This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji is joined by the remarkable Chef Ashraf Saleh, a chef whose life and career span continents, cultures, and cuisines.

From growing up in Saudi Arabia to running award-recognised restaurants in Sydney, Ashraf’s story is one of curiosity, creativity, and deep respect for food as a universal language.

Ashraf shares how his culinary journey began not in a classroom, but through lived experience — working in hotels, cafés, and small restaurants, learning by doing, and refining his craft over decades.

At the heart of Ashraf’s philosophy is the belief that food brings people together. He speaks passionately about creativity on the plate, the balance of spices, and honouring heritage while evolving flavours for modern dining.

His Middle Eastern roots heavily influence his approach, from spice layering to generosity of service, and a strong commitment to cooking with integrity — including avoiding seed oils, prioritising olive oil and butter, and designing menus that cater beautifully to gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based diners.

Travel has played a major role in shaping Ashraf’s worldview and cooking style. He reflects on childhood road trips across Saudi Arabia, coastal life in Jeddah, and the joy of desert journeys to Bahrain. His love of global cultures has taken him to China, Morocco, France, Sweden, and beyond — always driven by curiosity, people, and food.

The conversation also explores Ashraf’s premium spice blends — a project inspired by his sons during lockdown — and his desire to make restaurant-quality flavour accessible at home. From braising spices to grilling blends featuring native Australian ingredients, his products reflect both heritage and innovation.

This episode is a celebration of cultural exchange, lifelong learning, and the joy of sharing food.

Destinations Featured:

Middle East

• Saudi Arabia
• Jeddah (coastal city, food culture, childhood memories)
• Desert road trips
• Cultural roots and early life
• Bahrain – long desert drive adventures

Morocco

• Casablanca
• Marrakesh
• Tangier (favourite for culture and food

Asia

• China
• Beijing
• Shanghai
• Singapore – favourite destination

Europe

• France
• Paris (memories from the 1970s, hotel stays, early travel)
• Sweden
• Lived for seven months in the late 1970s
• Cultural contrast and evolution of cuisine
• Italy (Upcoming Bucket List)
• Sicily — interest in Arabic influence on Italian cuisine
• Portugal
• Hungary
• Croatia
• France

Australia

• New South Wales, Sydney
• Queensland, Gold Coast

About Chef Ashraf Saleh

Chef Ashraf Saleh is a chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author whose work blends Middle Eastern heritage with modern Australian dining. With decades of experience across hotels, cafés, and fine dining, Ashraf is known for his thoughtful approach to flavour, balance, and hospitality.

He is the chef and owner of restaurant COYA Sydney, and the creator of premium spice blends designed to bring restaurant-quality flavour into home kitchens.

🔗 More about Ashraf:

https://www.agfg.com.au/chef/ashraf-saleh

https://www.coyasydney.com.au

Host

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji is joined by the insightful and magnetic Allira Potter— a proud Yorta Yorta woman, writer, creator, model, and award-winning coach.

In this episode, Allira talks about her first overseas trip to Fiji, being raised between Melbourne and Geeolong, working with Intrepid to capture content on group trips and her love of South Australia.

Destinations featured:

Australia

• Melbourne & Geelong
• East Coast Australia (family road trips)
• Gold Coast
• Adelaide & South Australia
• Yorke Peninsula
• Uluru
• Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary

International

• Fiji
• Thailand
• Morocco
• India
• Nepal
• South Korea
• New Zealand (Queenstown & Milford Sound)
• United States
• Maldives (future dream destination)
• Japan (future travel plans)

Guest Allira Potter

https://www.instagram.com/allira.potter/

https://www.tiktok.com/@allira.potter?lang=en

Host: Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Travel Date, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves meaningful travel and powerful storytelling.

Follow @the_travel_date_ on Instagram for more journeys, conversations, and inspiration.

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji brings listeners a special Yorke Peninsula–focused episode, chatting with the wonderful Bridget Johns — a time and space organiser, grant writer, and board member of Yorke Peninsula Tourism.

Based on a broad-acre cropping farm near Alford, between Wallaroo and Port Broughton, Bridget shares what it’s really like to build a life in regional South Australia after moving from Adelaide more than 21 years ago. What began as a role in food industry development turned into a long-term sea-change, a family life on the land, and a career supporting businesses across the Yorke Peninsula, the Mid North, and beyond.

In this warm and practical conversation, Bridget offers a local’s guide to the Yorke Peninsula, highlighting Wallaroo, Port Broughton, Moonta, Kadina, and Bute, along with family-friendly beaches, playgrounds, coffee stops, caravan parks, silo art, libraries, and hidden gems only locals tend to know.

