Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美

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Last Notes

2026-03-02 03:47:49 GMT

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Yeah pretty happy with how these turned out.
Trialling a recipe for a plant-based short crust
(Yes I know the filling isn't vegan but I'm just testing the pastry).
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/116/157/519/964/305/988/original/82c028e5ff18a302.jpg

2026-03-02 03:21:04 GMT

Been wanting to make epok epok sardine for awhile.
I wasn't a huge fan of sardines growing up, but I love them done like this - fried with lots of onions, green chilli, tomato paste and curry powder, encased in short crust pastry.
Kind of like a really punchy pastie 😁
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/116/157/415/977/800/546/original/0dc43a483d17c57a.jpg

2026-01-28 04:31:34 GMT

Comfort food often looks different depending on where you're from.
There is a soft spot in my heart for braised offal.
Duck, pork, chicken, beef... You name it.
Always takes me straight back home.
To be eaten with lots of fragrant, steamed jasmine rice or hand-cut rice noodles.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/970/834/192/454/198/original/cda1421c44698cb5.jpg

2026-01-24 10:41:01 GMT

Just had the loveliest impromptu 6 hour knock off sesh at a customer/friend's house.
She lives across the road and she invited us for a gin and tonic after work.
She and her partner are in their 70s and it was so fun listening to stories about Melbourne back in the day.

2026-01-23 06:31:54 GMT

I love yellow summer squash.
They bring me so much joy 💛
New on our summer menu 😁
Warm chicken salad with roasted summer squash and puy lentils, tossed with cucumber, fresh mint, shallots and pickled green chilli. Served on whipped tahini, garnished with dill oil and crispy tempeh.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/942/983/892/429/026/original/945f3c2a48b6f9d2.jpg

2026-01-21 05:02:00 GMT

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prob hold off on starting up dinner service till end feb so I can fill in while she gets better.
Works out alright, but I might need to extend my leave of absence for uni 🤦

2026-01-21 04:37:26 GMT

2 days to re-opening the cafe and my sous chef has sprained her shoulder AC 🤦
She'll have an arm in a sling for the next 6 weeks. 🙃
Yay. #hospolife

2026-01-19 22:38:58 GMT

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what a beautiful and well-researched article.
"Cooked white grains linger in my kitchen like coins in trouser pockets: forgotten for long periods, then rediscovered with joy." 💜
Thanks for sharing!

2026-01-19 03:29:12 GMT

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I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it.
Have had some absolutely fabulous meals... And some absolute shockers.
Having worked in fine dining, I guess I see through a lot of the bullshit. You can tell when a chef cooks from a place of joy and honesty.
It's always so much more enjoyable as a diner.

2026-01-19 03:17:40 GMT

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I've always had an issue with the way Eurocentric dining practices and preferences were enforced on food cultures that ate differently and valued different things.
Restaurants centred around sharing and communal dining are almost never considered for these awards, as they are classed as 'casual'... Even though so many non-European royal and fine-dining cuisines have been communal in nature for centuries.

2026-01-19 03:11:20 GMT

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"Here’s what I’d love to see: A list or set of awards, nominated by chefs, writers and lovers of food from all over the world, and then chosen from those nominations by a team of smart, engaged critics who actually represent the global community. Effort should be made to engage with all food cultures, to raise up indigenous foodways, to take things as they are instead of forcing a Eurocentric, fine-dining ethos on the method of ranking."

2026-01-19 03:09:49 GMT

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"Michelin has also long endured criticism that its criteria is outdated, that it unfairly benefits European and Japanese-style formality, and that – despite its attempts to adapt via the Bib Gourmand awards and other tweaks to the system – serious diners these days don’t care about the things that Michelin favours...
... While the service and cooking were technically unfaultable, the things that I value – deliciousness, cultural relevance, fun, joy, humanity – were lacking."

