The Ingredients

Open Pantry Co.
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Ingredients From the team at Open Pantry Co., The Ingredients is a hospitality podcast that gets to the heart of what makes a venue work. Each episode breaks down one essential ingredient, from brand and fitout to team culture and menu design, through real conversations with operators, makers, and thinkers across the industry. This isn’t about trends for trend’s sake. It’s about the thinking behind the service, and how better decisions get made. If you’re building a venue, leading a team, or just craving more meaning in your work, this is the podcast for you. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game. Connect with the team at https://www.tanda.com.au/ or hospitality@tanda.com.au How to connect with Open Pantry Co. Email us at Open Pantry Co: connect@openpantryco.com Subscribe to the 🥪Sandwich Press Newsletter: Link Open Pantry Co. Website: Link Open Pantry Co. Instagram: Link Open Pantry Co. YouTube: Link Open Pantry Co. LinkedIn: Link Open Pantry Co. Linktree: Link

  1. Episode 11: Lachlan Ward - St Ali - From Melbourne Icon to Global Player: The Future of Coffee

    3D AGO

    Episode 11: Lachlan Ward - St Ali - From Melbourne Icon to Global Player: The Future of Coffee

    St Ali isn't just a Melbourne coffee institution; it's a 20-year masterclass in craft, scale, and the kind of brand building that prioritises authenticity over expansion. In this episode of The Ingredients Podcast, Shaun sits down with Lachlan Ward, CEO of St Ali, inside the original South Melbourne venue that remains the beating heart of the business. Lachlan shares his remarkable 15-year journey with the brand, from navigating the complexities of coffee sourcing during climate disruption to building a global presence across Asia, all while staying true to the craft ethos that made St Ali special from day one. The conversation dives deep into what it really takes to scale a coffee brand without losing its soul: sourcing futures 12 to 18 months in advance, diversifying supply chains across emerging origins like India, China, and Timor, why a two-day shift in maximum roast dates transformed production planning, and how St Ali uses hospitality venues as brand accelerators rather than revenue centres. Lachlan unpacks the philosophy behind treating coffee as a vehicle for creativity, why signature beverages now outsell traditional coffee products, the lessons learned from opening their first Manila store, and why localising menus (eggs on rice, not toast) was essential to success. They discuss the realities of building a team across hospitality, wholesale, retail, and e-commerce, why hiring outside of coffee has been the biggest step change for the business, how to stay energised after 15 years by focusing on global potential rather than local saturation, and why St Ali's boldness in design and brand identity has always been a competitive advantage in a market obsessed with muted minimalism. There's also a powerful reflection on coffee pricing volatility, the new normal of complexity in sourcing, why coffee remains an affordable luxury people refuse to give up, and how physical connection with staff and venues keeps leadership grounded. This is a conversation about craft and commerce, people and product, and building a brand with global ambition that's still rooted in the energy of a single South Melbourne warehouse. If you run a cafe, work in coffee, or want to understand what it takes to scale without compromise, this one's essential listening. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game. www.tanda.com.au More about today's guest: Website: https://stali.com.au/ Our guest's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lachlan-ward-395b4393/ Follow Open Pantry Co. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-open-pantry-consulting/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openpantryconsulting/

    30 min
  2. Episode 10: Jackson McGrath - Greenstreat - Be Curious, Not Judgmental: Building Trust Through Food

    MAR 3

    Episode 10: Jackson McGrath - Greenstreat - Be Curious, Not Judgmental: Building Trust Through Food

