NEW SERIES to FoodRadio:
The Network
The Network is a podcast series featuring some of the best known names in the Australian foodservice industry.
The first two episodes feature the men behind two well known distribution companies, Galipo Foods in Adelaide, and New West Foods in Perth.
From humble beginnings in a garage in 2023 Galipo Foods celebrated 40 years in business, and in our interview founder and owner — Sebastian Galipo — chronicles what has been an interesting journey.
LISTEN: EP 1: Sebastian Galipo - Galipo Food Company
“Part of the Galipo Foods journey and expansion has involved keeping up with fast-moving technology. It was the first foodservice company in the world to start using robotics.”
Across the Nullarbor Plain in Perth, Damon Venoutsos owns and runs New West Foods, a company started by his parents in 1988.
LISTEN: EP 2: Damon Venoutsos - New West Foods
“Core to working in the business was an understanding of the customer and supplier relationship. I loved to buy, I loved to sell.”
Listen to the podcast to find out how the name came about, and how the company has grown into one of the leading food supply and food distribution operations in this huge state.
Both men reveal reveal the role that other family members — and longstanding loyal staff — have played in making sure that Galipo Foods and New West Foods will survive to celebrate many more milestones in the future.
Don’t miss the latest episodes of The Culinary Passport
Thanks for the great response to The Culinary Passport podcast series which features the culinary journeys of chefs and other foodservice professionals.
This time, two more Australians who are making their mark in London, as we conclude season one.
DAVID STEVENS
“He began his career as a pastry chef in Brisbane, but now he’s responsible for some of London’s most fashionable eateries”
David Stevens is group executive chef of the Wolseley Hospitality Group which owns and runs a portfolio of individual restaurants in the British capital, including The Wolseley, in the heart of Piccadilly.
LISTEN: EP 3: David Stevens - The Wolseley Hospitality Group
His culinary journey began in Brisbane where he completed his apprenticeship as a pastry chef before heading to Europe in the 1990s.
He ran his own business in Scotland for eight years before joining Wolseley in 2013 as head pastry chef.
He took on his current role in 2017 and now commutes into London daily from his home outside the city by motorcycle.
“It’s a long day but I like to visit as many of our restaurants as I can every week so I’m in touch with what’s going on,” he says.
He loves being close to Europe and likes to get away for culinary weekends where he can experience food trends in some of the world’s most iconic cities.
Roy NEr
“Designing a new restaurant is never easy especially from the other side of the world.”
But that’s exactly what Roy Ner did because Covid restrictions meant he couldn’t travel to London to oversee the development of his first venture in the UK.
Roy is well known in Australia having launched Aria and Nour in Sydney and Za Za Ta in Brisbane, and Jeru in Mayfair has been a big hit since its opening.
LISTEN: EP 4: Roy Ner - Jeru, Mayfair
Jeru means old city and according to Roy the restaurant offers an accessible and chic Middle East fusion experience.
“I want to show how Middle Eastern food can play with the big boys,” he says.
“Among many others things we serve dry aged fish with some interesting flavours including chocolate which certainly gets diners talking.
“Jeru was a real challenge because so much of the design had to be done from Melbourne where I had help from an architect friend.
“I finally managed to get here a few months before we opened and we had to make lots of changes so it was full on.
“But it’s been worth all the effort because our customers love it.”
Follow the series on Soundcloud or subscribe on either Apple or Google podcast services by searching “FoodRadio”
And if you have a good story to tell, or know about an Australian foodservice professional working overseas, please get in touch with Lindsay Yeomans below.