2026-01-19 03:06:16 GMT

Besha Rodell (senior editor and restaurant critic for The Age) wrote a great piece criticising global restaurant grading systems like Michelin.
It is aptly titled, "Let the tires down"
https://aplusinsights.com.au/articles/let-the-tires-down-best-restaurant-world-awards-michelin-worlds50best?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNTY3MDY3MzQzMzUyNDI3AAGnrUjZVVCCUwDRn9KVbnQStyiPUyxWMbp0AJG8qWXh7DbH0VXQmDHKUSr_Gyg_aem_9Kj62LEWwc8xbnTvUgXvuw

2026-01-18 22:28:22 GMT

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Jack's desserts were an absolute delight. Visually stunning, but simple. Layers of different flavours and aromas - sweet, bitter, tangy, floral, herbaceous, earthy.
Pictured is a quenelle of ice cream flavoured with koshihikari rice, sitting on a bright yellow yuzu curd, surrounded by a vibrant green basil oil and topped with shards of pale green matcha meringue.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/918/444/430/682/312/original/b5dda12b9827bbee.jpg

2026-01-18 22:24:40 GMT

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I'm usually let down by desserts in most restaurants.
Often because most places can't afford a dedicated pastry chef, or leave the desserts to the commis/apprentice.
Most hot-kitchen chefs also generally don't do much to sharpen their pastry skills, which I think is such a massive oversight.
Dessert is the last thing you eat before you leave an establishment. It lingers as you walk or drive away, rounding off your impressions of the meal you just experienced.

2026-01-18 21:56:58 GMT

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We've followed Jack's journey ever since he moved with his family to Melbourne more than 10 years ago and opened a small little cafe in Melbourne's West.
I was always amazed at what he did in such a tiny kitchen with limited equipment.
Always warm and ever humble. We've had lovely conversations over the years.
So glad to see him doing so well and cooking the food he loves.

2026-01-18 21:52:52 GMT

Shoutout to chef Jack Lee at The Raw in Geelong.
Punchy flavours, elegantly restrained and skillfully executed.
Possibly the best meal we've had in a *very* long time.
Pictured is delicately-sliced snapper sashimi draped over locally-grown cherry tomatoes compressed with lemon and kombu. Served with spring onion oil, smoked buttermilk, native muntries and fresh chervil.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/918/219/309/733/767/original/b022bd428e915bc2.jpg

2026-01-17 00:26:29 GMT

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This is his blog.
No frills. Just a 15-year repository for fantastic eats in Melbourne's west.
https://considerthesauce.net/

2026-01-17 00:19:21 GMT

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In this age of click-bait, rage-bait and food listicles... I mourn the loss of someone who loved food but also understood the challenges of being a small business owner.
He understood the power he wielded, and he held it with empathy and respect for those who toiled behind the stove.

2026-01-17 00:13:58 GMT

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He was a pioneer in many ways, making it his mission to shine the light on small mom & pop shops in inner west Melb and only ever publishing positive reviews.
I once asked him what he did if he had a less-than-inspiring experience.
His response was that he just didn't write about it.
These small businesses have enough stacked against them.
I always respected him for that.

2026-01-17 00:12:28 GMT

I just finished writing a piece to commemorate the work of a local food blogger who recently passed.
He started in an age before influencers and social media content creators were a thing ( early 2010s).
He never monetised his content. He never asked for a free meal.
His blog ran for 15 years.
He was an ex-journalist that just wanted to give back to the community and share his passion and curiosity for good food.

2026-01-15 08:43:35 GMT

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I've actually been here for 3 years 😂
Someone just decided to boost my pinned intro post today and it's just keeps getting re-boosted. Lol.
But thanks! I love it here💜💜

2026-01-14 14:51:08 GMT

A fun little broadway heels number to start the year 😁
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/894/005/591/590/371/original/1270d3f3e9748aa4.mp4

2026-01-12 06:09:44 GMT

We got an airbnb down the coast for a few days this weekend and just found out that our neighbour's dad is moving in to the house next door 😂
We're having beer at Greg's this weekend. Hahaha

2026-01-11 22:32:51 GMT

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same. My drink back then was a 3/4 latte with a double ris. So not too far off.
I used to do a topped up long mac, which is essentially the same thing (with a double espresso)... But people kept thinking I was from WA. So... 😂😂

2026-01-11 21:16:28 GMT

POV: Showing a new barista how to make a magic*
barista: Nice. It's not listed on the menu though?
trainer: we're in Melbourne. It doesn't have to be 😂
____
*A mythical Melburnian coffee that originated at Seven Seeds in the late naughties. A double ristretto, 3/4 flat white in a tulip cup.
Usually ordered by dicerning customers, coffee snobs and wankers. In no particular order

2026-01-08 04:12:01 GMT

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Should have sold my soul to Finance like the rest of them 😂

2026-01-08 04:10:02 GMT

Occasionally amused that I am simultaneously the family member with the highest academic qualifications, and also the one whose earnings are closest to the poverty line.

