MENU PEOPLE (Contributors

Menu people

I cannot believe how fast 2021 has disappeared on us. It has been a blur of activity and fitting in catchups with friends along the way. For me, my favourite way to do this is cooking for everyone. I love feeling connected to the food I cook with long hours on a weekend spent preparing a feast. It’s even better when I have produce fresh from our veggie garden. Then I love to watch my friends enjoy the meal. It fills my soul cup in the best way. So, writing about gut health this issue is a bit of a passion area, as it talks about that connection and how it impacts our health and wellbeing. Happy 2022 everyone; may the year be filled with beautiful food and our favourite people.

Sarah Schmitt

This September, I certainly had a couple of insightful days while judging the LITT Burger of Origin competition. Apart from the precariously towering burgers crammed with decadence, I learned about an exciting new social media platform called LITT and how Rob Nixon from Nicko’s Kitchen impressively attracts over 1.24 million subscribers to his YouTube channel. All while we were served burgers by a robot waiter and filmed stuffing our faces. I soon escaped this moment of insta-fame and headed south to Busselton to the Origins Market, showcasing over 60 outlets including coffee, organic fruit and vegetables, local cheeses, a butcher specialising in Balinese delicacies, gelato and oysters. Thankfully, there wasn’t a camera in sight as I gorged myself silly and suffice to say, by the end of it was well and truly pickled and shucked.

Carmen Jenner

2021 was certainly an interesting year. WA has dealt pretty well overall with the pandemic and its associated issues. The lack of international tourists has been compensated for by the increase in local tourism and the regions have done well, despite staff shortages and limited accommodation in some areas. Most people have now been vaccinated and it looks like the borders will soon be opening. I profiled a couple of unusual places for this issue – Graze & Tipple in Karrinyup Shopping Centre and Jusea, which is actually a catering company. I celebrated a birthday dinner at Seven Sins in Roleystone and had a couple of great lunches with a bunch of girlfriends – at Dusit Dheva by the Sea at Hillarys Boat Harbour and Impronta in Leederville. Looking forward to the next one which will be at Limones in Bicton – we like to spread it around. In the past six months I’ve been doing what most craft beer afficionados have been doing – drinking a lot of hazy IPAs. This relatively new beer style has taken the craft brewing industry by storm and it seems that nearly every brewery is making one. Their quality keeps on improving too, as brewers gain experience in making this notoriously tricky beer style.

I also had the pleasure of dining at Nicko’s Kitchen, where I enjoyed some seriously good French cuisine and warm hospitality from Rob and his team. It was there that I discovered Barbera, which could be my new favourite red wine varietal.

Jeremy Sambrooks

My experience of eating out has shifted over the last few years, adapting to my family circumstance and largely focussed around finding appropriate venues to entertain my two-year-old. Outdoor spaces, toy corners, prompt service, two marshmallows with a babychino and generous serves of chippies for the win. I am also fond of booths which offer the bonus of containment. With that in mind I was appreciative of the opportunity to visit Fat Boyz Small Bar, where indulging in a cocktail at lunchtime and a double stacked burger, in adult company, felt like a treat on multiple levels. Fatz Boys has booths, prompt service and very friendly staff so would be absolutely suitable for a family soiree, but I enjoyed taking the time to enjoy the meal and the vibe, without the company of my little person.

Danica Scott

Having lived and worked in London, New York, Sydney and now Perth, I have experienced fine food and drink from across the spectrum, from Michelin starred restaurants to beachside shacks. Every level has proven capable of both delight and disappointment, so I articulate the challenge in finding winners as locating the right food at the right price. The late lamented Marchetti’s Latin in Melbourne remains a memorable white tablecloth experience, while Rico’s Peruvian on 8th Avenue in New York has fluorescent lights and plastic tablecloths, and serves a $15 ceviche that is second to none. Locally, the CBD’s Petition Kitchen is an upmarket favourite and Subiaco’s The Red Chair Thai takeaway, is a superb cheap eats.

Paul Hindle