From driving on white sandy beaches to splash parks, petting zoos, bakeries, and foreshore cafés, this episode is packed with real-world inspiration for families, couples, and day-trippers alike. Whether you’re planning a weekend escape or a longer coastal stay, Bridget’s insights make regional travel feel easy, accessible, and deeply rewarding.

Threaded throughout the episode is Bridget’s philosophy of “collecting moments, not things.” As a professional organiser, she shares how intentional travel, mini getaways, and creating space in our homes and calendars can reduce clutter and create more time for meaningful experiences.

This episode will have you packing your bags to visit Wallaroo and Port Broughton — and seeing regional South Australia with fresh eyes.

🌍 DESTINATIONS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE

South Australia – Yorke Peninsula

• Alford (farming community)
• Wallaroo
• Port Broughton
• Moonta
• Kadina
• Bute
• Copper Coast region

Family & Nature Experiences

• White sandy drive-on beaches
• Foreshore playgrounds
• Splash parks
• Petting zoos
• Silo art trails
• Coastal walking paths

Local Experiences

• Caravan parks and holiday parks
• Local bakeries and cafés
• Libraries as travel stops
• Community markets

👤 GUEST BIO

Bridget Johns is a time and space organiser, grant writer, and regional advocate based on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. Through her business Be Simply Free, Bridget helps individuals and families declutter their homes, clear their calendars, and create more time for what matters most — including travel, connection, and meaningful experiences.

📍 Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

📸 Instagram: @besimplyfree

🌐 Website: https://www.besimplyfree.com.au

🎧 EPISODE CREDITS

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji brings listeners a Yorke Peninsula special, chatting with Kate Williams, co-founder of Peninsula Records & Books, a much-loved independent book and vinyl store based in Stansbury, on South Australia’s southern Yorke Peninsula.

Kate shares the heartfelt story behind opening Peninsula Records & Books — a dream that grew from a deep love of physical books and vinyl records. What began as the idea for a small “micro shop” has quickly become a treasured community space, celebrating the joy of reading, music, and slowing down. With a strong focus on Australian and South Australian authors and musicians, the store champions local creativity and storytelling.

Throughout the conversation, Kate reflects on what drew her and her husband to the Yorke Peninsula. After exploring the region, Stansbury stood out instantly — peaceful, central, and perfectly positioned to explore the southern Yorke Peninsula, with neighbouring towns just minutes away.

Kate offers a local’s guide to the area, sharing recommendations for markets, walking trails, boutiques, cafés, beaches, art, and family-friendly experiences. From the much-loved Stansbury Markets, run by volunteers along the foreshore, to hidden gems like charity cinnamon doughnuts in Yorketown, this episode is packed with authentic, off-the-map suggestions you won’t easily find online.

The episode also explores the vibrant creative scene across the Yorke Peninsula — from public art and water-tower murals to galleries, artist residencies, and the biennial arts festival. Kate highlights how the region offers something for everyone: couples, families, creatives, readers, walkers, and anyone craving space, beauty, and genuine connection.

This episode is a celebration of regional living, independent retail, community spirit, and slow travel, and a reminder that some of the most meaningful travel experiences are found right on our doorstep.

GUEST BIO

Kate is the co-founder of Peninsula Records & Books, an independent book and vinyl store based in Stansbury on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula. With a passion for physical books, music, and supporting Australian creatives, Kate has helped create a welcoming community space that celebrates storytelling, creativity, and slow living.

📍 Stansbury, South Australia

🌐 Website: https://peninsularecordsandbooks.com

📸 Instagram & Facebook: @peninsularecordsandbooks

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

Guest: Tiffany Falzon – Founder, Bayside Glamping

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji is joined by Tiffany Falzon, the passionate founder of Bayside Glamping, a collection of boutique stays at Marion Bay on South Australia’s spectacular Yorke Peninsula.

In this relaxed and inspiring conversation, Tiffany shares the story behind Bayside Glamping — from the initial spark of an idea to bring a Glamping tent to the Yorke Peninsula and its early success and the evolution of her business adding a tiny home to her portfolio as well as her latest luxury offering, The Sanctuary. 

This episode is a celebration of slow travel, regional entrepreneurship, coastal living, and the joy of creating memorable experiences close to home.

This episode will have you dreaming about the picturesque town of Marion Bay and lusting over a stay at Bayside Glamping!