2026-01-08 03:05:43 GMT

Hello friends,
Happy New Year ☀️
Apologies for disappearing for a little while.
Just popping in to say hi and that things are ok.
Have had a lot of thoughts lately, but my brain is mush.
2026 seems to be off to a murky start 😬

2025-12-22 22:23:26 GMT

It's that time of the year...
That our local beekeeper and resident gay paramedic (with the best moustache in the west) gifts us a bottle from his hives 💜
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/765/548/996/806/325/original/f38f1f3a98339c95.jpg

2025-12-22 10:04:49 GMT

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every day 😬

2025-12-22 06:28:29 GMT

2 years of making these ku kueh every morning.
Some days I wake up at 6am and question my life choices.
But most days I've come to appreciate the morning meditation.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/761/773/243/564/841/original/58884b4c5e88ce08.jpg

2025-12-19 23:44:08 GMT

I starting dancing in my 30s as a form of exercise.
I soon came to love the challenge of constant learning and the freedom of expression that comes with moving bodies to music in space.
I've learnt to be silly and to feel comfortable in my own body, and those are precious things as I continue to get older.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/748/867/532/234/045/original/f03d3bb7be451aa4.jpg
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/748/868/509/084/895/original/3333347d9df46032.jpg

2025-12-19 00:58:37 GMT

We just celebrated surviving 2 years as a business yesterday, and honestly, the turnout really made me emotional.
It was a 38 degree day. It was warm. Yet, so many people came out and braved the heat to celebrate with us.
We also raised just over 3 grand (!!) for FoodBank, which will go a long way to helping some families over Christmas 💜
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/743/512/327/606/015/original/6753c5f76a387d7b.mp4

2025-12-13 04:57:15 GMT

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The man has many flaws, but this is such a big green flag for me.

2025-12-13 04:45:15 GMT

My husband has made friends with a magpie by feeding it sunflower seeds.
It comes by every day around closing time.
We call him Phillip Flappy Foot because one of his feet doesn't really work.

2025-12-12 01:36:55 GMT

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it was so thick and heavy.
This photo doesn't do it justice 🤣

2025-12-12 01:30:41 GMT

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The plan is to plant herbs that we use in the kitchen in the besser blocks.
Think mint, shiso, coriander, viet mint... Etc.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/703/998/671/752/573/original/01861081524a6f20.jpg

2025-12-12 01:26:10 GMT

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This is what it looks like now.
We've pulled up as much of the root system as we could, smothered it with a shit tonne of cardboard, covered with pine bark mulch and lined the whole thing with besser blocks.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/703/977/100/594/631/original/b5690aa66202f24a.jpg

2025-12-12 01:21:49 GMT

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Took us almost two hours just to pull up that small section of turf.
It was WILD.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/703/958/394/284/483/original/2f2b21e4665c3fa4.jpg

2025-12-12 01:15:38 GMT

We've been working on the backyard at our shop.
Previous owner had neglected it for a bit and grass had started growing through the turf.
We finally found time to get to it... And holy upside down vecna root system...
This was all through the underside of the turf.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/703/943/723/170/531/original/6205b64b64e1c4ee.jpg

2025-12-09 08:41:39 GMT

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At 14-15 yrs old, I cracked my dad's password multiple times on the home dial-up internet and reprogrammed the home security system so that the motion sensors wouldn't go off when I sneaked out at night.

2025-12-09 08:39:42 GMT

So... This whole under-16 social media ban in Australia is wild.
But what's even wilder are the comments from pedestal parents dumping on others for not having 'better control' over their kids.
Excuse me? Do you even remember being a teenager?