    GreenStreat isn't just a salad brand; it's a values-driven mission to change how Australians eat, feel, and experience fast casual hospitality. In this episode of The Ingredients Podcast, Shaun sits down with Jackson McGrath, co-founder of Green Street, inside their Little Collins Street location in Melbourne. Jackson shares his remarkable journey from growing up in his parents' restaurant to building one of Australia's most respected healthy fast casual brands alongside his brother Jesse, navigating multi-state expansion, COVID lockdowns, and the relentless challenge of staying true to their core values while scaling. The conversation dives deep into what it really takes to build a sustainable health brand without compromise: developing products around peak seasonality rather than availability, using family salad dressing recipes as a competitive advantage, why fruit in a salad can outsell a burger bowl, and how centralisation isn't about cutting corners but achieving consistency. Jackson unpacks the philosophy behind making food that nourishes and satisfies, why GreenStreat prioritises flavour over Instagram appeal, and how opening stores 2,000 kilometres apart during a pandemic forced him to evolve from operator to strategist. They discuss the realities of scaling across three states with three different store cultures, why magical moments and street fights have transformed team engagement, how to retain hospitality staff by treating venues as careers, not stepping stones, and why being curious beats being judgmental every time. There's also a powerful reflection on competition, the future of fast casual in an AI-driven world, and why slow, controlled growth built on trust will always beat mass expansion built on transactions. This is a conversation about legacy and leadership, product and people, and building something that makes a genuine impact without losing the human connection at its heart. If you run a venue, care about nutrition, or want to understand what authentic hospitality looks like in the fast casual space, this one's essential listening. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game. www.tanda.com.au More about today’s guest: Website: https://www.greenstreat.com.au/ Our guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackson-mcgrath-046b23169/ Follow Open Pantry Co. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-open-pantry-consulting/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openpantryconsulting/

    54 min
  3. Episode 9: Philipp Hockenberger - Hofbräuhaus Melb - Staying Authentic in the Heart of Chinatown

    FEB 24

    Episode 9: Philipp Hockenberger - Hofbräuhaus Melb - Staying Authentic in the Heart of Chinatown

    Hofbräuhaus Melbourne isn't just a German restaurant; it's a 50-year exercise in cultural authenticity, operational complexity, and the kind of hospitality that prioritises genuine care over transactional service. In this episode of The Ingredients Podcast, Shaun sits down with Philipp Hockenberger, Brand Manager at Hofbräuhaus Melbourne, in the heart of Melbourne's Chinatown. Philipp shares his journey from Germany to managing one of Melbourne's most unique hospitality experiences, a venue that's been serving authentic German cuisine and culture since the late 1960s across three distinct spaces under one roof. The conversation dives deep into what it really takes to stay authentic in a market that constantly pushes you toward compromise: serving heavy comfort food year-round in Australia's climate, maintaining German cultural integrity without becoming theatrical, operating three different venue concepts simultaneously, and why a schnitzel will never have the Instagram appeal of Asian cuisine. Philipp unpacks the philosophy behind representing a culture seriously, the challenges of marketing brown food in a colourful digital world, and why being located in Chinatown is both bizarre and brilliant. They discuss the realities of high staff turnover in Australian hospitality, why backpackers are essential to the business model, how the core team brings new hires up to speed during peak seasons like Oktoberfest, and why mistakes are actually opportunities to prove you care. There's also a powerful reflection on generational shifts in the workforce, why the new generation wants rewards before work rather than after, and how the internal mantra of "friends serving friends" has transformed team culture and guest experience. This is a conversation about authenticity and adaptation, culture and community, and building something that lasts by putting people at the centre of everything. If you run a venue, care about cultural representation, or want to understand what genuine hospitality looks like in practice, this one's essential listening. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game. www.tanda.com.au More about today’s guest: Website: https://www.hofbrauhaus.com.au/ Our guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipphockenberger/ Follow Open Pantry Co. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-open-pantry-consulting/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openpantryconsulting/

    39 min
  4. Episode 8 - Sharon Romeo - Fino Vino - Why Looking After People Matters More Than Serving Them

    JAN 13

    Episode 8 - Sharon Romeo - Fino Vino - Why Looking After People Matters More Than Serving Them

