Keeping it Cool: Talking Fridges and Food Safety with Trinity Bond of EnviroChill While food safety might not be glamorous, it’s one of the most important aspects of the hospitality industry. Food is the literal bread and butter for cafes and restaurants, after all. Yet many cafe and restaurant owners don’t look into how they can maximise food safe…

These days, it’s essential for even brick-and-mortar businesses to have an online presence. As social media is where a lot of people spend time online, it also helps to have a social media presence. But cafe and restaurant owners are chronically time-poor and busy enough trying to keep their business running smoothly day in and day out. How can we …

We here at Hospitality Talk have spoken with a lot of movers and shakers within the industry. Now we’ve finally sat down and recorded one of our many fruitful conversations, this time discussing Josh’s new book and some of the most important points that have resonated with Peter and fellow leaders in the hospitality industry. Josh’s book, The Hospi…

Andre Selga and Nadia Moreira have been in the coffee business for a decade now. After establishing connections with friends and farmers in Brazil, they brought their business to Australia in 2017 to break into the specialty coffee market. They call themselves “coffee hunters,” always in search of the best bean to make that perfect cup of coffee. T…

These days, lots of experts recommend that restaurants and cafes install point-of-sale (POS) systems. As technology has advanced, more and more cafes and restaurants are using POS systems to manage transactions, payroll, and inventory. With all the different functions that a POS system can serve, it’s become a must-have for a majority of the hospit…

Talking Tea with Danny Andrade In Australia, coffee is king, with cafes on almost every corner. Interest in tea, however, is growing. Danny Andrade, originally hailing from Brazil – itself a big coffee country – came to tea knowing hardly anything about it. Yet his transition to tea was so smooth, he recently won the World Tea Brewers championship.…

James Henderson on How to Build a Better Hospitality Experience James Henderson has added a lot of titles to his name: podcast host, hospitality innovator, consultant, speaker, and even accidental festival owner. He’s pretty much done it all in the hospitality industry, having worked in bars, restaurants, and hotels. On his podcast, Hospopreneurs, …

Keep It Simple: Justine Schofield on What She Looks for in a Good Restaurant When starting a café or restaurant business, being able to stand out and attract customers is the most important thing you want to achieve. After all, if customers don’t come, you’ll have to close your business. But it’s not easy when customers have so many cafes and resta…

Business Essentials: What You Need to Know About Insuring Your Café or Restaurant They say that only two things are certain in life: death and taxes. When it comes to doing business, we can add another item to the list: insurance. These days, it’s a necessary chore, but many business owners don’t find the topic very interesting or pleasant to talk …

All About the People: Jordan Toft on The Keys to a Successful Kitchen Jordan Toft has been in the cooking business for a long time: 20 years, in fact. He got his start at the tender age of 15 working in the Sydney Opera House kitchen, and has been working as a chef ever since. He’s also lived on three continents, working in restaurants located in F…

Some would say that making the perfect cup of coffee is an art. As a matter of fact, there is an actual art to making coffee – latte art, that is. Using coffee as a canvas, latte artists make up a special breed of barista. Every year, competitions are held in Australia and around the world to showcase the best in this unique field. I sat down with …

Working with food doesn’t always necessitate a busy schedule, but Zoe Bingley Pullin is one of Australia’s busiest health food gurus. Hosting a healthy eating program called Falling in Love with Food, Zoe coaches thousands on how to cook, eat, and live healthy. In addition to her work as a healthy eating coach and cooking show host, Zoe also works …

If you haven’t heard of Damian Griffiths, you may have heard of one of the restaurants his company owns: Alfred & Constance, Les Bubbles, Alfredo’s, or Doughnut Time might ring a bell. Doughnut Time, especially, has become a veritable phenomenon since opening in 2015. In the 21 months after the first shop opened, Doughnut Time has expanded to 27 ou…

Great food and superb service are key ingredients to success for anyone in the hospitality industry. But the design and ambiance of a space also contribute to success. Graham Charbonneau and Dave Bickmore, the guys in charge of design firm Studio Gram, have won many awards after, including the eat drink design awards and the international bar and r…

Episode 7: Getting the (Work) Family Together: Ken Burgin’s Advice on Recruitment The staff of a café or restaurant is kind of like a big family. Unlike a family, however, you’re able to choose who you think is a best fit to join in. Ken Burgin spoke with me about how to take advantage of this ability to choose, especially since restaurants and caf…

Starting Off Smart: Richard Edwards on Leasing a Space for a Café When starting up a café or restaurant, it’s all about the location. From the neighborhood to the interior of the space, the location can make or break an establishment. When you’ve found one you like, it may be tempting to just sign off on the lease without much thought. But as with …

Change is Good: Culture Hacker Shane Green’s Advice on Adapting to the New World of Customer-Centred Service It’s never been more exciting to be in the hotel industry, according to Shane Green. With the rapid advancement of social media and mobile technology and the rise of disruptors such as Airbnb, the hotel industry is being shaken up in unprece…

We spoke with Ben Milbourne, a season four contestant of Master Chef, and host of Ben’s Menu, about his time on the show and what he’s been up to since. Ben has turned his passion and newfound celebrity into a successful business. Under the umbrella moniker Food By Ben, he gives food tours, serves degustation dinners, provides cooking demonstration…

Sasa with the world barista champion trophy Bringing the Best Coffee from Bean to Brew – Sasa Sestic’s Secrets of Success It’s been a long hard road to success for Sasa Sestic. The current Australian and World Barista Champion is the founder of Ona Coffee, winner of best espresso and best roaster. After seven years of striving for the title of worl…

From appearances on Masterchef Australia to expanding his café into a franchise, the wind blows in the right direction for Ben O’Donoghue. We spoke with Ben in his newly opened Billykart Kitchen in the West End of Brisbane. An easy-going personality on and off the screen, Ben has made a name for himself on television and the real world. As the West…

Phillip Di Bella, founder of Brisbane-based Di Bella Coffee, has spent much of his working life in the hospitality industry, and knows the ins and outs of the business. We spoke about Philip Di Bella about his past experience in the industry, his advice for those starting out, and what he hopes for the future. Phillip Di Bella was, in a way, primed…