2025-12-09 00:50:18 GMT

Somehow managed to pull a muscle in pigeon pose and am now seriously questioning my life choices 🤣

2025-12-07 05:24:30 GMT

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Eating healthier food doesn't have to be miserable or more expensive.
Making it accessible and sustainable also means making it desirable and satisfying.

2025-12-07 05:21:17 GMT

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This is why I strongly believe in the importance of community and the cultural exchange and sharing of food.
Don't eat enough grains and pulses? Here's a ridiculously delicious (and simple) daal.
Don't eat enough veggies? Here's the tastiest fucking banh xeo with a pile of fresh leaves and herbs.

2025-12-07 05:15:09 GMT

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"Creating genuine desire for healthier food is harder. It requires shifting culture, not just prices. But desire is more ironclad. When people actually want the Planetary Health Diet—when it feels delicious and appealing, not virtuous and medicinal—you don’t need governments to enforce it. The change sticks because it’s embedded in how people see food, not dependent on which party controls the government."

2025-12-07 05:14:18 GMT

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"People aren’t spreadsheets making rational choices—our food habits come from decades of conditioning and engineered cravings.
Tax someone’s comfort food and you might reduce consumption, but you create resentment along the way.
For the wealthy, higher meat prices mean switching proteins. For everyone else, it’s a penalty with no appealing alternative waiting on the other side."

2025-12-07 05:12:12 GMT

Great article on how important it is for food experts to "out-delicious the competition" if they want people to make long term and sustainable changes to their diets.
https://thefuturemarket.substack.com/p/people-dont-eat-research-papers
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/676/554/706/528/261/original/d200557a1ed389fe.jpg

2025-12-04 05:54:23 GMT

I wrote about one of my fave bain marie lunch spots, and Burmese food in Melbourne's West :)
https://thewestsider.com.au/federal-taung-zalat-home-style-burmese-food-in-sunshine-and-beyond/
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/659/739/804/026/115/original/a595e3999ffddb7e.jpg

2025-12-03 01:40:12 GMT

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Not to mention that my husband is an Australian citizen and I'm a permanent resident...
This is our home. We are not expats. 😑

2025-12-03 01:38:04 GMT

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I mean.
They also called us "Singaporean expats" in the little background write-up... which made me have... *feelings* 🙄
Another chef got called an expat in the same article, so I've come to the conclusion that the writer has absolutely no idea what 'expat' means.
They probably think it's a nicer word for 'migrant' without realising the baggage the word holds for SEAsians who come from former colonies 🙃

2025-12-03 01:32:26 GMT

In other news.
Our laksa got listed by delicious. as one of Melbourne's best.
So. That's pretty cool.
https://www.delicious.com.au/eat-out/cheap-eats/gallery/best-laksa-melbourne/jovwrl6m
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/653/033/295/741/179/original/c39bff8beda2c881.jpg
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/653/034/441/706/100/original/00b9d3b1ec676e11.jpg

2025-12-03 01:09:15 GMT

Actual footage of me falling into December.
It's all going to be ok.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/652/955/912/046/644/original/01a2670dd8c6348b.mp4

2025-11-24 00:45:47 GMT

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it is.
We were very touched 💜
It's so lovely being part of community.

2025-11-23 22:38:33 GMT

My husband and I are grinches.
We both don't really see the point of buying decorations for one month of the year, only to have to find a place to store them for 11 months 🫠
I also find it ridiculous to have pine
/Winter themed decorations when it's summer here.
That said, a neighbour and regular customer decided to do this for us, and it has brought a lot of joy to people coming in.
So. Community spirit wins I guess 🤷
Tis the start of the Holiday Season.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/601/234/149/519/279/original/09ac0d9fa36e3f4e.jpeg

2025-11-17 00:57:59 GMT

Just randomly did a handstand and got smacked on the head as my phone fell out of my back pocket.
Hope you're having a better start to the week than I am. 🙃

2025-11-12 01:08:37 GMT

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Some modern establishments use baking paper instead, but I find that using the leaves imparts a wonderfully grassy aroma to the kueh, which for me is an inextricable part of the experience.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/534/046/543/335/322/original/628d5e251590267d.jpg

2025-11-12 01:05:04 GMT

The not-so-glamourous and labour-intensive side of daily kueh production.
Banana leaves are traditionally used when steaming kueh, mainly to prevent them from sticking to the steamer.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/534/001/567/844/709/original/3de2bf5312d76047.jpg

2025-11-09 08:53:40 GMT

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have a safe flight and the best time!
Looking forward to reading about your travels!