    Fino Vino isn't just a restaurant brand; it's a 20-year masterclass in regional and city hospitality, resilience, and the kind of service that prioritises connection over everything else. In this episode of The Ingredients Podcast, Shaun sits down with Sharon, co-owner of Fino Vino in Adelaide's CBD and the iconic Seppeltsfield destination restaurant in the Barossa Valley. Sharon shares her remarkable journey, from starting at Pizza Hut in 1988, through the toxic culture of 1990s hospitality, to building one of South Australia's most respected and enduring restaurant brands alongside her business partner, David Swain. The conversation dives deep into what it really takes to sustain a business through two decades of change: opening a 30-seat venue in Willunga with no menu, transitioning to a 140-seat destination restaurant in the Barossa, surviving a CBD launch during the pandemic, and navigating the challenges of staffing, margins, and customer expectations across vastly different markets. Sharon unpacks the philosophy behind their produce-driven approach, the importance of community over trends, and why authentic hospitality is about reading people, not following scripts. They discuss the evolution of workplace culture, why Sharon refuses to replicate the toxic environments she endured early in her career, how she's learned to let go of control and embrace mentorship, and why the next generation of hospitality workers gives her hope. There's also a powerful reflection on business partnerships, the economics of express lunches versus fine dining, and why polishing cutlery is a waste of everyone's time. This is a conversation about resilience and relationships, margins and meaning, and building something that lasts without losing the human connection at its heart. If you run a venue, work in hospitality, or just care about what great service really looks like, this one's essential listening. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game.

    45 min
  5. Episode 7 - Nick Corletto - Maybe Mae - Seasonality, Margins, and Making Drinks That Matter

    JAN 6

    Episode 7 - Nick Corletto - Maybe Mae - Seasonality, Margins, and Making Drinks That Matter

    Maybe Mae isn't just a cocktail bar; it's a masterclass in seasonality, sustainability, and the kind of service that prioritises dialogue over decoration. In this episode of The Ingredients Podcast, Shaun sits down with Nick Corletto, operating partner at Maybe Mae, tucked away in the basement just off Peel Street in Adelaide. Nick shares his journey from working on his family's vineyard in Clare Valley to becoming a driving force behind one of Adelaide's most respected cocktail destinations for over a decade. The conversation dives deep into what it really takes to run a sustainable bar (spoiler: no bar is truly sustainable), how to craft a profitable drink without sacrificing creativity, and why Maybe Mae moved to a fully digital menu. Nick unpacks the philosophy behind their produce-driven approach, the importance of curating spirits thoughtfully rather than stocking everything, and how honest dialogue with guests beats a leather-bound menu every time. They discuss the evolution of Adelaide's bar scene, the explosion of quality drinking across South Australia, the challenges of small bar economics, and why the smallest operational change—embracing seasonal produce—has had the biggest impact on their business. There's also a powerful reflection on mentorship, team culture, and why Nick's proudest legacy isn't the drinks he's made, but the people he's helped develop along the way. This is a conversation about margins and meaning, creativity and community, and building something that lasts without chasing trends or ego. If you run a bar, work in drinks, or just care about thoughtful hospitality, this one's essential listening. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game.

    48 min

  6. 12/17/2025

    Episode 6: Why Real Restaurants Don’t Chase Trends with Duncan and Lauren from Africola

    Africola isn’t just one of Adelaide’s most influential restaurants; it’s a living, breathing example of what happens when culture, people, and product are put ahead of ego and expansion. In this episode of The Ingredients Podcast, Shaun sits down inside Africola with Duncan Welgemoed and Lauren Parsons to unpack the real story behind the venue: the fires (literal ones), the decisions not to scale, the obsession with people over praise, and why authenticity isn’t about copying heritage, it’s about building something honest that evolves on its own terms. They discuss candidly cooking over fire, building a team that genuinely wants to be there, why personality often beats skill in hiring, and how Africola has remained relevant for over a decade without chasing trends, critics, or headlines. There’s also a powerful reflection on Adelaide’s hospitality scene, where it’s been, where it’s heading, and why the city is finally keeping its talent instead of exporting it east. This is a conversation about restaurants as community anchors, menus as operational tools, and leadership that’s grounded in care, not control. If you run a venue or want to build something that lasts, this one’s worth your time. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game.

