In this episode, Inspired by Australian Pork’s Venessa Barnes is the guest. She’s interviewed by Australian Pork Limited’s Mitch Edwards as she prepares to leave pork and begin her next adventure. Our host-turned-guest, Venessa, shares her culinary journey, from her family owned Pub in the Hunter Valley, which provided the foundation for her career. From her apprenticeship at the Branxton Inn, to her role as Executive Chef at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, then onto the supply...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, Co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Chef Rick Stephen, Director of Kitchens- SATS Catering and Continental Director of Asia World Chefs. In this episode, Chef Rick Stephen’s shares his culinary journey with us which began at the age of 6 in his father’s upmarket Fish & Chip shop. Rick would come to work with his father before school and peel the potatoes for the...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, Co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Chef Alex Patterson, Executive Chef of Club Toukley. In this episode, Alex Patterson shares how 2020 has been one of the toughest years for Club Toukley with the Bush fires over summer affecting their holiday trade and then Covid-19 which saw the closure of Clubs and hospitality venues from Midday 23rd March. This has presented an...

Our host Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, is joined by Martin Macinnes chef and teacher at TAFE Queensland to discuss his culinary journey in this episode of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice. Born in Scotland Martin dreamed of being a Chef since a young age, and has now been in the hospitality industry for over 43 years (cooking for 31 years and teaching for 12 years). He started his apprenticeship in 1977 in a small 3 star hotel with 50 rooms with a former British army sergeant major...

Our host Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork and host of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice is joined by Tom Green, Manager – Policy & Government at Restaurant and Catering Association Australia.  In this episode Tom tells us about his transition from “failed Chef” to completing a degree in Media and his career in Politics. Tom moved to R&CA last year and his role covers everything from Advocacy, General Policy Work, Public Affairs and Industrial Affairs. He has been at the...

In this episode of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice our host Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, is joined by our CEO Margo Andre to talk about how the industry is responding to the challenges of COVID-19. Margo grew up in Bourke and her interest in the communities and industries of rural and regional Australia has shaped her career. The opportunity to be a leading advocate for Australian pork producers and help steer the advancement of Australia’s $5.3 billion pork industry drew her...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, Co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Sam Young, Group Executive Chef of the Momento Group. In this episode Sam shares what is was like for the group when foodservice venues were ordered to close, the tough conversations with staff and the idea to pivot to Essentials Express that enabled them to see minimal waste of perishables, help out the community and their...

Our host Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork is joined by Maegan Ellam who is a long time friend of the foodservice industry and a popular Australian blogger and author of keto cookbooks. In 2017, Megan was diagnosed with insulin resistance after struggling with her weight and health for more than 15 years. After discovering the ketogenic diet, Megan went on to lose more than 30 kilograms, self publish 7 keto cookbooks plus a large range of digital cookbooks. A self confessed foodie, Megan...

Our host Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, is joined by Danielle Dixon Executive Chef and Head of Studies at The Institute of Culinary Excellence (The ICE) to discuss her culinary journey in this episode of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice. Danielle Dixon started her apprenticeship age 29 after a top 12 placing in series 3 of MasterChef Australia. She was the first contestant from the show to become a qualified chef after completing her Certificate III in Commercial Cookery in 2012...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice and is joined by some very special guests.  In this episode the discussions focuses on a light hearted look at what home life under Covid-19 looks like for different family structures. We discover how our guests are keeping themselves occupied and it is everything from homemade pasta and pasta necklaces, to Zoom calls with elderly parents, and even creating videos! Inspired by Australian Pork has created a...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, Co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Chef John McFadden, Group Executive Chef of Al Aseel Group. In this episode John shares his experience with starting a new position as the Group Executive Chef on the day the restaurant restrictions were imposed by the government and how he and his team had to react quickly and think strategically and pivot from a food offering...

Venessa Branes, Australian Pork, Co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice is joined by guest Chef Paul Rifkin who brings over 40 years of kitchen experience and 30 years as an Executive Chef at establishments such as Campbelltown Catholic Club, Manor House Balmain and Barnaby’s Restaurants to name a few. In this episode the discussion focuses on how the club industry has been heavily affected by covid-19, what the current club industry scene looks like and how they have reacted, Paul...

