Deep in the Weeds - A Food Podcast with Anthony Huckstep

With sharp rises in daily Covid-19 cases forcing the government’s hand to lockdown Melbourne for another 6 weeks, Rob Kabboord (Lekker) is bouncing from angry, to disappointed and heart-broken about closing the restaurant again. But with the experience of the first lockdown under his belt he’s taking the time to get some air in the lungs and make sure his and his staff’s mental health is number one priority.

After switching to a takeaway model dishing up $16 dishes reminiscent of staff dinners Mark Jensen (Red Lantern) discovered a means to streamline his award-winning restaurant once the doors re-opened. The impact may be less revenue, but with far less costs, he's found a new model he believes could give him back some life/work balance.

https://www.redlantern.com.au

https://www.instagram.com/redlanterngroup/

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After becoming disillusioned with the hospitality industry and keen to find a new path Zoe Birch (Greasy Zoe’s) launched a tiny sustainable restaurant championing hyperlocal produce. Just when business was booming the pandemic threatened everything until the support of the local community and some clever tweaks to create a 6-seat restaurant re-invigorated her belief in venue.

With his restaurants forced to close, and his contemporaries experiencing the same fate, Shane Delia (Delia Group) looked at the positives and began to see opportunities. Not satisfied with a quick stopgap solution he created a new business called Providoor – delivering the food from the best restaurants to Melburnian's front door.

https://www.deliagroup.com.au

https://www.instagram.com/shanedelia/?hl=en

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After a brutal summer with bushfires Troy Rhoades-Brown (Muse Restaurant) was hoping that Easter would bring a swell of visitors to the Hunter Valley, but the pandemic landed closing the doors indefinitely. With some forward planning and incredible business acumen he’s survived the shutdown and is certain a honeymoon period in the Hunter is looming as restrictions ease and consumers start to travel again.

Follow Deep In The Weeds on Instagram

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Follow Huck

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Follow Rob Locke (Executive Producer)

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The Doomsday Plan

After building an artisan award-winning brand supplying airlines, stadiums, cinemas and clubs with a best-in-class product over 20 years Karen Lavecky (Land of Plenty Food Co.) lost 90% of business overnight. But a Doomsday document her husband and business partner wrote a few years ago ‘just in case there’s a catastrophe’ set a plan in motion immediately to ensure their business made it through the toughest period of its history.

With many people working from home due to the pandemic, restaurant precincts like Barangaroo that are normally packed with office workers have become ghost towns on weekdays. But Rebecca Lines (Banksii Vermouth Bar and Bistro) explains that consumers are out on force on weekends and spending big – offering a much-needed lifeline to area.

After a few years struggling to make ends meet, an opportunity to change the offering at Barzaari saw co-owner Darryl Martin renovate and re-launch just two weeks before the pandemic hit leaving his new vision potentially in tatters. But, the family banded together, and through luck or good fortune his new restaurant model has paved a new road to success.

After building their dream restaurant in the country and receiving a string of accolades as one of Australia’s best regional restaurants the pandemic came along and put everything Adam Bantock (Clementine, Yass) and his wife Brooke had built in jeopardy. But sometimes, tragic circumstances can give rise to a positive change in a new direction.

Last time we caught up with Ben Liebmann, the borders in Denmark were closed, and Noma was on the verge of re-opening as a wine bar to welcome back the Danes. Now with the borders opening again and restaurants open he shares some exciting news with Huck.