    47 min
  7. Episode 6: Why Real Restaurants Don’t Chase Trends with Duncan and Lauren from Africola

    12/16/2025

    Episode 6: Why Real Restaurants Don’t Chase Trends with Duncan and Lauren from Africola

    Africola isn’t just one of Adelaide’s most influential restaurants; it’s a living, breathing example of what happens when culture, people, and product are put ahead of ego and expansion. In this episode of The Ingredients Podcast, Shaun sits down inside Africola with Duncan Welgemoed and Lauren Parsons to unpack the real story behind the venue: the fires (literal ones), the decisions not to scale, the obsession with people over praise, and why authenticity isn’t about copying heritage, it’s about building something honest that evolves on its own terms. They discuss candidly cooking over fire, building a team that genuinely wants to be there, why personality often beats skill in hiring, and how Africola has remained relevant for over a decade without chasing trends, critics, or headlines. There’s also a powerful reflection on Adelaide’s hospitality scene, where it’s been, where it’s heading, and why the city is finally keeping its talent instead of exporting it east. This is a conversation about restaurants as community anchors, menus as operational tools, and leadership that’s grounded in care, not control. If you run a venue or want to build something that lasts, this one’s worth your time. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game.

    47 min
  8. Episode 5 - From France to Adelaide: Chef Alexis Besseau's Culinary Journey

    12/09/2025

    Episode 5 - From France to Adelaide: Chef Alexis Besseau's Culinary Journey

    Summary In this episode of the Ingredients Podcast, host Shaun de Vries speaks with Alexis Besseau, executive chef of La Louisiane in Adelaide. Alexis shares his remarkable culinary journey, from his childhood in France through various international experiences to his ultimate settling in Australia. The conversation delves into the importance of mentorship, the challenges of building a cohesive kitchen team, and the innovative strategies employed during the pandemic to adapt to changing circumstances. Alexis emphasises the significance of creating a unique dining experience and the continuous pursuit of improvement in both personal and professional realms. Takeaways Alexis started cooking at a young age, influenced by family. He travelled extensively to learn from top chefs around the world. Mentorship played a crucial role in his development as a chef. Cultural differences impact culinary practices and team dynamics. The pandemic forced restaurants to innovate and adapt their services. Focusing on customer experience is key to restaurant success. Building a strong team requires prioritising attitude over experience. Alexis aims to create a relaxed yet refined dining atmosphere. He believes in continuous improvement for himself and his staff. Future aspirations include opening another restaurant in Adelaide. Brands we spoke about on the podcast: ⁠Tanda Website⁠ ⁠Tanda Email⁠ ⁠La Louisiane Website⁠ ⁠Alexis Besseau Instagram⁠ ⁠Open Pantry Co's Linktree⁠

    58 min
See All (16)

About

The Ingredients From the team at Open Pantry Co., The Ingredients is a hospitality podcast that gets to the heart of what makes a venue work. Each episode breaks down one essential ingredient, from brand and fitout to team culture and menu design, through real conversations with operators, makers, and thinkers across the industry. This isn’t about trends for trend’s sake. It’s about the thinking behind the service, and how better decisions get made. If you’re building a venue, leading a team, or just craving more meaning in your work, this is the podcast for you. This episode is proudly brought to you by Tanda, helping hospitality venues stay compliant, supported, and ahead of the game. Connect with the team at https://www.tanda.com.au/ or hospitality@tanda.com.au How to connect with Open Pantry Co. Email us at Open Pantry Co: connect@openpantryco.com Subscribe to the 🥪Sandwich Press Newsletter: Link Open Pantry Co. Website: Link Open Pantry Co. Instagram: Link Open Pantry Co. YouTube: Link Open Pantry Co. LinkedIn: Link Open Pantry Co. Linktree: Link

Information

  • Creator
    Open Pantry Co.
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Open Pantry Co.
  • Show Website
    The Ingredients