2025-11-09 08:43:13 GMT

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🥹 thank you.
I do miss working in fine dining, so it's good to know some of the training stuck. Haha.

2025-11-09 05:11:09 GMT

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In this instance I had some lovely pickled beetroot, sambal ijo, tempeh and green apple relish left over from the last menu.
They went really well with the asparagus, providing a little sweetness, kick and crunch. 😁

2025-11-09 05:10:10 GMT

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When you have a seasonal menu that changes regularly, you often have bits and pieces left over from the old menu that have to be used up, otherwise they end up getting chucked out.
I hate throwing good things away, so specials are a great way to use them up.

2025-11-09 05:05:20 GMT

Accidentally ordered too much asparagus this week,
So it was a good excuse to clear out the coolroom by making a special 😁
Grilled new season asparagus with beetroot yoghurt, corn & cheese fritters, green apple relish, sambal ijo, fried egg, tempeh manis & watercress
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/517/931/784/130/062/original/9aeecf13a73ec96c.jpg

2025-11-07 22:00:17 GMT

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Don't forget to leave a positive word for your favourite local! Every little bit helps to keep them afloat 💜💜

2025-11-07 21:58:53 GMT

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I wish people knew how much a positive review can brighten the day for hospitality workers and small business owners.
We don't make much money from what we do, and some days are *hard*, but knowing that customers love what we do really puts just a little more gasoline in the tank.

2025-11-07 21:56:14 GMT

Hands down. Best review.
Made me chuckle in the middle of service.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/510/633/178/815/641/original/982dd66bbaea0dd9.jpg

2025-11-04 01:11:01 GMT

If your arteries aren't clogged, is it really breakfast?
I mean, who even needs fibre? 🤣🙃
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/488/751/462/683/498/original/52275c1934d32608.jpg

2025-11-03 04:34:29 GMT

My husband just spotted the monkey that stole his fresh pack of ciggies from the balcony.
I would give anything to see the monkey and his mates on a tree smoking durries.

2025-10-29 01:13:16 GMT

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I would like to think that the acknowledgement of Thi's work and advocacy *finally* marks a turn in The Good Food Guide's coverage of the hospitality scene in Australia - to something less Eurocentric and more reflective of the actual diverse make up of this country.
I hope.
But only time will tell.

2025-10-29 00:07:23 GMT

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Her cookbook, "Viet Kieu", the Vietnamese equivalent of 华侨 (huaqiao) or Chinese diaspora, is a heartfelt and vulnerable sharing of her story as an immigrant and as a queer person in the hospitality industry.
These stories spoke to me in a way that I never knew I needed. It's probably the first cookbook that ever made me cry.
The recipes and visuals are also phenomenal. Highly, highly recommend.

2025-10-29 00:03:09 GMT

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She is a bold spokesperson for diasporic SEA food in Australia, loudly defending the rights to accurate pricing that reflect the quality ingredients and the effort that goes into creating these foods.
She also unapologetically explores her multiple identities through her food, challenging notions of what is 'authentic' and 'traditional'... paving the way for exciting new interpretations of modern Australian-Asian cuisine.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/454/515/840/620/488/original/1d57f49835b12876.jpg

2025-10-28 23:57:21 GMT

This year's Australian chef of the year is Thi Le, owner/operator of Anchovy and CaCom in Richmond.
And I cannot think of a person more deserving.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/454/483/360/694/886/original/6fa1846a4d9ab400.jpg

2025-10-28 02:39:53 GMT

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I saw this and got confused for a second 🤣🤣

2025-10-28 02:01:17 GMT

So it's come to this.
Seek is trying to scare me into placing an ad 🤣
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/449/315/474/081/260/original/fa6c780abeea8523.jpg

2025-10-28 00:24:30 GMT

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it is.
It's just nice to see where they've ended up and that they're happy :)
He was the first proper Aussie friend that I had and he showed me so much of Melb that I prob would never have discovered on my own as an international student.

