most trusted names in herbs and spices, built on 120 handcrafted blends, zero outsourcing, an 800-page spice bible, and a philosophy that quality isn't negotiable, even if it means going out of stock.
In this episode, Ian talks about asafoetida (once branded "devil's dung"), the ghost of an old spice trader who may or may not have guided a 21-ingredient ras el hanout, why chefs are chronically under-seasoning, and why "spicy" might be the most misunderstood word in the culinary world.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">A childhood steeped in herbs - Growing up at his parents' nursery in Dural, where his mother Rosemary (yes, actually named Rosemary) wrote Fragrance and Flavour, Australia's first herb book, and won a bronze medallion at the Frankfurt International Cookbook Fair in 1960</li>
<li aria-level="1">From NIDA to the family business - Ian trained as an actor, got into NIDA, and ended up "resting" (translation: unemployed) his way back into the family herb trade</li>
<li aria-level="1">Finding his tribe - Representing Singapore at the first international spice group meeting in New Delhi in 1986, and feeling, for the first time, like the "weird spice guy" wasn't so weird after all</li>
<li aria-level="1">The $45 first day - How Ian and his wife Liz sold their home, converted a Rozelle terrace into a shop, lived above it, and opened Herbies Spices on 7 July 1997</li>
<li aria-level="1">The ras el hanout with 21 spices - The unplanned, possibly-haunted origin story of one of Herbies' most iconic blends, made to order and on shelves within 24 hours</li>
<li aria-level="1">Asafoetida, aka "devil's dung" - What it actually is, why it smells like a warning label, and why it might be doing more for your digestion than you think</li>
<li aria-level="1">The most underrated spices in the pantry - Ajwain seed, Australian lemon myrtle, and roasted wattleseed all get their moment</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why chefs are too scared of spice - Ian's theory on why professional kitchens routinely under-season, and the chamula scone incident that proves it</li>
<li aria-level="1">"Spicy" vs "spiced" - Why one word might be quietly sabotaging how people think about flavour</li>
<li aria-level="1">The next generation - Daughter Kate Hemphill, who tests recipes on her own kids in London and is now carrying the Herbies spice-discovery-tour torch under "Herbie's Kitchen"</li>
<li aria-level="1">The smell test: "Smell your spices every time you use them, even the ones you're really familiar with, because that way you will develop a smell memory." His parting advice for anyone who actually wants to understand spice.</li>
</ul>
About Ian Hemphill
Ian Hemphill is the founder of Herbies Spices and one of Australia's foremost authorities on herbs and spices, with a family legacy in the trade stretching back to the 1950s. Author of Spice Notes (published internationally as The Spice and Herb Bible), Spice Travels, and co-author with daughter Kate Hemphill of How to Add Flavour, Ian has spent over four decades sourcing, blending, and educating on herbs and spices from Morocco to Cambodia to India.
He and his wife Liz founded Herbies Spices in Rozelle, Sydney, in 1997, and have since developed more than 120 original spice blends - every one made in-house, never outsourced. Ian led 19 international spice discovery tours over 25 years before handing the reins to Kate, who now runs "Herbie's Kitchen" in the UK.
You can find Herbie's Spices online, in specialty stores across Australia, and in the pages of Ian's books - where 800 pages still aren't enough to cover everything he knows.
