Strap in for a fast paced chat with this natural born story teller.  From the heady heights of top restaurants, starring in his own reality tv program and radio shows to his definition of “enough” - which  begins with rude health and healthy kids before settling with sovereignty of time and community belonging. 

As practical and grounded as he is charismatic with a touch of aussie larrikin, ‘Westy’ is whip cracking fast making it easy to listen and laugh at his tales - like serving uncooked rice as his first attempt at cooking.

This high energy human wraps up the season for us with insights and stories that are endearing and inspiring in equal measure.

Episode notes

Choosing your island foods

Are you an eater or a foodie ?- Westie grew up as an eater until he was 17 before becoming a foodie

Embalmed cats above the fresh food aisles at the local supermarket 

Moving from his first out-of-home cooked meal: Raw rice, frozen peas, ham and soy sauce to cheffing in lofty places

His first wwoofing experience that sowed the seeds for his ‘NOW’ life:

Witnessing the loftiest ideal for human life as life on the land growing food, connecting to community, physical work

His winding but whip fast hospitality adventure

Using the age good food guide as a way to get a job and crash landing into Vu De Monde to cut his teeth

Turning his back on fine dining cuisine to return to the roots of growing food.

A yearning desire to really understand the rhythms of food

How fatherhood changed him, from self to selfless. Why he never wanted to be a ‘phone in’ dad

Reframing his expectations of fatherhood for him, his kids and his wife.

Creating patterns to set up our kids for the rest of their lives and using food as the central guide for this 

The virtues of tapping into the primal human nature.

Transitioning from kitchen to farm grew his understanding of long standing ecological needs.

River Cottage - the inside scoop on the steep learning curves and truth behind producing a reality TV program. The juggle of actually living a 365 day farm life but needing to fit in the production of a stage production alongside.

The hard work of farming! Far from white clothed lunches under a tree

The repetition needed for growing

Now living a life that's the amalgamation of his previous lives 

Creating a life of belonging in a village across generations

The perfect combo of small-house big block.

Building ritual around food markers, what the gardens providing, when the crayfish and oysters are harvesting, 

Making an effort to observe the natural spectacles and building ritual around it

His ENOUGH

References:

Aftertaste ABC Series
River Cottage Australia SBS on demand series
The Edible Garden Cookbook and Growing Guide - Paul West 2013

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