2025-10-27 22:53:51 GMT

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Ikr? How cute 🤣
This is what I want for my hypothetical daughter.

2025-10-27 22:49:29 GMT

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It's funny how you look back and you wonder.
All these sliding door moments.
We met up later in life. Me with my husband and he with his wife.
We had pizza in Collingwood.
It was lovely and kinda seemed like a nice way to bookend a friendship.

2025-10-27 22:46:32 GMT

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I was in a long-distance relationship at the time, so it kind of didn't occur to me that someone might be interested?
I know. The innocence 🤣
That said though, this boy was v sweet and I still remember how he was shocked that I didn't have birthday plans and proceeded to pull me off the tram to go get ice cream. Lol

2025-10-27 22:43:17 GMT

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One of my theatre studies assignments at uni was to write a review of a play, and one of my classmates suggested we go together to La Mamma in Carlton and have dinner beforehand.
I thought we'd just grab something quick, but he took me to a cute Italian restaurant and wanted to pay for dinner (I didn't let him).
We watched the play, took a long stroll in the park after, talking about the play, and then went home 🤷

2025-10-27 22:42:00 GMT

I was just reminded of a date(?) that I went on in my first year in uni 🤣
The question mark is because we were both young (19), and to this day I still don't know if it was supposed to be one. Hahaha

2025-10-25 23:54:19 GMT

I ran out of beef shortribs and had a whole bag of free handmade gnocchi from a friend...
So this lamb rendang gnocchi happened 🤣
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/437/481/765/179/367/original/130c84359ac41d6c.jpg

2025-10-23 04:03:03 GMT

If you've been following me for awhile and wondering why there's been a sudden spike in posts, it's because I am deep in the middle of writing a methodology paper and I am procrasti-voiding.
#phdlife

2025-10-23 03:45:18 GMT

We may not have avo on toast on the menu...
but we've made breakfast laksa a thing in our little corner of the innerwest and we're not sorry about it 🤷
Behold.
Our Sarawak-style laksa or "breakfast of the gods" (Tony Bourdain's words, not mine).
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/421/419/052/686/648/original/b6c44b996e4c9593.webp

2025-10-22 20:54:59 GMT

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it was such a wonderful thing back then.
I still remember when we had a rooftop garden and whoever was in larder would go up every morning to water it and harvest herbs and little bits and pieces for garnish.
During artichoke season we would get them by the boxes and all the chefs would sit around the large prep bench with a pint of beer to prep them for pickling.
That whole farm-to-table ethos has all but vanished from the brunch scene 😔

2025-10-22 05:03:25 GMT

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I still remember raving about the offal-driven menu at English chef-run Duchess of Spotswood back in the day.
You mean I can get sweetbreads with my eggs??
I remember working at the Grainstore and boiling pigs heads every week to make presskopf.
Or the time we got whole pigs in to break down and make everything from pancetta to cotechino.
No one is doing that sort of exciting stuff anymore.
Cafe chefs are either too scared to take the risk, or don't have the skills to pull it off.

2025-10-22 04:59:21 GMT

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All while this is happening, Australian Masterchef is having its time in the sun.
The entire country is cooking and exploring new flavours and foods.
Brunch (with its influx of restaurant-trained chefs) was, for that period in time, a great way to eat interesting food without the restaurant price tag.
Chefs were curing their own bacon, making their own sausages and brioche.
Anyone remember how revolutionary Hammer and Tong's soft shell crab burger was before copycats took over and they were everywhere?

