Roots Hospitality Elijah Attard

From staring out of the QBE building overlooking the city as an Executive Chef, to traveling the world looking for his real father - Jamie has quite the story to tell. Whether it's being pranked by his chef colleagues in the early days to helping grow his clients like Sydney Direct Fresh Produce and Tetsuya to the brands they are today, Jamie's experiences have defined a lot of what TNM has become today. Though a fun team, they are hardworking and dedicated to showcasing your business or talent to highest quality.

Jamie has come a long way with his partner Laura Henshall (co-owner of TNM and partner to Jamie) who both came from Manchester to Australia more then 10 years ago. With Laura's talent in public speaking and Jamie's passion for story telling, they came together to start TNM Creative media as a way to help share the stories of people and their brands.

Even landing Jamie's first client was a hustle. In order to land Export Fresh, Jamie had to work for 3 months at the Sydney Flemington Markets in order to get to know this pocket of the crazy world. With forklifts buzzing everywhere until the early hours of the morning as most restaurants and venues get in early to collect their fruit and vegetable produce. But with sheer determination, Jamie got his first client. He picked up a camera and got rolling.



Jamie and I talk about the day we met, his incredible documentary 'Finding Ali' (would recommend) which he filmed over two years trying to find his father, following an MMA fighter to Miami and starting TNM Creative Media from his own garage.



Roots Hospitality is proudly supported by Sydney Direct Fresh Produce. The fruit and vegetable supplier led by Luke Kohler, who has been supplying to Sydney venues for more then 20 years now and still killing it.



Episode out now. Follow @roots_hospitality on Instagram for the latest podcast news and guest.

Music: By Elijah Attard with samples from 'Ill Kitchen'

How much of personal success relies on luck, or being at the right place at the right time? Jason and I chat about his career from the beginning of picking up a camera as a teenager, to following one of the best restaurants in the world - Noma - from country to country, on their next pop up adventure.

Jason shares his early life and influences that inspired him to pick up a camera in the first place, how he got started and the blind ambition to a hobby that changed his life. I throw my thoughts on the comparison between military style kitchens and working as a fashion photographer in New York or for Vogue (after hearing the pressure Parker Blain went through - another food photographer I got on my podcast, check out episode 11).

We also covered the new project in print, the limited edition 3 part, 600 page book that chronicles the Noma Pop ups that occurred almost 10 years ago now.

The Roots Hospitality podcast is proudly supported by Sydney Direct Fresh Produce. The fruit and vegetable providore led by Luke Kohler, who has been supplying to Sydney restaurants and venues for more then 20 years and still smashing it out today.

Follow @roots_hospitality on Instagram for the most up to date info on the latest guest, news and soundbites.

Roots Hospitality theme by me, with samples from Ill Kitchen titled The Return.
Music End Credits | By Charlie Fester. 

The recipe to success behind whale sperm emulsion or why you should put sand in your restaurant to transport guests to a tropical island? Hear all about it as Andre Natera and I catch up over the past two months in the world of hospitality. Whether it's the Bocuse D or', some great hospitality books (like Will Guidara's Unreasonable Hospitality) or what made us laugh about the recently released comical take on chefs, 'The Menu'. Was it using a Paco jet to kill someone? or the on purpose split emulsion; possible referencing Bottura's 'oops I dropped the lemon tart.'

Follow @roots_hospitality on Instagram to keep updated on the next industry guest as we banter about our experiences in hospitality or head to rootshospitality.com.au for behind the scenes photos and trailers for each guest.

The Roots Hospitality Podcast is proudly supported by Sydney Direct Fresh Produce. The fruit and vegetable providore, led by Luke Kohler, who has supplied to Sydney venues for more then 20 years and still smashing it out today.

Intro music by Roots Hospitality, sampled 'The Return' by Ill Kitchen.
Outro music by Charlie Fester. 

You’ll learn and immense amount about the history of Poland through the World Wars and how that effected the produce they came to use for spirits, or food in everyday life. We chat about neurogastronomy and the psychology behind food, how a tartare reignited a chefs passion in the Michelin world, why some people are too scared to enter the speakeasy bar, how a sushi chef got himself stuck during service, and Andrzej’s own in the shit moments!

The Roots Hospitality podcast is proudly supported by Sydney Direct Fresh Produce. The fruit and vegetable providore led by Luke Kohler, who has been supplying to Sydney restaurants and venues for more then 20 years and still smashing it out today.

Follow @roots_hospitality on Instagram for the most up to date info on the latest guest, news and soundbites.

Roots Hospitality theme by me, with music sampled from Ill Kitchen titled The Return.

I hopped over to Warsaw in Poland while traveling around Europe and I was not disappointed. What a beautiful city. Best of all, an incredible bar hidden away in the outskirts that creates a fun and inviting vibe filled with stunningly illustrated menus (done by Martyna herself!) of delicious cocktails.

Martyna Blaut is the bartending queen of El Koktel. With her unique perspective on bartending in Poland, Martyna’s passion has driven her around the country. Much like myself, she moved on from following her initial passion of University to pursue a career in hospitality and found a way to incorporate her love for design into the core of El Koktel. When you open the cocktail menu for example, you’re immediately drawn to the beautiful illustrations of each cocktail. I remember I pointed that out, to purely appreciate the talented work of whoever it was. This was followed by an array of unique cocktails that have a personal play on each bartenders experience or backgrounds.

Martyna and I reflect on her first sip of alcohol, whether she pursues creativity or leadership, we learn some polish industry phrases and of course, her most in the shit moment.

The Roots Hospitality podcast is proudly supported by Sydney Direct Fresh Produce. The fruit and vegetable providore led by Luke Kohler, who has been supplying to Sydney restaurants and venues for more then 20 years and still smashing it out today.

Follow @roots_hospitality on Instagram for the most up to date info on the latest guest, news and soundbites.

Roots Hospitality theme by me, with music sampled from Ill Kitchen titled The Return.
Music For The Trailer: Lateflights by Pryces

Kenneth and I sat down to chat about Noma finally receiving it’s third hat after 17 years, being able to recognise the chefs who have worked at The French Laundry or Per Se because of their idiosyncrasies during service (like not making a sound during prep, or not putting metal on metal benches to avoid scratches), Matty Matheson popping by for a feed (who is genuinely a legend), the humor in overcomplicating a steak frites when you’re a passionate apprentice, we laugh about the realness of the hit show ‘The Bear’ and it’s eerily accurate portrayal of daily life in the kitchen for chefs, why a mushroom duxelle got Kenneth in the shit one time and the future of Noma restaurant.

Plus a restaurant and farm tour in the second half of the episode!

The Roots Hospitality podcast is proudly supported by Sydney Direct Fresh Produce. The fruit and vegetable providore led by Luke Kohler, who has been supplying to Sydney restaurants and venues for more then 20 years and still smashing it out today.

Follow @roots_hospitality on Instagram for the most up to date info on the latest guest, news and soundbites.

Roots Hospitality theme by me, with music sampled from Ill Kitchen titled The Return.