👤 GUEST BIO

Tiffany Falzon is the founder of Bayside Glamping and an incredible woman promoting tourism in Marion Bay and the Yorke Peninsula region. 

https://baysideglamping.com.au

@bayside_glamping 

To start planning your own trip, visit Bayside Glamping directly as well as Tourism Yorke Peninsula. 

https://yorkepeninsula.com.au

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji is joined by the Sarah Maree Cameron — presenter, writer, comedian, and all-round storyteller with a love of adventure and curiosity for the world.

In this honest, funny, and deeply reflective conversation, Sarah Maree shares how travel has shaped her independence, resilience, and sense of self. From a spontaneous decision to move overseas in her early twenties to hitchhiking across the United States, navigating airport chaos and couch-surfing before it was mainstream, Sarah Maree’s stories are filled with courage, humour, and heart.

She reflects on formative childhood holidays spent by the Murray River and how those early experiences planted the seeds for a lifelong love of exploration. Sarah Maree also shares what a typical weekend looks like in Melbourne, juggling her work across sport broadcasting, radio, and live performance — and where to walk, eat, and drink coffee when visiting the city.

From falling in love with Oman and its incredible hospitality, dreaming about Christmas markets with her mum, unforgettable meals in Dubai, luxury stays in Doha, island hopping in Malaysia, and her upcoming Sunshine Coast adventure, this episode is packed with warmth, laughter, and meaningful travel reflections.

🌍 Destinations Mentioned in This Episode

• United States of America
• Canada
• Australia (Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, Koondrook, Sunshine Coast & Gold Coast)
• Vietnam
• Oman
• United Arab Emirates 
• Qatar 
• Malaysia 
• Langkawi 
• United Kingdom
• Middle East & North Africa (Egypt, Morocco & Jordan) 

👤 Guest Bio – Sarah Maree Cameron

is a Melbourne-based presenter, writer, and comedian, known for her work across sport broadcasting, radio, and live performance. With a natural gift for storytelling, Sarah Maree brings humour, honesty, and warmth to conversations about life, travel, and identity.

Her love of travel — from spontaneous overseas adventures to meaningful family trips — has played a central role in shaping who she is today, both personally and professionally.

🌐 Website: https://sarahmaree.com

📸 Instagram: @sarahmareelife

🎧 Episode Credits

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji is joined by Penny Wilson, founder of Pip & Co Travel — a women-focused small group travel company specialising in culturally immersive journeys across Asia.

Penny shares how travel has been woven through her life from a young age, including living in the UK, spending formative years in Vietnam, and developing a deep love for Asia, languages, and cultural exchange. These experiences ultimately led her to create Pip & Co Travel — a business designed to help women explore the world in meaningful, responsible, and well-supported ways.

Penny talks about hosting her first group trips through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, the excitement of launching a Borneo adventure focused on wildlife conservation, and why Asia continues to be her “happy place". She also shares insights into sustainable accommodation choices, locally owned hotels, and why travelling consciously can create a lasting positive impact for both travellers and local communities.

From unforgettable food moments on the streets of Vietnam to elegant high teas in London, camping on the Queensland coastline, and dreaming of future adventures in Central Asia and North Africa, this episode is filled with curiosity, warmth, and a genuine love of travel.

🌍 Destinations Mentioned in This Episode

Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hoi An, Danang, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay & Six Senses Hotel Con Dao

Cambodia

Laos

Borneo (including turtle conservation experiences)

Sri Lanka

Indonesia (upcoming tours)

China: Shanghai

Netherlands

Egypt

United Kingdom: England, Wales, Scotland, London (high tea experiences)

Thailand: Bangkok

Australia:

• Darwin to Broome road trip
• Queensland (1770, beachfront camping)
• Uluru, Kakadu, Daintree
• Geelong & the Surf Coast

New Zealand

Central Asia (bucket list): Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan

North Africa (bucket list): Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria

👤 Guest Bio – Penny Wilson

Penny Wilson is the founder of Pip & Co Travel, a women-led small group travel company offering culturally immersive journeys throughout Asia. With a background in languages, long-term travel, and living abroad, Penny designs trips that prioritise connection, comfort, sustainability, and meaningful local experiences.

Her tours focus on responsible travel, locally owned accommodation, environmental awareness, and creating safe, enriching spaces for women to explore the world together.

🌐 Website: pipandcotravel.com

📸 Instagram: @pipandcotravel

🎧 Episode Credits

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

Guest:

Penny Wilson — Founder, Pip & Co Travel

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji sits down with Rouba Shahin , a Lebanese food specialist, content creator, wife, mother, and food blogger.