Venessa Branes, Australian Pork, Co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Tony Sabia, Owner of Puntino Trattoria and President of Italian Chefs Association in Australia. In this episode the discussion focuses on how he pivoted his restaurant of 25 years and took it right back to what it was in the 1940’s, a grocery store. Tony received 2 messages from friends which were the catalyst in this timely pivot...

Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice are releasing “News Bites” to keep those in the foodservice industry up to date with what is happening in the industry during this global crisis. Inspired by Australian Pork has created a platform dedicated to the foodservice market where industry leaders are invited to discuss the rapidly changing landscape and what these changes mean. Our host Venessa Barnes speaks with Wes Lambert, Chief Executive Officer Restaurant & Catering Industry...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Dr Richard Robinson from The University of Queensland. In this episode the discussion focuses on the effect that Covid-19 will have on mental health and wellbeing, specifically within the hospitality industry. They also give practical suggestions for ways in which you can seek support and provide support to those in need.   As a...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Grant Jones, the founder of Chef’s Garage Hospitality Consultancy. In this episode the discussion focuses on rebuilding a business post Covid-19 and how the challenge is to resist the pressure to return to business as usual. They also give practical suggestions for ways in which you can prepare for business to return to the new...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, and host of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice is joined by guest, Laura McLachlan, founder of Executive Republic, to share her experience in helping small, medium and multinational foodservice businesses in their strategic planning and implementation. In recent years, her experience with businesses of all shapes and sizes has seen her understand just what it is that business owners and their leaders need when it comes to strategic planning &...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore, Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Paul MacDonald, Product Development Manager for a large QSR Business, Entrepreneur and small business man. In this episode the discussion focuses on agility and how when the rug is pulled from under you, you have to side step and think completely differently. Paul believes that many businesses are currently making it up as they go...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, and host of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice is joined by guest Ken Burgin, Strategic Partner & Events Manager of Silver Chef. In this episode the discussion focuses on suggestions on how to survive the current global crisis as a restaurant and café owner.  Ken gives practical tips on what restaurant and cafes owners could be doing now, how to handle difficult conversations with staff during this time, and advice on how owners could be communicating...

We're living through uncertain times for the industry we love and as business owners and community leaders, the way we respond right now matters hugely to our future. Here at Australian Pork we firmly believe this is not a time for hoarding information, it's a time for coming together as a community to adapt, survive and put ourselves in a position to thrive. So we've teamed up with industry leaders Foodie Coaches and the Restaurant & Catering Industry Association to keep...

Our host Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, is joined by Gary Johnson National Executive Chef ALH Group to discuss his culinary journey in this episode of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice. Gary is an award winning, Internationally recognised Chef with over 40 years of culinary experience and leadership in restaurants, pubs and hotels across several different countries.  Gary began his career in Queensland Hotels, where he completed his apprenticeship and then worked at several leading...

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, co-hosts Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Adam Moore Corporate Chef and Foodservice Industry Ambassador, with guest Howard Tinker, Director of Restaurant Profits. In this episode the discussion focuses on Diversity and what the landscape might look like once foodservice venues start trading again post Covid-19, what businesses might need to rebuild and trends that we could see coming out of this period. Inspired by Australian Pork has created a...

Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice with Venessa Barnes is co-hosted with Adam Moore Corporate Chef and a well respected Foodservice Industry Ambassador. Together they discuss the unprecedented events that we are experiencing through COVID-19 and the impact this is having on the foodservice industry where circumstances have dictated that businesses recreate the wheel in a very different way to what they have done before. Inspired by Australian Pork has created a platform dedicated to the...

Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice will be releasing 'News Bites' to keep those in the Foodservice industry up to date with what is happening in the industry during this global crisis. Inspired by Australian Pork has created a platform dedicated to the Foodservice market where Industry leaders are invited to discuss the rapidly changing landscape and what these changes mean. Today our host Venessa Barnes speaks with Wes Lambert, Chief Executive Officer Restaurant & Catering...