Category Archives: Opinion

Over the past 12 months or so, I, like many others, have made jams and pickles, fermented yoghurt and kombucha, and perfected my sourdough. I’ve made lots of curries and discovered new vegetable dishes. I’ve read cookbooks that I bought some time ago but had since languished on the kitchen shelf. I’ve cooked for theContinue reading “Opinion: The joy of cooking …”

Last Tuesday’s budget, like most budgets, had good news and bad news. The good news includes funding for tourism and aviation, supporting domestic tourism with half-price airfares and lots more. The Federal Government has provided a massive financial package to supercharge the economy post-COVID. Our economy seems to be doing well and, domestically at least,Continue reading “Opinion: Keep Calm and Carry On”

Can you recall the first restaurant you went to? Probably with the family. Maybe for a special occasion … a birthday or taking Grandma out? Can you recall the dishes and the aromas? The first restaurant I remember as a kid, was the Lyons Corner House in Cheltenham in the UK. I guess I wasContinue reading “Opinion: Memory Lane”

I have just returned from a road trip through the NSW wineries of Mudgee and Rylstone. A lovely area at this time of year – clear open skies, crisp cold mornings, the beautiful autumn colours with fallen leaves swirling around on the ground in the light cold breeze. Now that the grapes are almost allContinue reading “Opinion: To book or not to book”

Now that the state borders are opening and the vaccines are being rolled out, there is a new sense of confidence. It’s time to venture out and get back to business. As more of us choose to work from home, rather than return to the office, suburban cafés are doing well. Regional tourism is booming.Continue reading “Opinion: Back to Business”

Hip hip hooray! It looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel. The vaccines are being rolled out. State borders are opening. It’s beginning to look like the new normal. Time to get out and enjoy oneself – and support our ailing food industry. There is nothing wrong with indulging a little. EspeciallyContinue reading “Opinion: Power of Pleasure”

Our senses are important to eating. Eating is one of the few activities we do that involves all five of our senses – sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing. We use our senses to manage the world around us – for safety, security, movement and general living. Our eyes provide sight, our ears process sound. Our skinContinue reading “Opinion: Loss of Taste”

Happy New Year!  2020 was certainly a year no-one will forget! A wild, erratic and precarious rollercoaster ride. I think enough has already been said about the past pandemic year – “an unprecedented time” – sad, difficult, emotional, uncertain, crazy. Thankfully in Australia, we have been spared the worst. Whilst we must not be complacent,Continue reading “Opinion: Looking Forward”

If you are reading this, you are no doubt a food lover! And good food brings people together. Food is social and we all love to socialise. Good hospitality and commensality go hand in hand. Shout a drink. Put a shrimp on the barbie. Share a sausage sandwich at Bunnings.  It’s all part of theContinue reading “Opinion: A plea for camaraderie”

Fire up the barbecues. Decorate the Christmas tree. Deck the halls with holly – for ‘tis the season to be jolly. The Christmas Grinch has apologised. And the borders are now open … for the time being. We can all look forward to a merry Christmas with family and friends – but with only 50 guests permitted atContinue reading “Opinion: We’re back”

Last week I wrote about the closure of Sizzler. Sizzler is an important icon. As I wrote, it was more than just a restaurant. It was an institution. It taught many people to eat out. It was popular. It had queues. Sizzler did not become unpopular. To some extent, it was a victim of itsContinue reading “Opinion: End of an Era – changing tastes”

Sunday, 15 November 2020 was the last day of trading for Sizzler Australia. After 35 years of operation, Sizzler closed its doors. No more cheese toast. No more salad bar. No more kids’ parties. No more stuffing lollies into mum’s bag to take home. No more steak, seafood, salad. Many people will say “about time”.Continue reading “Opinion: End of an Era”

Restaurants have certainly had a tough time over the past six months. The hospitality sector has been decimated by COVID-19. Most restaurants and cafés are struggling. Many will not survive … and those that do will be very different. It’s been just over six months since the first lockdowns and the closure of many restaurants. SixContinue reading “OPINION: Back to the Future – Reviewing in 2020”

It’s been just over six months since the first lockdowns and the closure of many restaurants. Six months of change. Six months of little or no income. Six months of stress and uncertainty. Six months of innovation. Back in April I wrote about a new normal (to view article, see here). At that time, restrictionsContinue reading “Opinion: Six Months On”

I have a dilemma! It’s my son’s birthday soon and he wants to go to a Thai restaurant … a Thai restaurant that was closed due to COVID a few weeks ago but is now reopened. Moreover, I am still a bit nervous about big crowds in small spaces. Six months of restrictions have made meContinue reading “Opinion: Is it safe to eat out??”