This week, I am delighted to bring you Steph Hannington-Suen, who is a dear friend and 50% of the London-based scent brand Homework, which she founded and runs together with her husband, Ross.

When it comes to scent-making, I truly think Steph is one of the most talented noses in London, if not the whole country.

I've been a hardcore fan of homework since pretty much the beginning, back when they had a stall in a tool market. I am such a groupie, in fact, that a lot of my guests have commented how they have come to associate my house with their scents.

Steph and I talk about her background as the daughter of a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner; how those principles have influenced this new iteration of the brand, which is the fifth, as she will explain herself; how sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is to just start again; how she views scent making as a very logical storytelling process; the challenges of becoming a mother (especially when both you and your partner are involved in the same business) as well as some practical tips for budding entrepreneurs.

We also somehow end up talking about the uncanny similarities between the Chinese and Italian cultures – especially when it comes to health beliefs – and I think you can hear what a field day we had on that topic.

Find out more about Homework:

Website: homeworkstore.co.uk

Instagram: @homework.store

Take the test to find out which is your element:https://homeworkstore.co.uk/pages/tcm-quiz

Check out my Substack for behind the scenes and extra content from this episode

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This episode is sponsored by Avantcha.

With over 100 different teas in their collection, Avantcha is truly a one-stop destination for tea lovers like me. If you don't know where to start, check out Avantcha's Tea Silkbag Explorer box and take advantage of their limited-time offer for new customers: the cost of the box (£15) will be credited back to you as a voucher to spend on your favourite tea.

Find out more at

https://uk.avantcha.com/silk-teabag-explorer/

I came across Gillian’s Instagram profile back in 2021, around the time I opened The Venetian Pantry. Back then, Gillian was a lifestyle photographer, and I was immediately captured by her timeless sense of style, calm interiors and idyllic family life.

When she decided to pivot her career and start her own clothing line, I was there to watch it all unfold in awe. I would describe Gillian’s sense of style as timeless and effortlessly elegant, and her clothes appeal to women of all ages and sizes.

After following Gillian for so long online, I was a little starstruck, but the thing that impressed me the most was her ability to be completely open and vulnerable. We touch on things like self-doubt, social media trolling and cancel culture, the less glamorous sides of having your own business, as well as Gillian's continued fascination with the Uk as a source of inspiration for her designs.

Find out more about Gillian's brand:

Website: gillianstevens.co

Instagram: @gillianstevens

Tiktock: @gillian.stevens

Check out my Substack for behind the scenes and extra content from this episode

.

This episode is sponsored by Avantcha.

With over 100 different teas in their collection, Avantcha is truly a one-stop destination for tea lovers like me. If you don't know where to start, check out Avantcha's Tea Silkbag Explorer box and take advantage of their limited-time offer for new customers: the cost of the box (£15) will be credited back to you as a voucher to spend on your favourite tea.

Find out more at

https://uk.avantcha.com/silk-teabag-explorer/

For this episode of Spilling Tea, I’m sitting down for lunch with the lovely and extremely impressive Sooji, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing for my Substack a while ago (If you miss it, head here to read it). This conversation focuses more on Sooji’s inspiring personal story, as well as what it’s like to start a business from scratch during the pandemic.

It was a rainy summer day when Sooji came to record. To brighten up the day, I cooked a Spanish/Peruvian-inspired feast: A classic Tortilla de Patatas, charred asparagus on Romesco sauce with burrata and toasted almonds, baked feta with cherry tomatoes and oregano and finally a green salad made with pak choi, grapes, blueberries and a green dressing inspired by a dish I tried at Llama Inn, one of my favourite restaurants.

Thanks for listening! If you think this conversation will be inspiring for someone you know, feel free to share!

LINKS:

Follow Sooji @_im_sooji

@be_oom_

@cha_oom_

be-oom.com

We mention in the podcast…

Sooji’s favourite author & books: W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage & The Moon and Six Pence

Be–oom best selling Tea:Persimmon Leaf tea

Sooji’s favourite spot in London:The Barbican

Sooji’s favourite Bakery in London:Arome Bakery, Covent Garden

Sooji’s favourite comfort-food restaurant:My Old Place, Liverpool Street

Sooji’s favourite fine dining Korean restaurant:Sollip, London Bridge

Hannah is a fashion stylist with a 15+ career dressing celebrities. We talk body confidence, ageism in the fashion industry, as well as her top tricks of the trade to elevate any outfit. See more of Hannah's amazing outfits on her blog, grahamst.co.uk, or on her Instagram @grahamst.fashion

Welcome to Spilling Tea, or – as I like to call it – my accidental podcast. Why is it accidental? Well, I never really planned to start a podcast, but as I was recording an interview with someone really special for my newsletter, I realised it was too good not to share.

I have to admit, one or two close friends have asked me in the past if I would ever consider starting a Podcast, and to be honest, I used to dismiss the idea, telling myself that I didn’t have enough interesting things to say, it’s not my first language, and so on.

But in the past 3 years since opening The Venetian Pantry (my Instagram account) I have met so many interesting, creative and inspiring people, and I feel really excited at the thought of sharing them with you all.

So here is the idea: a series of conversations with people I admire from different fields, from design, food, health and beauty or – like in the case of my first guest – fashion.

I can’t wait for you to listen to the first episode – I think it’s a banger of a conversation.

In the meantime, it would mean the world if you could subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use.

So that’s it from me for now.

Over and Out.