2025-10-22 04:54:50 GMT

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Around the mid 2010s, we started to see the rise of the cafe hospitality groups that would open (or buy over) fancy new joints like top paddock and kettle black.
They were still good, but they followed a fixed formula. This was also around the time insta food influencers started becoming a thing.
In addition, a lot of smaller players started to join, wanting to live out their dream of owning/running a Melbourne cafe and trying to use the same formula.
All this added to market saturation, and the beginning of the very predictable melb cafe menu - avo toast , ricotta pancakes, corn fritters, chilli scramble, some twist on a benny.. a brekkie bun. 😑

2025-10-22 04:48:05 GMT

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This was also a time where online food reviews were only just starting to become a thing.
Urbanspoon was probably the most reliable (and really, only) review platform for Melbourne.
Instagram influencers weren't really a thing yet, but food bloggers were huge.
The thing about food blogs is that they were still sort of long form journalism that captured more than pretty food (as opposed to insta or tiktok).
Bloggers would talk about taste and atmosphere and a lot of them weren't monetised.

2025-10-22 04:43:48 GMT

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At the same time, a lot of fine dining chefs were saying fuck it to the night game and moving into the cafe scene.
Places like Hammer and Tong, Deadman Espresso, Outpost, Duchess of Spotswood, The Grainstore...
These were some of the OGs.
The calibre of chefs in the cafe space at this time was phenomenal. I worked with some chefs that had done time in Michelin kitchens all over Europe.

2025-10-22 04:40:45 GMT

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It was a moment in time that was marked by the convergence of a few different things.
Firstly, specialty coffee was just starting to emerge.
Mark Dundon had just sold St ALi to current owner, Salvatore, and had opened up Seven Seeds in Carlton.
In the next five years, Axil, Padre, Proud Mary, Sensory Lab, Auction Rooms and Small Batch... would open up.
It was an exciting time for coffee.

2025-10-22 04:36:14 GMT

So Broadsheet released this article on the death of the Melbourne brunch scene - ok maybe that's a bit dramatic, but the vibe is that it's not as hot as it used to be.
As a chef that has worked in some of the 'hottest' cafes at the peak of this era (late 2000s to 2010s), and who used to own/run a cafe that was in the Good Food Guide's top 50 from 2016-2018, I feel like I have some clout to say a few things about this.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/415/914/284/276/954/original/1c8157a42020a651.jpg

2025-10-21 22:29:06 GMT

Probably my favourite on the menu at the moment.
Just a celebration of Spring 💚
Stracciatella with baby peas and asparagus, dill, mint and lemon, watercress, a green apple gazpacho, crispy quinoa and house-made flatbread.
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/414/484/958/113/726/original/9c5b45df3474be06.jpg

2025-10-21 04:52:50 GMT

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Public health and food education, but specifically food pedagogies in community spaces and the importance of local/community knowledge :)
I have a paper coming out in about a month that I am very excited about and can't wait to share.

2025-10-21 04:43:10 GMT

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surprise! 🤣
But I honestly should probably post about my research more. Hahaha

2025-10-21 02:36:26 GMT

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The stress of having to do this almost justifies having to take a mental health break so.... thanks? 😑

2025-10-21 02:16:39 GMT

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I've been told to go to my GP to get an MC and try to apply from a mental health angle.
I just find it absolutely ridiculous as this unnecessarily burdens the clinics and also trivialises the more serious mental health issues than others may face.
Not to mention that I am an adult with a good track record. I know when I need time off (as a preventative for burn out) and when I can go full steam ahead. 😑
Urgh.

2025-10-21 02:11:05 GMT

Last 6 months of this PhD journey.
Tried to apply for a couple of months off to focus on the cafe/restaurant business during the peak summer period, as there is absolutely no way I am going to get any writing done during this time.
Request got rejected. Which is fun 🙃

2025-10-21 00:46:35 GMT

Don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for a good bircher muesli, especially as the weather gets warmer.
I'm not a fan of hot oats.
To me, porridge=congee, and I will die on this hill.
But bircher muesli? *Chef kiss*
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/409/387/935/574/553/original/7935b55cd8963d6b.jpg

2025-09-12 00:35:30 GMT

You know you're too far down the circus rabbithole when you're walking around your house tapping the ceiling at regular intervals with a broomstick...
trying to ascertain if it's solid enough to support an aerial mount 🤣