In this warm and heartfelt conversation, Rouba talks about growing up in Lebanon and shares powerful memories from her childhood in Tripoli. She reflects on how Lebanese hospitality — the warmth, the sweetness, the endless offering of food and care — remains one of the country’s greatest treasures.

Her recent return to Lebanon allowed her to reconnect with her roots, revisit cherished streets, and see the country’s beauty despite its struggles.

Beyond Lebanon, Rouba tells stories from the road: a chaotic but unforgettable road trip from Darwin to Broome, a hilarious night in a tiny Scottish cabin, the incomparable kindness of the Irish, and slow-paced adventures in New Zealand, cooking with her husband in apartments and discovering local produce together.

Rouba’s passion for culture, tradition, and honest food weaves through every story she tells. From her ultimate comfort dish — fatteh with the all-important “tush sound” — to her dream of visiting Japan and her heartfelt longing to one day travel to Palestine, this conversation is rich with emotion, curiosity, and beautifully human moments.

This episode is a love letter to food, family, culture, and the ways travel reconnects us with who we are & the world around us.

🌍 Destinations Mentioned in This Episode

• Lebanon: Tripoli, Baalbek, Beirut & guest houses in the mountains
• Australia: Sydney, Darwin to Broome, Adelaide
• New Zealand: Queenstown
• Scotland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Palestine

👤 Guest Bio – Rouba Shahin

Rouba Shahin is a Lebanese food specialist, recipe developer, content creator, and storyteller who celebrates culture through the joy of cooking. Born in Sydney and raised in Tripoli, Rouba’s work is deeply inspired by Lebanese tradition, hospitality, and family connection.

She is the creator behind Rouba’s Food Journey, where she shares approachable, flavourful, Middle Eastern-inspired recipes designed to bring people together around the table.

Her warmth, authenticity, and love for community make her a beloved voice in the food and culture space.

🌐 Website: roubashahin.com.au

🎧 Episode Credits

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

Sasha Zahra – Creative Producer, Patch Theatre

This week on The Travel Date, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji is joined by the Sasha Zahra, Creative Producer at Patch Theatre — a brilliant arts leader whose career spans youth theatre, festivals, First Nations collaborations, regional and remote arts projects, and international creative development. Sasha brings decades of experience in storytelling, community engagement, cultural exchange, and arts leadership to this heartfelt conversation.

Sasha’s journey began in drama at university, leading her into directing, youth theatre, and eventually major creative producer roles at organisations such as DreamBIG Festival, Windmill Theatre, the Adelaide Fringe, the Royal Croquet Club, Stirling Fringe, Kurruru Youth Performing Arts, and TANDANYA. Her work has taken her from Whyalla to the Torres Strait, from Vanuatu to New York City, and everywhere in between. Today, she helps bring Patch Theatre’s award-winning children’s works to audiences across Australia and the world.

This episode is a beautiful tapestry of career reflections, cultural connections, unexpected travel stories, love, loss, and the moments that shape us.

🌏 Destinations Featured in This Episode

Travel with Sasha across Australia and around the world:

AUSTRALIA

South Australia

• Adelaide Hills drives
• Adelaide Central Market (laksa + Friday nights)
• Chinatown Café & Asian Gourmet
• Stirling, Bridgewater (CFS op shop), Adelaide Hills walking trails
• Patch Theatre (local and international touring)
• Favourite local spot: Peeky’s Coffee
• Cooking + market days as a grounding ritual

Northern Territory

• Uluru – a spiritually powerful and unforgettable destination

Victoria

• Early road trips to regional Victoria
• Melbourne (arts markets, festivals)

New South Wales / ACT / Queensland

• Childhood family road trips
• Hervey Bay memories

INTERNATIONAL

• Vanuatu – transformative creative residency; One Small Bag Theatre; Tanna Island; Mount Yasur volcano; wedding destination and second home
• Indonesia – first overseas trip at 18
• Torres Strait Islands – remote community arts work
• New York City – arts festivals, creative inspiration
• New Zealand – Queenstown skiing adventures
• Penang, Malaysia – Seven Terraces boutique hotel
• Athens, Greece – boutique stays with Acropolis views
• New Caledonia – mixed cultural impressions
• Upcoming: Saudi Arabia to present Patch Theatre’s production ZOOOM

👤 Guest Bio (Original Wording Preserved)

Sasha Zahra is a Creative Producer at Patch Theatre and a versatile arts leader with more than 20 years’ experience across festivals, theatre, youth arts, First Nations collaborations, international residencies, and community cultural development. Her work has shaped artistic programs across South Australia, regional Australia, the Torres Strait, and the Pacific.