People &amp; Places Mentioned
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Rosemary Hemphill - Ian's mother; wrote Fragrance and Flavour, Australia's first published herb book (1959)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Liz Hemphill - Ian's wife and business partner; co-founded Herbies Spices in 1997</li>
<li aria-level="1">Kate Hemphill - Ian and Liz's daughter; chef, recipe developer, marketing lead, and runs "Herbie's Kitchen" spice tours in the UK</li>
<li aria-level="1">Margaret Fulton - Family friend since Ian was 12; the food writer behind the line "food is not a competition"</li>
<li aria-level="1">Christine Manfield &amp; Alex Herbert - Dubbed "The Spice Girls" in an early Sydney Morning Herald piece that put Herbies on the map</li>
<li aria-level="1">Herbies Spices - Founded in Rozelle, Sydney in 1997; now based on the Central Coast, NSW</li>
</ul>
Resources &amp; Links
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Spice Notes / Spice and Herb Bible - Ian's 800-page reference, now in its third edition <a href="https://www.herbies.com.au/shop/spice-kits-and-books/the-spice-herb-bible-3rd-edition-soft-cover/">https://www.herbies.com.au/shop/spice-kits-and-books/the-spice-herb-bible-3rd-edition-soft-cover/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">How to Add Flavour - Ian and Kate Hemphill's newest book, built for beginners <a href="https://www.herbies.com.au/shop/spice-kits-and-books/books/how-to-add-flavor/">https://www.herbies.com.au/shop/spice-kits-and-books/books/how-to-add-flavor/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Spice Travels - Ian's account of decades spent sourcing spices around the globe <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Spice-Travels-merchants-voyage-discovery-ebook/dp/B006IGUTZG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=37ILCPELRZWN8&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dnbS4vNT0AgI8uSghfl-hDmvAMOc5kn3qmjzuWMjDdAGWzJADbNgcDZAmCe1wCm9or_HjZ5WxsoiVUy2ceg5G5NO9cg0bn6hBuHrS4-toGm0jKaEkcu_coyWvokxV-0-4PeBhHfAKYBWEvbNuyUo9cix3fAGqXlBEXwVPUiPN77d47jq4OVgt44c1jsgpsiRiBHwLpKihYd7AHKAL0mV05HClVnLAUg4Y5vGJl3F37U.HIEs19H4imHdSOat-zWAULkL-bG0b_dEZqz3ltUalWE&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=spice+travels&amp;qid=1785899199&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=spice+travels%2Cstripbooks%2C219&amp;sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com.au/Spice-Travels-merchants-voyage-discovery-ebook/dp/B006IGUTZG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=37ILCPELRZWN8&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dnbS4vNT0AgI8uSghfl-hDmvAMOc5kn3qmjzuWMjDdAGWzJADbNgcDZAmCe1wCm9or_HjZ5WxsoiVUy2ceg5G5NO9cg0bn6hBuHrS4-toGm0jKaEkcu_coyWvokxV-0-4PeBhHfAKYBWEvbNuyUo9cix3fAGqXlBEXwVPUiPN77d47jq4OVgt44c1jsgpsiRiBHwLpKihYd7AHKAL0mV05HClVnLAUg4Y5vGJl3F37U.HIEs19H4imHdSOat-zWAULkL-bG0b_dEZqz3ltUalWE&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=spice+travels&amp;qid=1785899199&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=spice+travels%2Cstripbooks%2C219&amp;sr=1-1</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Herbie's Kitchen - Kate Hemphill's UK-based spice discovery tours and cooking classes <a href="https://herbieskitchen.com/">https://herbieskitchen.com/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Herbies Spices - 120+ handcrafted blends, herbs and spices - find them online and in specialty stores <a href="https://www.herbies.com.au/">https://www.herbies.com.au/</a></li>
</ul>
Keywords
Ian Hemphill, Herbies Spices, Australian food podcast, herbs and spices, cooking with spices, spice expert Australia, spice blends, premium spices, chef podcast, food podcast Australia, lemon myrtle, wattleseed, ras el hanout, za'atar, asafoetida, ajwain, seasoning, flavour, Lucy Allon,&nbsp; Australian ingredients, Tawnya Bahr, Straight To The Source.
Connect with Ian Hemphill&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn:<a href="https://au.linkedin.com/in/ian-hemphill-61b98828?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-hemphill-989a2a101/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-hemphill-989a2a101/</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Herbie's Spices Official website: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.herbies.com.au/">https://www.herbies.com.au/</a>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Facebook: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HerbiesSpices">https://www.facebook.com/HerbiesSpices</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Instagram: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/herbiesspices/">https://www.instagram.com/herbiesspices/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">YouTube: Herbie's Spices <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@HerbiesSpices">https://www.youtube.com/@HerbiesSpices</a></li>
</ul>
Kate McIntosh, Ian's daughter and co-author of How to Add Flavor, also shares recipes and flavour education through:<a href="https://www.herbies.com.au/herbies-blog/"> https://www.herbies.com.au/herbies-blog/</a>
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry.
You can find us: &bull; Straight To The Source podcast:<a href="https://lnk.to/jBCTBE"> https://lnk.to/jBCTBE </a> &bull; Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/"> https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/ </a> &bull; Website:<a href="http://straighttothesource.com.au"> http://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>.