She is also a passionate traveller, storyteller, and advocate for creative connection.

Learn more about Patch: patchtheatre.org

Follow their work and touring schedule online.

🎙 Episode Credits

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram: @angelica_hazel_nutrition · @the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

Guest:

Sasha Zahra – Creative Producer, Patch Theatre

Produced by:

Podcast City – Business & Lifestyle Network

This week, host Angelica-Hazel Toutounji is joined by the inspiring and ever-radiant Jenni Eyles — an award-winning fashion blogger, online community leader, body-image advocate, content creator, grandmother, and breast cancer survivor. Warm, witty, and deeply authentic, Jenni has spent more than a decade building a supportive, empowering space for women of all ages, shapes, and stages of life.

Through her groundbreaking blog Styling Curvy, her vibrant fashion label Neon Cherry, and her ongoing work as a content creator, Jenni has helped thousands of women feel more confident in their skin, reconnect with their personal style, and embrace life wholeheartedly. In this beautifully vulnerable and uplifting conversation, Jenni reflects on her experiences with cancer, burnout, grief, motherhood, business challenges, and the powerful journey back to physical and emotional well-being.

In this heartfelt chat, Angelica and Jenni explore how travel, creativity, health, and self-care have shaped Jenni’s life — from caravan park holidays in Queensland as a child, to retreat experiences in Bali, to road trips and spontaneous motels across Australia.

Jenni speaks about her love for travel that blossomed later in life, the unexpected magic of small towns and nostalgic motels, the joy of returning to beloved destinations like Melbourne and Tasmania, and her dream of exploring Copenhagen and Portugal.

She also shares her passion for health and wellness, discussing recovery through modalities such as acupuncture, cold/heat therapy, lymphatic work, spa rituals, gym routines, and daily seaside walks along the Henley Beach coastline.

Radiant, grounded, and beautifully honest — Jenni’s story is a reminder that healing, confidence, and adventure can begin at any age.

✈️ Destinations & Places Mentioned

Travel with Jenni across Australia and beyond:

🏖 Australia

Queensland

• Caravan park holidays
• Hervey Bay – Susan River Homestead
• Sunshine Coast & Burleigh (past memories)

South Australia

• Henley Beach (daily walks)
• Adelaide Hills – Stirling & nearby towns
• McLaren Vale – The Salopian Inn
• Goolwa, Middleton & Port Elliot (favourite Airbnbs)
• Victor Harbour – Thursa boutique
• Adelaide hotspots:
• Nauti Boy (daily coffee stop)
• Joe’s at Henley
• HNLY Restaurant
• Central Markets
• Botanical Gardens
• Rundle Mall
• Burnside Village
• Glenelg boutiques

Victoria

• Melbourne
• Rye
• Bendigo
• Warrnambool
• Road trips with family

Tasmania

• Hobart
• Whole-island road trip adventures

🌍 International

• Bali – retreats, friendships, soulful travel
• Retro motels – nostalgic, character-filled stays
• Future dream trips: Copenhagen & Portugal

💆‍♀️ Wellness, Self-Care & Lifestyle Mentions

Jenni shares some of her favourite places and practices that support her health:

• Ione Spa, West Lakes – luxury spa experiences
• Smart Recovery & Fitness – lymphatic drainage, massage, infrared saunas, hot/cold therapy
• Jab Acupuncture – long-term practitioner
• Blue Lagoon Float – float therapy
• Revo Fitness – daily workouts
• Plus: the importance of beach walks, rest rituals, and small acts of self-care

💛 About Jenni Eyles

Jenni Eyles is a respected Australian content creator, fashion blogger, body-confidence advocate and breast cancer survivor. Known for her bright, relatable storytelling and empowering message, she uses her online platforms to encourage women to show up confidently, embrace joy, honour their bodies, and live fully at every age.

Follow Jenni on Instagram:

📸 @jennieyles_

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

🎙 Episode Credits

Host:

Angelica-Hazel Toutounji

📸 Instagram:

@angelica_hazel_nutrition

@the_travel_date_

🌐 Website: angelicahazel.com.au

📧 Email: [email protected]

Guest:

Jenni Eyles — Content Creator, Fashion Blogger & Breast Cancer Survivor

📸 Instagram: @jennieyles_

Produced by:

Podcast City – Business & Lifestyle Network